Sincerely, Yours
by CaptainMjolnir
Summary: Lucy Gilbert thought that she was an average teenage girl but that was far from the truth. When an accident convinces Stefan Salvatore to stay in Mystic Falls, her life changes forever. And not in the "true love" kind of way...
1. New Year, New Guy

**[1x01; Pilot]**

If there was one thing Lucy Gilbert knew about the first day of school it would be that first impressions were important. And, after the summer she had, she needed to make a good impression. One that said_, 'My parents are dead but I'm fine, thanks for asking._'

Lucy didn't think there was an outfit for that, though, so she settled with the type of clothes she would normally wear. If anything, that would give the impression that she was back to normal.

She only wished she was back to normal. A summer's worth of grief and yet she still didn't feel like herself, like the person she was before her family's SUV ran off Wickery Bridge. But that was fine—her parents were dead; she was allowed to not be all right. If it took her longer than four months to grieve, that was her business and her business alone.

Still, a carefully crafted mask and outfit would have to work for now.

Lucy quickly pulled on her clothes and checked her hair, her lips quirking in satisfaction when her brunette curls bounced perfectly in place. She fixed her moonstone locket against her upper breastbone and left the bathroom that she shared with her brother, heading straight into her room.

After gathering her school supplies and bag, Lucy wandered downstairs. The closer she walked to the kitchen, the louder the voices coming from it were. She perked up when she heard her older brother's voice playfully arguing with her aunt, Jenna, and older sister, Elena. Joel had just started his sophomore year at Whitmore, so she didn't expect to see him.

"I can make toast," Jenna proclaimed, shutting the refrigerator door as Lucy walked into the room.

"The last time I saw you use the toaster, you almost burnt down the house, Jenna," Joel teased his aunt from his seat at the island. He picked up a doughnut from the white carboard box in front of him and put it on a napkin, pushing it over to her.

"Besides, it's all about the coffee," Elena added, pouring some coffee into her usual purple mug.

"Is there coffee?"

Lucy, who had been watching her family interact from the kitchen door, jumped as her younger brother, Jeremy, pushed past her and walked over to Elena, taking the coffee mug from her hands. Elena scoffed and turned, grabbing another mug to fill up.

"It's your first day of school and I'm totally unprepared," Jenna sighed. She wandered over to the dining table where her purse was sitting and rummaged through it, pulling out three five-dollar bills. "Lunch money?"

She held out two of the bills for Elena and Jeremy to take and looked over at Lucy, smiling as she held out the other bill. Lucy grinned back and took the money.

"Thanks," she mumbled, slipping the money into the small pocket on the front of her purse.

"I'm good," Elena denied, pouring cream into her coffee.

Jeremy shrugged and took Elena's share along with his. Lucy and Joel exchanged at look at his actions, thinking the same thing; more drug money for Jeremy.

Joel quickly recovered. "You know, I could use—"

Jenna interrupted him, "That's funny, Mr. IT Guy," she scoffed and went back to her purse as Joel smiled sheepishly. "Anything else?" she asked the younger siblings. "A number two pencil? What am I missing?"

Lucy frowned thoughtfully and reached into the doughnut box, picking up a glazed one. "Don't you have your presentation today?" she asked Jenna.

Jenna huffed. "I'm meeting with my thesis advisor at—" she checked her watch. "—now. Shit!"

Jenna hurriedly took the elastic out of her messy ponytail, allowing her strawberry blonde hair to fall around her face. She grabbed her purse and a large binder, looking at the Gilbert siblings guiltily.

"Go on," Joel waved her off. "I heard Dr. Castor is a bitch. I'll take care of things here."

"Thanks," Jenna sighed in relief and started to head to the front door, calling, "Have a good first day and Joel, make sure you go to class!"

The front door opened and shut quickly. Joel turned to his younger siblings, a mischievous smirk on his face. "So," he started. "Who wants to skip school?"

Lucy rolled her eyes while Jeremy snorted in amusement. Elena, however, was not happy.

"Shut it, Joel," she gave him a warning look before she turned to Jeremy. "Are you okay?"

Jeremy sighed, aggravated, and put his mug on the counter. "Don't start."

Elena pursed her lips as Jeremy stomped out of the kitchen and up the stairs to his room.

"Don't let it bother you, Lena," Lucy spoke up, giving her sister a comforting smile. "He's just taking time to grieve."

"And smoking a bunch of weed while he's at it," Joel commented. As an afterthought, he added, "And who knows what else."

"Joel," Lucy hissed warningly, afraid that Elena's forehead vein would burst from anger. She took a bite of her doughnut and quickly chewed. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

Joel grinned and smacked the counter, standing from the stool he was sitting on. "I'm here to take you to school. I don't have class until later and I'm off today, so…"

"Bonnie's giving me a ride," Elena grimaced apologetically at her older brother. The front door slammed, making Lucy and Elena turn toward the foyer. "And I think Jeremy decided he was walking."

"Fine," Joel shrugged and grabbed his car keys off the counter. He grinned at Lucy. "Just you and me, Lou."

Lucy grimaced, not at the thought of her brother driving her to school, but at the thought of a car at all. She had ridden in cars since the accident, of course, but it took a lot of her courage. And she was already using up a lot of her bravery even stepping foot in the school.

Joel caught the hesitation on her face and patted her shoulder comfortingly. "Don't worry, we'll take our time," he began guiding her out of the house, looking back at Elena to shout, "Have a good day, Lenabug!"

Joel closed the door shut behind him and Lucy. Walking down the porch steps, he clicked the button on his car keys, unlocking his truck.

Lucy slowed to a stop right outside the passenger door, looking at the vehicle hesitantly.

"Hey," Joel, who had been walking around the front of the vehicle, paused and looked back at Lucy. "I'll be careful, I promise."

Lucy swallowed dryly and nervously nodded. "I know."

She opened the door and climbed into the truck, struggling slightly due to the sheer height of the vehicle. Once she was situated in the seat, she clipped on her seatbelt and looked over at Joel, who was waiting patiently.

"How are your classes going?" Lucy asked him as he pulled away from the curb in front of their house and started down the road.

"Psychology is kicking my ass," Joel admitted, somewhat sheepishly. "But Jenna said she'd help me."

"What about that girl," Lucy raised her eyebrows at him. "What was her name, again? Marcy?"

Joel rolled his eyes. "It's Marty and I think she's a lesbian."

"Why do you think that?"

"She introduced me to her girlfriend," Joel said, glancing over at her.

Lucy shrugged. "She could be bi or pan."

"True," Joel conceded, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel.

As a new song came on the radio, he reached over to adjust the volume just as Lucy did the same. Lucy winced slightly as they touched, a tingling sensation thrumming through her fingers.

"Ouch!" Joel hissed, quickly pulling his fingers away from Lucy's. "You shocked me, Lou."

"Sorry," she apologized, lowering her hand. When Joel turned the volume knob, a new ring he was wearing caught her eye. "When did you get that ring?" she asked curiously.

Joel winced and looked down at his ring, the band thick and silver with a large blue stone set in the middle. "Uh," he hesitated for a second, biting his bottom lip thoughtfully. "A friend gave it to me. Do you like it?"

"Yeah," Lucy nodded. "It's nice."

Lucy spun the dial on her locker, trying to make her combination work. She always had trouble with the combination locks at school and so far, this year was no different. Luckily, she still had time before the bell rang to figure it out.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone step up to the locker next to hers, quickly twisting the dial with ease. Lucy was slightly envious but she focused on her lock, sighing in relief when it finally opened. She pulled her various notebooks and binders that she, Elena, and Jenna had gotten the week before and organized them neatly in the metal box.

"Do you always have trouble with your locker?"

Lucy raised her eyes and turned, following the unfamiliar voice. It was her locker neighbor and he must have been new, because she had never seen him around school or Mystic Falls before.

"Yeah," Lucy confirmed, smiling shyly. "It's my third year of high school and I'm still working on it," the new guy chuckled slightly and, being the nosy person she was, she asked, "Are you new?"

"That obvious, huh?" he asked. "I'm Stefan Salvatore."

Stefan Salvatore was very handsome, Lucy realized the more she spoke to him. He was tall, towering over her five-three height, and slim. His eyes were a forest green color that Lucy was intrigued by and his sandy-blonde hair was styled like most of the boys in school. For whatever reason, though, Lucy didn't think that Stefan was like the other guys that she went to school with. She just couldn't put her finger on why.

"Salvatore?" Lucy hummed, grabbing her history notebook out of her locker and shutting it. "Like Zach Salvatore?"

Stefan nodded, his smile faltering only slightly. "He's my uncle. Do you know him?"

"Not personally," Lucy informed him. "But I used to beg my mom and dad to teach me about the founding families of Mystic Falls. I'm Lucy Gilbert, by the way."

"Gilbert, another founding family," Stefan guessed, recognizing her last name.

Lucy shrugged. "Yeah…I better head to class, the bell's going to ring any second."

"Yeah, I should too," Stefan agreed. "Uh, do you know where the men's room is?"

"It's around the corner, down that hallway," Lucy pointed to right where the hall they were standing in intersected with another. "It's hard to miss."

"Thanks, Lucy. I'll see you later."

Lucy waved as Stefan walked away and started down the hall, heading toward her History class. The class was taught by Mr. Tanner, the biggest jackass she had ever met, including her uncle, John. It was just her luck that the advanced placement classes were full so she was stuck with Tanner, who seemed to have a personal vendetta against the Gilbert family.

She was almost to the classroom when the bell rang, signaling the five minutes until classes started. She waved at Caroline Forbes as they passed each other in the hallway, not having enough time to catch up and talk about what had been going on in the two days since they last saw each other.

Lucy dipped into the classroom and smiled when she saw Bonnie Bennett sitting toward the back. There was an empty seat beside her, right in front of Matt Donovan, Elena's ex-boyfriend and a good friend of hers.

"Good morning," Bonnie greeted her enthusiastically, her lips stretched into a bright smile.

"Hey," Lucy smiled back at her, sliding her bag off her shoulder and sitting at the empty desk. She twisted slightly in her seat to face Bonnie and Matt. "Hey, Matt."

"Morning, Luce," Matt replied, tapping his pencil lightly against the desk. "How are you?"

"I'm trying my best," Lucy shrugged. Being around her friends made her feel better. Her whole summer had been mostly her isolating herself with the exception of her family and Caroline. It was nice to see Bonnie and Matt again. "How about you guys?"

"I made varsity," Matt stated proudly, pointing at his letterman jacket.

"That's great, congratulations!" Lucy exclaimed happily. Matt was a great football player and his position of quarterback would let him show off his leadership skills. "What about you, Bon?"

"Nothing much," Bonnie shrugged before leaning forward, lowering her voice so only Lucy and Matt could hear her. "Grams is saying I'm psychic."

"Really?" Lucy raised her eyebrows. "Any substance to her theory?"

"Well, I did predict Heath Ledger."

"May he rest in peace," Matt said somberly at the mention of his favorite actor. Lucy and Bonnie exchanged eye rolls.

"Okay, class is starting!" the annoying, smug voice of Mr. Tanner filled the classroom just as the final bell rang. "Let's cut the chit chat. Brian, I'm talking to you!"

While Tanner calmed down the chatting students, Lucy rolled her eyes once more and twisted once again in her seat, this time facing the front. To her surprise, Stefan Salvatore was in the seat in front of her. He was staring slightly ahead, right at Elena, who glanced back at him.

"We're starting in unit one, the origin of Virginia's split into two different states," Mr. Tanner declared after attendance had been taken, they went over the syllabus, and Tanner lectured for almost a half an hour about talking out of turn in his classroom. "Once our home state of Virginia joined the Confederacy in 1861, it created a tremendous amount of tension within the state. People in Virginia's northwest region had different ideals than those from the traditional deep south. Can anyone tell me when the state officially divided?"

While Tanner waited for an answer, Lucy looked around. No hands were up, no answers given. Sighing, she raised her hand to give Tanner the answer. History was one of her best subjects after all.

"Lucy?"

"1863."

"Yes, thank you," Mr. Tanner pointed at her and went on with his lecture. "Like Lucy said, Virginia divided in 1863 with the northwest region joining the Union…"

Lucy flinched slightly when her cell phone began to vibrate where it rested on her thigh. She picked it up and unlocked it, seeing that Bonnie had sent a group message between them and Elena.

**Elena, hawt-e staring u**

Lucy inwardly cringed at Bonnie's abbreviations and looked toward Elena, seeing that Stefan was once again looking at her sister. She chuckled slightly and when Tanner had his back to the class, she slipped her phone into her bag, not wanting to be distracted again.

"How are you doing that without a calculator?" Elena asked Lucy as she situated herself on the ground next to her.

They were at the Gilbert plot in the cemetery, visiting their parents. They usually visited once a week and the two sisters thought it was a good idea to go today. After telling their parents about their first day at school, they sat across from their shared headstone; Elena wrote in her journal while Lucy started her calculus homework.

"It's math," Lucy shrugged indifferently.

"Right," Elena scoffed playfully. "I forgot that you're your own personal calculator. I can't even multiple by fourteens."

Lucy smiled and nudged Elena's elbow. "It's that Sommers blood running through your veins," she laughed slightly. "You, Joel, and Jeremy inherited Mom and Aunt Jenna's inability to solve equations."

Elena rolled her eyes, knowing that Lucy was right. "All right, Miss Smarty-pants, at least I didn't get Dad's awkward rambling skills!"

Lucy gasped dramatically, not at all bothered by Elena's teasing. In fact, she was glad she and Elena were joking around with each other like they used to before the accident.

"I can't believe you just said that!" she wiped a fake tear from her eye. "I could cry right now!"

"Uh-huh," the older girl snorted, grinning at her sister. "I can clearly see you're devastated."

"I am devasted," Lucy insisted, her eyes drifting over to her parents' headstone. She faltered when she saw a pure black bird sitting on top of it, staring at her and Elena as though it knew them. "…that's weird."

Elena looked to see what Lucy was talking about and frowned when she saw the bird. "Okay…hi, bird," the bird squawked, as though it was greeting her back. "That's not creepy or anything."

Lucy snorted and went back to her homework, looking down at her textbook. Her eyes fell instead upon the fog that was starting to surround her and Elena, permeating the area around them.

"What the hell?" she breathed, sharing a confused glance with her sister.

The bird squawked again.

"All right," Elena, being the brave one between her and Lucy, stood up and stomped toward the bird, shooing it away. "Shoo!"

The bird flew away from the headstone, making both sisters sigh in relief.

"That's what I thought," Elena mumbled in victory.

She turned back to Lucy and stopped in her tracks, her eyes on the top of the statue Lucy was leaning against.

"Luce, get up," she ordered, eyeing the bird casually sitting on the statue. "We're leaving."

Lucy, hearing the tightness in Elena's voice, stood up immediately, grabbing her bag and homework. She narrowed her eyes as the bird squawked; Elena grabbed her wrist and started pulling her away from their parents' grave, looking freaked out.

Lucy didn't really blame her; the fog and the bird was kind of ominous to her.

They had walked through half of the cemetery when Lucy looked back at her parents' headstone to see if the bird was still there. It wasn't, but she was sure there was a man instead, halfway hiding behind a large headstone.

Lucy gasped, panicked, and tugged Elena's hand. Elena looked back as well, seeing the same thing that Lucy had. Together they started running, trying to get as much space between them and the man as possible.

They ran down a small hill that was toward the back entrance of the cemetery, going much faster than they should have. Elena tripped over a root and fell down the rest of the way, grunting in pain.

"Elena!" Lucy exclaimed, rushing toward her. "Are you okay?"

Elena grimaced as Lucy helped her up. She reassured her younger sister that she was fine, her voice faltering as they came face-to-face with Stefan Salvatore.

"Woah!" Lucy gasped, clutching her chest in fright.

"Hey," Stefan greeted them, looking at Elena in concern. "Are you okay?"

Lucy looked at him suspiciously; clearly he had seen Elena fall. "Were you following us?" she demanded, somewhat rudely.

Stefan's eyes slid to her, amusement hidden in them. "No, I saw you guys running."

"Hmm, and you just happened to be hanging out in a cemetery?" Lucy continued to question him, not quite believing him. Sure, Stefan seemed like a nice guy, but she had seen a male figure behind them and now Stefan showed up? She was a suspicious person by nature, and this seemed fishy to her.

"Lucy," Elena hissed, embarrassed by her sister's behavior.

"I'm visiting," Stefan informed Lucy, his lips twitching. "I have family here."

Truthfully, Stefan found Lucy's accusation kind of amusing. Earlier in the day when he first spoke to her, she hadn't seemed like she had much of a backbone. In fact, she seemed a little depressed. It was nice to see her a bit livelier.

Lucy's face fell in realization; she felt bad that she was questioning him so harshly. After all, he was doing the exact thing she and Elena were—visiting their dead loved ones.

"Sorry," she mumbled, embarrassed. "It's just—"

"There was some random fog back there and it was making us kind of foggy," Elena piped in, backing up Lucy. Stefan smiled politely, making her ramble on, "There was a bird, too. It was all very Hitchcock for a second. That's the bird movie, right? The Hitchcock?"

"Hitchcock directed the movie," Lucy corrected Elena, unable to help herself.

"Right," Elena nodded, smiling at Stefan. "I'm Elena."

Stefan grinned. "I'm Stefan."

"I know," Elena said. "We have History together."

"And English and French," Stefan added. He looked at Lucy. "And Chemistry and Gym."

Lucy grimaced. "Oh, Gym."

Stefan chuckled and scratched his chin. Lucy noticed a large ring on his ring finger. It was bigger than most of the rings men wear, with a large oval blue stone settled in the band, an ornate 'S' in the middle. She cocked her head slightly, noticing that the blue stone was the same color of the ring Joel had been wearing this morning.

"Nice ring," she told him politely when he caught her staring.

"Oh," Stefan fiddled with the ring, looking back up at her and Elena. "It's a family ring. I'm kinda stuck with it. It's weird, huh?"

"Kind of, yeah—"

"No, no," Elena interrupted Lucy's bluntness, much to Stefan's amusement. "Uh, I mean, there are rings and then there's that," she nodded at his hand.

Stefan smiled and lowered his arms. A sweet scent caught his attention, making his mouth salivate heavily.

Blood.

He subtly followed the scent, careful not to give his uneasiness away to the Gilbert sisters. The scent came from Elena's leg and it was fresh, probably from the fall he witnessed.

"Did you hurt yourself?" he asked the older sister.

"Huh?" Elena hummed absentmindedly. Lucy turned to her sister, concerned.

"Did you hurt yourself?"

"Oh, uh," Elena looked down at herself. "I don't know."

"How do you not know?" Lucy said, rolling her eyes. "You're either in pain or you're not?"

"It could be adrenaline," Elena shot her sister a glare and lifted her foot on a nearby tree stump. She rolled up her jeans and grimaced when she saw a small but bloody gash on her shin. "Look at that. It's not pretty."

"Gross," Lucy gagged and covered her eyes; she always hated the sight of blood. "Cover that up, Lena."

"You should go take care of that," Stefan added, sounding uncomfortable. Lucy couldn't see him with her hand still covering her eyes, but she assumed that he didn't like blood either.

"Really, it's nothing," Elena assured both Stefan and Lucy. She lowered her jeans and looked up, surprised to see that Stefan had disappeared. "Uh, where'd he go?"

Lucy uncovered her eyes, thankful that Elena had covered her wound. Stefan was no where to be seen, though, and she hadn't even heard him walk away.

"I have no idea."

Lucy walked into The Mystic Grill, pretty much the only restaurant and bar in town, with Bonnie and Caroline. They were fulfilling their yearly tradition where they met for milkshakes and fries on the first day of school. It started when they began sixth grade and they'd been doing it ever since. Granted, they came a bit later in the day now that their curfews were later.

Caroline had been her usual bubbly self since she picked Lucy up. They had talked about their day on the way to Bonnie's house and when Bonnie joined them, they started a conversation about the male population of Mystic Fall High. There weren't many guys to talk about—Matt and Tyler Lockwood were among the cutest guys at the school, but Matt was like a brother to Lucy and Tyler was a jerk who bullied Jeremy.

So, eventually, as they walked into the restaurant, the conversation turned to Stefan. He had apparently caught Caroline's eye during their brief meeting in the math class they shared together.

"His name is Stefan Salvatore," she informed Bonnie, who hadn't been introduced to Stefan. "He lives with his uncle up at the old Salvatore Boarding House. He hasn't lived here since he was a kid. He's from a military family so they moved around a lot. He's a Scorpio and his favorite color is blue."

Caroline grabbed the virgin cocktail she had ordered from the bar tender and turned around, smirking at Bonnie and Lucy. Lucy raised her eyebrows, impressed but slightly freaked out by the information Caroline had somehow already learned.

"You got all that in one day?" Bonnie asked in disbelief.

"Oh, please," Caroline scoffed. "I got all of that between third and fourth period."

Lucy snorted in amusement. "Wow, Caroline, and I thought you couldn't get any scarier."

"What can I say, it's a gift," Caroline winked at her best friend.

"Come on," Bonnie laughed. "Let's get a table."

"I'm craving cheese fries," Lucy agreed quickly.

Half an hour later, Caroline had abandoned Lucy and Bonnie to play pool with Tyler. Lucy was almost finished with her cheese fries and was halfway listening to Matt question Bonnie about Elena.

Elena and Matt used to date and they were a lovely couple until Matt started talking about a future together and Elena didn't know what she wanted. They broke up the night of the car accident and had hardly spoken since. Matt was having a hard time moving on, and Lucy felt sorry for him, but Elena just wasn't the same person anymore.

Neither was Lucy, if she was being honest.

"How's Elena doing?" Matt asked Lucy and Bonnie, a dejected look on his face.

"She's doing her best," Lucy said, repeating what she told them in history class. "But it's only been four months since the accident."

Matt nodded understandably. "Has she said anything about me?"

Bonnie and Lucy exchanged looks; Elena had talked about Matt a little to each of them, but it wasn't anything that Matt would want to hear. It wasn't anything mean about him or their previous relationship, but Elena had moved on.

"We're not getting in the middle of this," Bonnie told Matt, Lucy nodding with her. "You have to pick up the phone and call her."

"I feel weird calling her," Matt admitted. "She broke up with me."

Lucy smiled sympathetically and though she was usually the one her friends came to for her blunt honesty, she couldn't tell the truth this time. Something about Matt's sad blue eyes made her sad. "You just have to give it more time, Matt."

Matt nodded sadly in agreement and Lucy hoped he would at least try to move on and be happy, but when she looked up and saw Elena and Stefan walking into The Grill together, she knew he wasn't going to be. Matt followed her gaze and frowned at the sight of his ex-girlfriend and the new guy standing side-by-side.

"More time, huh?" Matt said sadly, getting up from his seat.

"Matty," Lucy tried to console him, but he walked away from the table, heading straight to Elena and Stefan. She glanced at Bonnie, "Oh, I hope this goes well."

"Matt won't do anything," Bonnie assured her.

Bonnie was right; Matt simply introduced himself to Stefan, said hello to Elena, and then went over to the pool tables where Tyler and Caroline were. Caroline excused herself as Elena and Stefan approached the table, greeting them enthusiastically and sitting next to Lucy.

It was only five minutes later when she started interrogating Stefan about his life.

"So, you were born in Mystic Falls?" she asked as though she hadn't already known that.

"Mmhm," Stefan confirmed, politely answering her questions. "I moved when I was still young."

"Parents?" Bonnie joined in on the questioning.

"My parents passed away."

Lucy lifted her head slightly from her palm at his answer, looking at him sympathetically. Her and Elena could definitely sympathize with that. Losing your parents was absolutely horrible, no matter how much time had passed.

"I'm sorry," Elena mumbled; Stefan nodded his thanks. "Any siblings?"

"None that I talk to," Stefan said, making Lucy raise her eyebrows. So, he did have a sibling—or more—but they didn't speak to each other. She couldn't imagine being estranged from Joel, Elena, or Jeremy. "I live with my uncle."

There was a slight lull in the conversation as Stefan and Elena got lost in each other's eyes. It was kind of uncomfortable for Lucy, Caroline, and Bonnie.

Caroline, ever the talker, spoke up, "So, Stefan, if you're new, then you don't know about the party tomorrow."

Stefan looked confused.

"It's a back-to-school thing at the falls," Lucy informed him. "You should come."

Stefan looked to Elena. "Are you going?"

"Of course, she is," Lucy said, smirking at her sister. Elena gave Lucy a warning glance, but she just ignored it. If Stefan could make Elena feel better, then he should have a chance to.

Lucy only hoped that she'd feel better eventually as well.

"The Battle of Willow Creek took place right at the end of the war in our very own Mystic Falls," Mr. Tanner declared, pacing at the front of the classroom. "How many casualties resulted in this battle?"

Lucy raised her hand automatically, continuing to write notes in her eligible cursive-print hybrid.

"Why don't we give your classmates a chance to answer, Miss Gilbert," Mr. Tanner sighed; Lucy rolled her eyes and lowered her hand. "Miss Bennett?"

Bonnie looked up from her notebook where various doodles were drawn. "Um, a lot?" she said uncertainly. "I'm not sure. Like, a whole lot."

Lucy snickered under her breath along with Matt. Mr. Tanner, however, didn't look that pleased.

"Cute becomes dumb in an instant, Miss Bennett," Tanner smirked. "Mr. Donovan…" Matt looked up at the ass of a teacher. "Would you like to take this opportunity to overcome your embedded jock stereotype?"

"It's okay, Mr. Tanner, I'm cool with it," Matt quipped.

"Hm," Mr. Tanner moved onto the next student while the rest of the class laughed again. "Elena, surely you can enlighten us about one of the town's most significantly historical events?"

Lucy couldn't see her sister's face but she did see her shoulders slump.

"I'm sorry," Elena apologized. "I-I don't know."

Mr. Tanner looked disappointed. "I was willing to be lenient last year for obvious reasons, Elena, but the personal excuses ended with summer break."

Lucy's jaw dropped at the sheer audacity Mr. Tanner had. Two people—their parents—had died. And, sure, that didn't excuse them from school or anything else, but they didn't deserve to have it thrown in their faces. Elena didn't know a question that pretty much no one else knew, yet Tanner singled her out specifically.

Lucy was practically seething and she would have said something if it wasn't for the fact that Stefan spoke up instead.

"There were three hundred and forty-six causalities," he answered Tanner's original question. "Unless you're counting local civilians."

Mr. Tanner turned to Stefan, looking impressed. "That's correct, Mister…?"

"Salvatore."

"Salvatore," he recognized the name just as Lucy had the day before. "Any relation to the original settlers here at Mystic Falls?"

Stefan nodded. "Distant."

"Very good," Tanner nodded in approval. "Except, of course, there were no civilian casualties in this battle."

Mr. Tanner went to walk to his chalkboard but stopped in his tracks when Stefan spoke again.

"Actually, there were twenty-seven, sir," he corrected the teacher, much to Lucy's amusement. "Confederate soldiers fired on the church, believing it to be housing weapons. They were wrong. It was a night of great loss."

Lucy couldn't help but smile at the chastised look on Tanner's face. Stefan wasn't finished, though.

"The founder's archives are stored in civil hall if you'd like to brush up on your facts, Mr. Tanner," he said firmly. Chuckles and teasing sounds rang around the classroom.

Lucy joined in, satisfied to see Tanner so embarrassed after humiliating Elena and rubbing their parents' death in both of their faces. She mentally thanked Stefan, finding herself beginning to like him.

"Uh, uh," Elena tutted, grabbing the bottle of beer from Lucy's hand and throwing it on the ground behind them. "You're too young."

Lucy gaped at the bottle, unbroken but spilling the drink everywhere. "You're sexist," she claimed, her eyes slightly blurry from the drinks she had already. She didn't drink often, so she was a lightweight compared to her siblings and friends. "Jeremy's younger than me and drinking. You don't say anything to him."

Elena sighed. "I'm not sexist, Jeremy just won't listen to me."

"What does that have to do with me?" Lucy complained; she looked at Bonnie for help, but she just laughed slightly. Lucy promptly turned back to her sister. "You know what? I think you need to relax. Caroline says that sex helps relax people. You should have sex," she gasped in realization. "you should have sex with Stefan!"

Bonnie laughed at Lucy's rambles while Elena gaped at her.

"Woah, woah," she said, stopping Lucy's giggles. "First, I think you need some water or something. Second, what do you mean I should sleep with Stefan? He's—I'm not attracted to him."

Bonnie and Lucy laughed together, not believing a word Elena had just said.

"Yeah right!"

"Just admit it, Elena," Bonnie said, nudging her.

"Oh, okay," Elena sighed. "so, he's a little pretty."

"He has that romance novel stare," Bonnie said. She lowered her voice, as though reading a book, "_Stefan looked deep into her eyes, piercing her very soul."_

Lucy burst out laughing, Bonnie and Elena following shortly after. They laughed for a couple of minutes, sighing when they calmed down.

"So, where is he?" Bonnie wondered, looking around the area that the bonfire next to them lit up.

"I don't know," Elena shrugged. "You tell me, you're the psychic one."

"Right, I forgot," Bonnie nodded. "Okay, so give me a sec. Grams says I have to concentrate."

"Wait, wait, wait," Lucy spoke fast and bent down, retrieving the beer bottle Elena had knocked out of her hands. "You need a crystal ball."

She held it out to Bonnie, their fingers brushing. Both girls gasped; Lucy felt the same tingling in her fingers as the day before when she touched Joel. Bonnie, however, felt an aching sensation in her hand, combined with a vision flashing through her head.

"What was that?" Elena asked as Lucy and Bonnie frantically pulled away from each other.

"That was weird," Bonnie said, looking over at Lucy who was staring at her fingers. "When I touched Lucy, I saw a crow."

Lucy looked up with wide eyes, while Elena asked, "What?"

Both of them remembered the previous day at the cemetery.

"A crow," Bonnie repeated. "There was fog, a man," at the concerned looks on Lucy and Elena's faces, she went on, "I'm drunk. It's the drinking. There's nothing psychic about it. Okay, I'm gonna get a refill."

Bonnie walked away without a response, leaving Lucy and Elena dumbfounded. Lucy furrowed her eyebrows and looked at her sister in confusion and was going to ask Elena if they should follow after their friend when she saw Stefan walking up behind her.

"I'm going to follow Bonnie," she told Elena, nodding at Stefan. "See you later."

An hour passed since Lucy walked away from Elena and Stefan and she had been hanging out with Bonnie, Caroline, and Matt. They spent time drinking and laughing at the goofiest jokes they could remember or come up with.

There were several times when Lucy had to distract Matt from staring at Elena and Stefan while they talked. Lucy felt for him, she really did, but he needed to move on from her sister. Elena was clearly interested in Stefan. Matt wasn't getting the memo; he took off toward Elena as soon as she and Stefan separated.

It was only a few minutes after Caroline took off to get another drink, Bonnie following shortly after her, that Elena walked over to Lucy. She had an angry look on her face as she grabbed Lucy's elbow and started dragging her to the woods without a word.

"What's going on?" Lucy asked, sobering from alarm. She almost tripped over a root as they continued on into the woods. "Lena!"

"We're following Jeremy," Elena said quickly. She looked ahead of them, yelling, "Jeremy!"

"Jere!" Lucy joined in, hoping they'd find him fast. "Jerebear, where are you?"

Eventually they caught up to their little brother, who was stumbling, clearly very drunk.

"Jeremy, where the fuck are you going?" Elena asked loudly, a few feet behind Jeremy.

"I don't want to hear it!" Jeremy yelled back at her, turning around only to fall to the ground.

Lucy and Elena stopped just behind him, gasping in horror. Jeremy had landed on Vicki—Matt Donovan's older sister, the girl Jeremy was in love with—who was laying on the ground, bloody and unconscious.

"Vicki?" Jeremy breathed in shock. "Oh, my God, it's Vicki!"

"Oh, my God, she's bleeding!" Lucy exclaimed, panicked.

"We have to get help," Elena said nervously.

Her younger siblings agreed. Jeremy picked up Vicki and held her securely in his arms as they walked out of the woods as quickly as possible. Lucy was struggling not to vomit the whole way but tried to keep it down, she wasn't going to cause a scene when Vicki was so injured like this.

"Help!" Elena and Lucy called in unison as they cleared the edge of the woods. "Somebody help!"

The crowd around the fire split, allowing Lucy and Elena to guide Jeremy to an empty picnic table where he could set Vicki down. People whispered behind hands to each other, shocked at what they were seeing.

"Vicki?" Matt called, seeing his sister's unconscious body and running over to them. Tyler followed shortly after. "Vicki, what the fuck?"

"What happened to her?" Tyler asked the Gilbert siblings.

"Somebody call an ambulance!" Lucy instructed. She pulled her scarf from around her neck and handed it to Elena. "It's her neck. Something bit her. Press this against the wound."

"Everybody back up!" Tyler yelled at the surrounding crowd. "Give her some space!"

"She's losing a lot of blood," Elena said frantically, firmly pressing the scarf against Vicki's neck, already saturated with blood.

"Vicki, Vicki, come on," Matt begged wetly, tears welling in his eyes. "Open your eyes, look at me."

Lucy looked up at the crowd, hoping that someone was calling for an ambulance. Her eyes caught Stefan, who was looking at the situation horrified. He backed away slowly, disappearing from the crowd.

Lucy shook her head; she couldn't believe she had been distracted while Vicki was practically dying.

"Did someone call 9-1-1?" she asked loudly.

"I did! They're on their way!" someone, Lucy was pretty sure it was Bonnie, said from behind her.

Lucy breathed in relief, though it wasn't much. Vicki still had to survive waiting for the ambulance to get here and the drive back to the hospital. With the amount of blood she was losing, it wasn't looking good for the oldest Donovan.

Thankfully, the ambulance arrived quickly and Vicki was loaded up as soon as the paramedics could situate her on the gurney. Matt was allowed to ride in the ambulance with her, so he quickly boarded and they set off.

Lucy and Elena watched the ambulance go, worried looks on their faces. Bonnie approached them, a sad smile on her face.

"Hey," she greeted. "Me and Caroline are gonna go mainline coffee and wait for news."

Elena nodded and subtly pointed in Jeremy's direction, where he was sitting on a table, still drinking. "We gotta take Jeremy home."

"Elena, Lucy," Bonnie bit her lip, hesitant. "There's no way I'm psychic, I know that. But whatever I saw, or I think I saw, I have this feeling…"

"What?" Lucy asked as Bonnie trailed off unsurely.

"I feel like this is just the beginning."

Lucy inhaled sharply, wondering what Bonnie meant. Did she mean the fog and crow that she saw when she touched Lucy? Why had that given her such a strong feeling of foreboding doom?

Lucy was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed Bonnie leaving. She only came to when Elena grabbed her elbow once again and led her over to Jeremy. Jeremy finished his bottle of beer and threw it to the ground as she and Elena came to a stop beside him.

"You okay?" Elena asked him, putting her hand on his arm. He shrugged her off. "I called Jenna. She's on her way."

Jeremy didn't say anything. He picked up another beer on the table next to him and twisted off the cap, taking a long swig.

"Those people in uniforms, last time I checked, they're the police," Lucy reminded him, keeping her tone from being too judgmental. She wasn't a hypocrite.

Jeremy was still quiet, taking another drink.

Elena sighed impatiently. "People are going to stop giving you breaks, Jere," she said, remembering what Mr. Tanner said to her earlier that day. "They just don't care anymore. They don't remember that our parents are dead because they've got their own lives to deal with. The rest of the world has moved on. You should try, too."

Jeremy scoffed. "I've seen you in the cemetery writing in your diary," he said to Elena before looking at Lucy. "You have to give yourself pep talks to get into a car. Joel hardly wants to come home. Is that supposed to be you guys moving on?"

"Mom and Dad wouldn't have wanted this," Elena said somberly.

Lucy sighed, knowing that Jeremy and Elena were right. She wasn't moving on. The past two days she had been thinking that Matt needed to move on from his relationship with Elena, and he should, but she was being a hypocrite. Sure, losing your parents was different than being dumped, but she still wasn't moving on from the accident.

Lucy was just letting her life pass her by, not really living or enjoying the time. Like Elena said, her parents wouldn't have wanted that for her. So, from that moment on, she was going to try to do something about it. It would be hard to grieve and move on, but she at least had to try.


	2. Boss Lady

**[1x02; The Night of the Comet]**

Lucy's phone had been buzzing since she woke up, text messages and worried calls from Mrs. Lockwood, the mayor's wife distracting her from getting ready for school. Lucy answered all of them diligently, reminding her to have patience for the controlling woman who meant well.

Before the accident, Lucy and her mother often spent hours going over the traditions of Mystic Falls and what it meant to be a member of a founding family. Since the Gilbert family was a founding family, it meant that they were held to higher regard than others and they had certain responsibilities. In Miranda Gilbert's case—and now Lucy's—it meant helping out with town events.

Lucy wanted to honor her mother, so before school had started back up, she applied to be student ambassador on the town's planning committee. To her shock, and also satisfaction, she was chosen. Surprisingly, Lucy thrived in her role of responsibility—she had helped plan a small back-to-school supply drive for the middle and elementary schools and it was so successful that she had Mrs. Lockwood and the other members of the committee beaming with pride.

So now Mrs. Lockwood gave her more responsibility, starting with the celebration of the comet which would pass over Mystic Falls the next night. Her responsibilities weren't hard; all she had to do was design and organize the pamphlets and hand out candles to people who were at the event.

Lucy finished getting dressed—a simple dress-and-cardigan combination, adorned with a crown braid—and grabbed her phone and bag, heading out of her bedroom. She closed her door and was immediately grabbed by Jenna, who dragged her into her bedroom.

"I need your help," Jenna declared, sitting Lucy on her bed.

"With what?" Lucy wondered before looking around Jenna's room. It was a disaster with clothing strewn about everywhere. "Fashion emergency?"

Jenna nodded. "I'm meeting with Tanner about Jeremy."

Lucy raised her eyebrows. "Already?" she asked, slightly impressed—even Joel hadn't caused enough trouble in school to warrant a guardian visit the third day of the year.

"Yeah," Jenna groaned and reached into her closet, which still had a lot of clothes, even though most of them were laying around the room. She picked out two dresses; one was a modest dark purple number and the other was slightly less professional. "Which one?"

"The purple," Lucy picked easily. "Tanner would judge you hardcore if you came in that," she gestured to the other dress.

Jenna nodded thoughtfully and let the other dress fall to the floor, walking over to her bathroom with the purple dress in hand. Moments later she came out fully dressed, making Lucy nod her approval.

"Okay, what should I do with my hair?" Jenna wondered, looking into her vanity mirror. She paused, both of them hearing Elena's bedroom door open. "I'm gonna ask Elena."

Lucy and Jenna walked out of the latter's room and headed down the hallway, reaching Elena just as she was about to climb down the stairs. Jenna grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"Do I look adult?" she asked the older sibling. "As in respectfully parental?"

Elena looked at Jenna up and down. "Yes, though it depends where you're going."

"Jeremy's parent-teacher conference," Jenna walked over to the mirror on the wall, gathering her strawberry-blonde hair into a makeshift bun. "Hair up or down?"

Elena hummed thoughtfully. "Sexy stewardess—"

Jenna let her hair fall to her shoulders.

"—boozy housewife."

"Up it is," Jenna promptly decided.

Lucy snickered and turned to Elena, amused at her behavior. Her older sister hadn't acted so carefree in a while.

"You're acting weird," she pointed out with a smile.

"I feel good, which is rare," Elena shrugged, wearing a small smile. "So, I've decided to go with it. Fly free, walk on sunshine, and all that stuff."

"Good for you," Lucy said happily. She turned to Jenna, wondering about her little brother. "Where is Jeremy, by the way?"

"He left early," Jenna claimed, fixing her lip gloss. "Something about getting to wood shop early to finish a birdhouse."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and exchanged a look with Elena, both of them thinking that there wasn't even a wood shop class at their school. Jenna caught the expressions on their faces and sighed.

"There is no wood shop, is there?"

"Nope," both Lucy and Elena confirmed.

Jenna scoffed. "Yeah."

"Originally discovered nearly five centuries ago, it hasn't been over Mystic Falls in over one hundred and forty-five years," Mr. Tanner lectured about the comet to Lucy and her classmates. Lucy hardly paid attention, knowing most of the information from when she was designing the event's pamphlets. She took this time to draw an in-progress lion in her sketch book. "Now, the comet will be its brightest right after dusk during tomorrow's celebration. Are we bothering you, Mr. Salvatore? Miss Gilbert?"

Lucy looked up from her sketch, concerned that Mr. Tanner had been calling her out. Thankfully, it wasn't her he was looking at. The teacher's gaze was firmly set on Elena, who Lucy presumed to be having a staring contest with Stefan. Elena shook her head at Mr. Tanner apologetically.

The bell rang before Mr. Tanner could go on about the comet, causing everyone to gather their things and head to their next class. Lucy snapped her sketch book shut and picked up her history text, heading over to Elena.

"I need your help after school," Lucy said to her sister as they walked out of the classroom. "Pamphlets aren't going to fold themselves."

"Will we get them done on time?" Elena wondered, furrowing her eyebrows. "How many did you print off?"

"Close to a thousand," Lucy said nonchalantly. When she saw Elena's wide eyes, she quickly added, "I'm going to ask Bonnie and Caroline for help, too. Don't worry."

"Oh," Elena nodded her approval. "Yeah, we can go to the Grill or something after school and start."

Lucy beamed happily at her sister, glad that she had agreed to help.

"Hey."

Lucy and Elena immediately turned to Elena's right, shocked to see Stefan walking beside her—they hadn't heard him at all. He smiled at both of them and was holding two old books. Lucy waved slightly while Elena greeted him happily.

"I brought it," he told Elena, handing her one of the books. "Told you."

"'_Wuthering Heights'_ by Ellis Bell," Elena read the title. "You know, I can't believe she didn't use her real name."

"All the Bronte sisters used pseudonyms," Lucy offered her knowledge. "It was the time."

Stefan nodded, giving Lucy an impressed look. "She's right. Female writers weren't very accepted then," he gave Elena a charming smile before looking back at Lucy. "Are you interested in literature?"

Lucy shrugged lightly. "I like certain things."

"Well, Elena mentioned that you liked musicals," Stefan said. He handed her the other book he had been holding. "So, I thought you might like this."

"'_The Phantom of the Opera_,'" Lucy mumbled, looking at the novel that her favorite musical was inspired by. It was old but very well taken care of. "Thanks, Stefan, where did you get these?" she gestured to Elena's book.

"Uh, they were passed down," Stefan said hesitantly. "Through the family."

Lucy nodded, impressed. All her family passed down through generations was creepy journals and weird jewelry.

"I have lots of books," Stefan continued. "Go ahead and keep them."

"Oh, no, we—" Elena went to protest, but hesitated. "but I would like to read it again…"

"I'll read it and give it back," Lucy promised, her eyes searching the hallway. She smiled when she caught sight of Caroline and Bonnie. "Thanks again, Stefan. I'll see you guys later."

She didn't wait for a response, walking away from the couple-to-be to approach her best friends. She bounced up to Bonnie and Caroline, squishing in between them to walk in the middle.

"Hey, Luce," Caroline greeted with a smile.

"Hey," Lucy smiled back. "So…you two, me and Elena. Pamphlets, after school. The Grill."

Bonnie smirked teasingly at her. "Was that supposed to be coherent?"

Lucy waved her off. "You know what I meant. Are you in?"

"Will you buy me a strawberry milkshake for my labor?" Bonnie wondered, Caroline nodding in agreement.

"Of course I will!" Lucy exclaimed. "We can't go to the Grill and not order a milkshake. _Please_."

"Then we're in," Caroline stated.

"Thank you so much," Lucy said, gratefully. "So, what were you guys talking about?"

"Whether Bonnie is psychic or clairvoyant," Caroline informed Lucy. She turned to Bonnie, "So, which is it?"

"Technically, Grams says I'm a witch," Bonnie said matter-of-factly. "My ancestors were these really cool Salem witch chicks or something. Grams tried to explain it all but she was looped on the liquor so I kinda tuned out. Crazy family, yes. Witches?" she shook her head. "I don't think so."

"Yeah, well, feel free to conjure up the name and number of that guy from last night," Caroline sighed wistfully.

Lucy raised her eyebrows. "A guy?" she nudged Caroline. "You saw a hot guy and you didn't tell me about it? Bonnie, did you see this mysterious handsome man?"

"No, I didn't see him," Bonnie said. She looked at Caroline and reminded, "You did. Why didn't you just talk to him?"

"Yeah, since when doesn't Caroline go after what she wants?"

Caroline shrugged at Lucy and Bonnie's questions. "I don't know. I was drunk."

Lucy, Bonnie, and Caroline giggled together, heading off to their next class.

Lucy leaned up against the bar at the Grill, waiting for the four milkshakes that she ordered to go. She and the girls were going to stay at the Grill to fold pamphlets, but there was something about milkshakes in a to-go cup that made them better. She tapped her manicured nails against the polished wood impatiently, when a familiar face caught her eye.

"Hi, Matt," she greeted her blue-eyed friend, giving him a quick, comforting hug. She smiled sadly when she pulled back from him and rubbed his arms. "How are you and Vicki?"

"I'm okay, Luce," Matt smiled slightly. "I'm getting food for Vick since they're keeping her overnight. They're making sure that there's no infection, but she should be able to come home tomorrow."

"That's great," Lucy felt so sorry for Vicki, but especially Matt. Although Vicki was the one who was attacked in the woods, it was easy to see that Matt was more affected. He always took care of his older, drug-addicted sister and with their mom gone, Vicki was all the family he had. "I'm so sorry this happened. Did they catch the animal who did it?"

"I don't think so," Matt shook his head. "But I heard that there's some talk of missing campers."

Lucy winced. "Did Vicki say if it was a mountain lion or a bear or something?"

"No, she said it was a vampire," Matt murmured, making Lucy blanch in shock. Matt saw her reaction. "She was out of it," he explained. "drunk or something."

"Oh," Lucy nodded slowly, smiling at the waiter who brought out the drink carrier full of milkshakes. "Well, I have to get back to the girls. I hope Vicki gets better."

"Thanks, Luce," Matt smiled gratefully. "See you."

Lucy grabbed the drink carrier and headed outside to the table where her sister, Caroline, and Bonnie were waiting, already folding brochures. She set the drink carrier on the table and picked up the one closest to her, reading the label.

"Strawberry for Miss Bonnie," she handed Bonnie her drink and picked up another one. "Vanilla for Lenabug and chocolate for me and Care."

"Thanks!" Bonnie, Caroline, and Elena chorused.

The four teenagers got to work, folding brochures, chatting, and drinking their milkshakes in between. They got through a quarter of the pamphlets before they started talking about the night Elena and Stefan spent talking and the comet that was set to pass over the next night.

"Well, I was talking to Grams, and she said the comet is a sign of impending doom," Bonnie informed them about the comet. "The last time it passed over Mystic Falls, there was a lot of death. So much blood and carnage, it created a bed of paranormal activity."

Lucy raised her eyebrows, interested in what Bonnie had to say. She wasn't sure she believed in supernatural or paranormal happenings, but she sincerely hoped that the comet wouldn't bring more death. That was the last thing she needed in her life.

Caroline paused her folding and teased, "Yeah, and then you poured Grams another shot and she told you about the aliens."

Lucy bit her lip in amusement when Bonnie gave Caroline a harsh look. Caroline simply ignored it.

"So then what?" she asked, looking at Elena.

"So then nothing," Elena shrugged.

"You and Stefan talked all night?" Caroline asked in disbelief. "There was no sloppy first kiss or touchy feely of any kind?"

"Nope, we didn't go there."

Caroline looked unimpressed by Elena's answer. "Not even a handshake?" she said, shocked. She gestured to Lucy and Bonnie as she went on, "I mean, Elena, we are your friends, okay? You're supposed to share the smut."

Lucy wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Yeah, I, for one, want no knowledge of my _sister's_ sex life."

Elena snickered at Lucy and shook her head. "We just talked for hours."

"Okay, what is with the blockage?" Caroline looked frustrated, though Lucy didn't know why. Caroline had told her how Stefan had rejected her, but she guessed the blonde was moving on and helping Elena with her almost-relationship. "Just jump his bones already. Okay, it's easy: boy likes girl, girl likes boy? _Sex_."

Lucy laughed at Caroline's bright smile. "So profound, Carebear."

Caroline winked at Lucy and went back to folding pamphlets.

The others went back to work, folding brochures and then refolding them if they didn't get the lines straight enough for Lucy's taste. They all knew the youngest girl was a perfectionist, but they never realized how hard she could make them work.

It was only fifteen minutes after the end of Caroline's speech that Elena put down the pamphlet she was folding and grabbed her bag.

"Where are you going?" Bonnie wondered, making Lucy look up at her sister.

"Caroline's right, it is easy," Elena explained. "If I sit here long enough, I'll end up talking myself out of it instead of doing what I started the day saying I was going to do."

"But you're my ride," Lucy said, looking at her sister with wide eyes. "And I can't—"

She didn't finish her sentence but Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline knew what she was going to say. Lucy was still getting used to riding with Jenna, Joel, and Elena. Riding with Caroline and Bonnie—especially Caroline, who had a lead foot—was too much for her at the moment. Bonnie and Caroline weren't offended by Lucy's fear; they understood that she still needed time to heal.

"You're coming with me," Elena told her younger sister, piling the unfolded brochures and settling them gently in her bag. When Lucy started to protest, she added, "After we see Stefan, we'll fold all night, okay?"

"Fine," Lucy conceded, taking the piles of brochures that Bonnie and Caroline handed her and sliding them into her bag. She smiled uneasily at her friends. "Thanks for your help, girls."

Bonnie and Caroline waved her off with large smiles and wished Elena good luck with Stefan. Lucy and Elena left the Grill and started walking to their car, ready to head to the Salvatore Boarding House where Lucy was sure she'd be a third wheel.

The Salvatore Boarding House was on the outskirts of Mystic Falls, so that meant a twenty-minute drive. The house itself was huge, the architecture reminiscent of the early twentieth century. It used to be like a sort of bed-and-breakfast, but it hadn't been open to the public for a couple of years now due to the reclusive nature of the oldest Salvatore and the owner of the house, Zach.

Elena parked in the large, oval-shaped driveway and got out of the car, Lucy following shortly after. They walked straight to the door where Elena rung the old-fashioned bell and waited for a response.

Of course, Elena was an impatient person by nature, so within twenty seconds of no answer, she knocked on the door. The door pushed open, squeaking ominously. Elena opened it further, looking into the house.

Lucy grimaced. "Please tell me you're not—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Elena walked into the house, uninvited, just like Lucy was hoping she wouldn't do.

"—and you're walking in," Lucy sighed. When Elena ignored her and continued into the foyer, she hissed, "Elena, what are you doing?"

Elena waved her off and looked around the foyer, impressed by the decoration. Lucy reluctantly followed her, hoping that they wouldn't get caught by Zach Salvatore and be arrested by her best friend's mother.

"Stefan?" Elena called as the two ventured further into the house. "Stefan?"

Behind them, the door—which Lucy had sworn she had closed—squealed open. Lucy and Elena turned to see if anyone was coming in, but there was no one there. Lucy took a few steps toward the door, confused, and then ducked, her heart beating wildly, when a black bird squawked and flew through the door.

Lucy squeaked and turned to Elena, only to gasp in fright when she saw a man behind her sister. Elena turned as well, her eyes widening when she came face-to-face with the man.

The man studied Elena closely, as though he had seen her before. Lucy noticed several emotions cross over his face; longing, loneliness, and intrigue.

"I—we're sorry for barging in," Elena apologized, stuttering slightly from surprise. "The door was…" she pointed to the door, which was now closed again. "…open."

"You must be Elena," the man said before looking at Lucy. "And her kid sister, Lucy."

"Younger sister," Lucy corrected him under her breath.

The man didn't seem to notice. "I'm Damon, Stefan's brother."

Elena cocked her head in confusion. "He didn't tell me he had a brother."

Lucy mentally disagreed. When asked if he had siblings, Stefan didn't say he had none. He just said he didn't talk to them. By the way that Stefan avoided his brother in conversation with Elena, Lucy deduced that he probably didn't have the best relationship with Damon.

"Well, Stefan's not one to brag," Damon shrugged. "Please, come. I'm sure Stefan will be along any second."

He gestured further down the hall, where it looked like it turned into a large room. Lucy followed Elena and Damon, gaping in delight when she saw the room. It was large, with high ceilings and antique furniture.

"Wow, this is your living room?" Lucy wondered, looking away from the room at Damon.

"Living room, parlor, Sotheby's auction," he said, looking around. "It's a little kitschy for my taste."

"It's amazing," Elena breathed.

Damon smirked at the older sister. "I see why my brother's so smitten," he said, making Elena smile. "It's about time. For a while there I never thought he'd get over the last one. Nearly destroyed him."

Lucy listened curiously, seeing Elena's furrowed brows.

"The last one?" Elena asked quietly.

"Yeah. Katherine, his girlfriend," Damon cocked his head knowingly. "Oh, you two haven't had the awkward ex's conversation yet."

"Nope."

"Oops, while I'm sure it'll come up now," Damon looked apologetic, but Lucy didn't buy it. It was clear—to her, at least—that he brought up Stefan's ex-girlfriend on purpose. "Or maybe he didn't want to tell you because he didn't want to make you think he was on the rebound. We all know how those relationships end."

Elena was speechless as she stared at Damon. Her mind whirled, trying to figure out why Stefan hadn't told her about Katherine and wondering if she really was Stefan's rebound girl.

Lucy, seeing her sister's struggle, spoke up, "You say it like every relationship is doomed to end," she narrowed her gaze as she spoke to Damon, getting a bad feeling from him.

"I'm a fatalist," Damon said unapologetically. "Hello, Stefan."

Lucy turned, shocked, because Damon hadn't even looked to see if Stefan appeared. Stefan also came in without anyone noticing; he was silent as could be. The Gilbert sisters looked at Stefan, who was glaring coolly at Damon.

"Elena, Lucy," he greeted without taking his eyes off his brother. "I didn't know you were coming over."

"I know, I should have called, but I—"

"Oh, don't be silly," Damon interrupted Elena's apology. "You two are welcome any time. Aren't they, Stefan?"

Stefan didn't reply, he just continued to glare at Damon.

"You know, I should break out the family photo albums or some home movies," Damon offered to Elena. "But I have to warn you, he wasn't always such a looker."

"Thank you for stopping by, girls," Stefan said abruptly and unemotionally. "Nice to see you."

Lucy raised her eyebrows, slightly shocked at Stefan's behavior. From what she'd seen, the youngest Salvatore really liked her older sister. It was weird that he was so brisk with her. On the other hand, it didn't surprise her; Stefan obviously didn't have a good relationship with Damon. He was probably just aggravated with is brother.

"Yeah, we should probably go," Elena hesitantly agreed with Stefan. "It was nice to meet you, Damon."

"Great meeting you, too, Elena," Damon said, taking Elena's hand and pressing a chaste kiss to the back of it. "You as well, Lucy."

Like Elena, Damon grabbed Lucy's hand and pressed his lips to it. At once, Lucy felt the tingling sensation in her fingers that was getting familiar. Damon quietly yelped at the pain and ripped away from Lucy within a second.

"Sorry," Lucy muttered, staring at her hand in confusion. Why was that happening so often? "I didn't mean to shock you."

Damon looked at Lucy, trying to see if she had any malicious intent. He didn't see anything but the pure confusion and apologetic look on her face. She was being truthful when she apologized, which meant that she didn't know what was happening.

He looked at Stefan, who had watched the exchange and saw Damon in pain from Lucy's touch. Stefan finally moved his gaze from his brother to Lucy, wondering what had happened.

"Come on, Lou," Elena murmured, grabbing her sister's hand and pulling her out of the house. She didn't look back at Stefan, but he wasn't even paying attention; he was more focused on the fact that Lucy hadn't shocked Elena when she grabbed her.

As soon as the door closed and the brothers heard the car engine start up, they looked at each other. Stefan was bewildered, wondering what could have happened, while Damon was thoughtful, trying to think if Lucy could be a supernatural creature.

"What was that with Lucy?"

"I don't know," Damon said, still thinking. "I felt weird when I touched her."

Stefan furrowed his eyebrows. "Weird how?"

"Like she was draining me of my energy," Damon replied, looking at his hand to see if there were any marks from where he touched the girl. "It stopped as soon as I stopped touching her."

Stefan hummed thoughtfully. Lucy didn't seem like the type of girl to try to hurt someone. And he doubted that Lucy was supernatural. None of the other Gilberts were, except for the fact that Elena was the exact copy of Katherine.

"She has to be something," Damon declared. "And when I find out what she is, I'm gonna kill her."

"What?" Stefan exclaimed, growing angry. "No, you're not Damon. She's an innocent girl and she's done nothing to you."

"Whatever she is, she has no control over it," Damon said, indifferent to whether Lucy was innocent or not. If she was a threat to him, she had to die. "It's better if I kill her now—"

Stefan growled angrily, interrupting Damon's threat. He could feel the veins under his eyes threatening to pop out as he thought of Damon killing Lucy. For some reason he was growing protective of her and the last thing he wanted was for her to die.

Damon laughed. "Oh please, like you could stop me. You already look exhausted. Let me guess," he smirked cockily, thinking of the girl he attacked in the woods. "You went to the hospital."

"Someone had to clean up your mess," Stefan spat, still angry.

"Well, were you successful? Did the power of persuasion work?" Damon wondered playfully. "Remember, if you don't feed properly, none of those little tricks work right."

Stefan glared at his brother, furious, and changed the subject. "Why are you here, Damon? I mean, other than threatening to kill an innocent girl?"

Damon shrugged and started walking out of the room. "I guess you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?"

Lucy spent most of the day after school helping Mrs. Lockwood set up for the comet celebration. She divided piles of brochures amongst Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena to hand out before Mrs. Lockwood sent her to find the candles they had ordered to use when the sun set.

By the time Lucy found the candles—they were in the back of Mrs. Lockwood's SUV underneath a pile of flannel blanket—the sun was starting to set. Thankful and impressed with the teenager, Mrs. Lockwood let Lucy off the clock to enjoy the event with her friends.

So Lucy gathered up a handful of candles for her friends and made her way over to them. She passed Stefan on the way to them and cheerfully handed him a candle, moving on without a word. She reached the picnic table where Caroline, Bonnie, Elena, Matt, and Tyler were sitting and chatting, and held up the small, white candles.

"I brought the candles!" she declared, handing them out.

Tyler took a lighter out of his pocket and lit his candle. Once the wick was lit, he held it out to Matt, who lit his own. Eventually Lucy's candle was lit up and she admired it for a second before taking a seat next to Caroline to watch for the comet.

"Ugh, look at how sweet they look," Caroline said to Lucy, nodding over to where Elena and Stefan were standing close to each other.

"Mmhm," Lucy hummed, her eyes glued to the sky, searching for the comet.

It took a few minutes, but eventually the comet appeared, flying over the town. The crowd around Lucy gasped excitedly. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of the ball of snow and ice and the fact that she was alive to witness its return.

All too soon the comet disappeared from view and Caroline, Bonnie, and the boys were begging to go to the Grill to order food. Lucy agreed after a quick check in with Mrs. Lockwood, who said that the clean-up crew would handle break down.

The group of friends settled at a table toward the middle of the restaurant and ordered. Their food came quickly, despite the crowd surrounding them, and they devoured their meals, eventually splitting off to play pool.

An hour after the comet's passing, Lucy was ready to go home. She was exhausted by the work she had done plus the late night she had folding brochures. She was just about to go and find Jeremy when he strode right up to their table.

"Hey," he greeted the group of teenagers. "Has anyone seen Vicki?"

"You're her stalker, you tell us," Tyler scoffed, earning a dirty look from Lucy and Elena.

"I can't find her," Jeremy said worriedly, ignoring Tyler's quip.

"She probably found somebody else to party with," Tyler smirked. "Sorry, pill pusher, I guess you've been replaced."

Lucy glared at him. "Tyler, would you shut up?" she snapped.

She knew that Jeremy used drugs, but she had no idea that he sold them. And she very much doubted that he did. He wasn't like that and Joel had given his brother a talk in the middle of summer, telling Jeremy that he didn't care if he smoked for the time being, but he couldn't sell and ruin his future.

Elena furrowed her eyebrows and asked Tyler, "What's with the pill pusher?"

Tyler shrugged. "Ask him."

Jeremy shot daggers at Tyler. "You want to do this right now?"

Elena bristled at Tyler's comment and glowered at Jeremy. "Are you dealing?"

"Of course not, Lena," Lucy assured Elena for Jeremy's sake. There was enough going on at the moment that a sibling squabble wasn't ideal.

"She's never gonna go for you!" Tyler shot at Jeremy, raising his voice to be heard.

"She already did," Jeremy snapped. "Over and over and over again."

Lucy grimaced in disgust, not wanting to hear about her younger brother's sex life.

"Yeah, right."

"You slept with Vicki Donovan?" Caroline asked after Tyler stated his disbelief. "I mean, Vicki Donovan slept with you?"

"There's no way," Tyler commented.

"And I didn't even have to force her into it," Jeremy said, giving Tyler a disgusted, yet knowing look.

Lucy gaped at Tyler, shocked by Jeremy's accusation. Forcing anyone into a sexual situation without consent was a very big deal. It made her respect for the mayor's son plunge. She knew Jeremy, he wouldn't just randomly accuse people of sexual assault.

"What the hell is he talking about, Ty?" Matt asked angrily. He was clearly not happy with is best friend's behavior toward his older sister.

"Nothing, man, just ignore him. He's a punk," Tyler brushed Matt off.

"Guys, we should probably be looking for Vicki," Lucy spoke up, looking between the three guys.

"Right," Matt agreed. "We need to shut up and find my sister."

"Caroline and I will check the back," Bonnie volunteered, nodding at Matt.

Matt sighed. "I'll check the square."

Jeremy jumped at the chance to go with Matt. "I'll come with you."

"Oh, no, no," Elena grabbed Jeremy's arm and dragged him toward the bathroom. Lucy didn't bother following her siblings; the last thing she wanted to hear was Elena giving their little brother a lecture.

"I'll come with you, Matt," she offered, patting his arm.

Matt nodded and the two left the Grill, heading toward the square. The square was still full of people socializing with other town members, discussing the comet and the upcoming Founder's Ball. Eventually Lucy and Matt split up since there was too much ground to cover.

Unfortunately, Lucy was caught by Mrs. Lockwood. She wanted to be looking for Vicki, especially since her little brother cared so much for her, but she knew she wouldn't be able to get away from the mayor's wife so soon. Mrs. Lockwood rambled on, praising Lucy for her work on the event and informing her that she wouldn't have to help with the Founder's Ball because there were so many volunteers.

Lucy's phone buzzed in her back pocket three times before Mrs. Lockwood said her goodbyes. She checked her phone, sighing in relief as she read the text messages from Matt declaring that Stefan had found Vicki with her stitches ripped open. She messaged him back, giving her well wishes for Vicki.

Lucy shoved her phone back into her pocket and looked around, seeing that the crowd was starting to thin. She hoped that Elena was still around for a ride home, but she figured that she'd have to walk. A call to Elena confirmed that she needed to walk; Lucy was grateful she had chosen to wear her Keds.

"Lucy!"

Lucy turned at the familiar voice, smiling when she saw Stefan jogging up to her.

"Hi, Stefan," she greeted kindly. "What are you doing?"

"Uh, I saw you walking," Stefan explained, walking beside Lucy as she began to walk again. "Why didn't you catch a ride with Caroline and Bonnie?"

Lucy grimaced, embarrassed. "I kinda have a hard time in cars," she said quietly. "It's embarrassing, I know."

"No, no, it's not embarrassing," Stefan assured her, a sympathetic smile on his lips. "You went through something horrible. It's okay not to be okay."

"I know it's okay," Lucy made sure not to make eye contact with Stefan. "I just…I don't want to be this way. I'm supposed to be taking Driver's Ed but when Jenna signed me up I nearly had a panic attack. Is that how I'm supposed to live for the rest of my life? Being afraid?"

Lucy glanced at Stefan from the corner of her eye, her cheeks flushed. She couldn't believe that she had just practically poured her heart out for someone she hardly knew.

Before Stefan could say anything, she spoke again, "I don't know why I just told you that. I mean, I hardly know you. It's just, even if I haven't really spoken to you for more than five minutes, for some reason I think you're easy to talk to," she took a deep breath and continued, "And I hardly know you, which somehow makes it easier to talk to you because even if you judge me, which I don't think you will, it wouldn't really matter, because I don't know you. If I told Elena or Joel what I just told you, they'd think I'm broken and I'm not broken, you know? I can get better, I want to get better—"

"Lucy," Stefan's voice was soft and nonjudgmental. He smiled when she took a deep breath, cheeks flushing further when she realized that she was rambling to a stranger.

Strangely, Stefan knew how Lucy felt. She didn't seem like the type of person who would judge him, just like he wouldn't judge her. It felt like he had known Lucy Gilbert his whole life. He didn't know where his relationship with Elena was going to go, but he knew he should be friends with her little sister. And, honestly, he wanted to get to know her for her, anyway, not just to win points with Elena.

Something about Lucy was just endearing and intriguing. Stefan could hardly figure her out; sometimes she would stand up for herself and show her backbone. Sometimes, like that moment, she'd show how vulnerable she was. She took charge of things, like with the comet celebration, but she also let others take the lead. Stefan had only known Lucy for a week, yet he knew she was a complex person. Honestly, she reminded him of the good parts of Damon.

"Sorry," Lucy breathed apologetically. "I ramble a lot. People tell me it's a bad habit."

"Who cares what people think?" Stefan shrugged. "And you're right, I don't think you're broken, either. You won't be sad forever, Lucy."

Lucy and Stefan slowly stopped walking right outside Lucy's house. The lights were on still, so Lucy knew that Jenna was probably waiting up for her.

Lucy looked at Stefan hopefully, wondering if he really believed what he said. "Do you really think so?"

Stefan smiled. "Of course," he paused thoughtfully. "Give me your phone."

Lucy gave him a confused look but pulled her phone from her jeans, anyway, handing it to him. Stefan carefully took it from her and typed in his contact information.

"Here," he handed the phone back to Lucy. "If you need to talk, call me. I'll be there for you."

Lucy bit her lip, silently appreciating the fact that Stefan, whom she had just met, was being so kind to her. She didn't really talk about the accident—she couldn't with her siblings and it felt weird with Caroline—so she really valued his offer.

She could only laugh, though, because she was pretty sure he had just quoted '_Friends'_.

Stefan realized his phrasing soon after her first giggle.

"Did you just…?"

Stefan sighed, his lips twitching in amusement. "Yeah."

"Okay," Lucy's laughter died some. "I may take you up on that, Salvatore."

Stefan grinned. "Make sure you do, Gilbert. See you tomorrow."

"Goodnight," Lucy waved and turned, walking up the sidewalk that led to her porch.

Her day was busy; the beautiful comet passed, she impressed the mayor's wife, and she made a new friend. All in all, it wasn't bad.


	3. Jedi Mind Powers

**[1x03; Friday Night Bites]**

"Caroline Forbes, rise and shine!" Lucy sang into her phone, a cheerful smile on her face as she left her best friend a message. "I'm surprised you're not up yet, because it's our first official practice of the year!"

While keeping her phone to her ear, Lucy walked over to her dresser and grabbed some clothes for cheer practice, shoving them into her bag for after school. Today was the first cheer practice of the season, which meant that the squad would be going over the routines that Lucy made as team choreographer.

"Make sure you wear those shorts you got at Nike over the summer," Lucy instructed, zipping up her bag. "I'll see you at school, Captain."

After finishing up her message, Lucy bounced out of her room, actually feeling okay. During the summer she had been melancholy about cheer, as it was her mom that signed her up in the first place. She hadn't wanted to go to cheer camp and choreograph the routines, even though she loved cheering, and had been dreading the first practice. Today, however, she felt different. For some reason she was actually looking forward to seeing her teammates and working together.

Jenna looked up from the table where she was revising her thesis when Lucy came down the stairs. Seeing her youngest niece's shiny disposition, she smiled. Everyone knew how much Lucy loved cheerleading, so it was good to see her excited about it.

"Elena went with Bonnie," Jenna told Lucy, standing up and taking the keys out of the bowl in the foyer. She turned toward the stairs and called, "Jeremy, let's go!"

There was a faint call before quick stomping as Jeremy rushed down the stairs, his black backpack hanging from his shoulder. He greeted Lucy with a casual side-hug as the three walked out the door and to Jenna's car.

After a fifteen-minute ride later where Lucy and Jeremy annoyed Jenna with their talking of their favorite television shows, they arrived at school. Jenna wished them a good day and told them she'd be staying at Whitmore for the night with Joel—which Lucy and Jeremy knew that meant Joel would be taking Jenna to one of his frat's parties.

"See ya," Jeremy mumbled, pressing a quick kiss to the top of Lucy's head before disappearing to the stoner's pit.

Lucy looked around, not seeing Caroline anywhere, and tried to look for her sister or Bonnie. Much to her luck, she spotted Bonnie's car right away; Elena and Bonnie were getting out and chatting.

"Good morning," she greeted them, carefully situating her gym bag on her shoulder so the strap wouldn't dig into her skin. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Bonnie thinks Stefan and I shouldn't date," Elena informed her.

Lucy looked over at Bonnie with raised eyebrows. It was a little too late to object to Elena's newfound relationship. Her and Stefan had been dating for almost two weeks and so far, everything had been smooth sailing.

"I'm not saying don't date the guy," Bonnie corrected Elena. "I'm just saying take it slow."

"You were the one who said go for it," Elena pointed out as the three of them started walking across campus.

"Now I'm saying take it slow."

"Why the about-face?" Lucy wondered.

"It's not an about-face," Bonnie shrugged, looking at Elena. "You're single for the first time in your entire high school career. It's the perfect time to play the field."

"_Play the field_?" Lucy scoffed, repeating Bonnie. "Like Elena is that girl."

"Seriously," Elena agreed with Lucy. "What are you not saying?"

Bonnie's face fell. "It's stupid."

She went to walk away, but Elena grabbed her, giving her an earnest look. "Bonnie…"

"What?"

"Spit it out," Lucy said impatiently. "What's so bad about Stefan?"

Bonnie slowed her walking to a stop and turned to Lucy and Elena. "I accidently touched him," she confessed. "And I got a really bad feeling."

Elena gave her best friend an unimpressed look. "Is that it?"

Bonnie pursed her lips and went to leave, only to be stopped by Lucy this time. "Bonnie."

"It was bad-bad," Bonnie defended herself.

"Is this the whole witch mojo thing again?" Lucy wondered; Bonnie had been acting kind of weird lately and she had been mentioning her Grams' stories more often.

"You know what, I'm just concerned," Bonnie said; she glanced at Elena. "This is me expressing concern about my best friend's new boyfriend."

Elena smiled and grabbed Bonnie's shoulders, squeezing them fondly. "And I love you for it, I do," she assured Bonnie. "But I feel good. It's been a hard year and I'm starting to kind of feel like things are getting back to normal again. And you know what? Stefan is a big part of that."

Bonnie smiled and sighed in defeat. Clearly she wasn't going to get through to Elena, despite her warnings. Besides, if Elena felt better because of Stefan, that was a good thing. The feeling Bonnie got when she touched Stefan, however, was _not_ a good thing.

"Good morning, Elena," a familiar voice said from behind them. Lucy, Elena, and Bonnie turned around, seeing Stefan walk up to them. "Good morning, Lucy and Bonnie."

Bonnie didn't even acknowledge Stefan. She looked at Lucy, saying, "Hey, um, I gotta find Caroline. She's not answering her phone. See you guys later."

Lucy nodded, giving Bonnie a confused look as she walked off. She hadn't even seen Bonnie try to call Caroline, but she was right about the blonde not answering her phone. She hadn't replied to any of Lucy's texts or calls, which was not like her whatsoever.

"She doesn't like me very much," Stefan observed, his eyes following Bonnie for a second before turning to look at Lucy and Elena.

"She doesn't know you," Elena explained as she, Lucy, and Stefan started walking toward the school. "She's my best friend, she's just looking out for me. But when she does, she will love you."

"Bonnie's pretty opinionated," Lucy added, trying to make Stefan feel better. "And she's not really good with new people. You just have to be nice and give her time to warm up to you."

"Here's what we're going to do," Elena said after a thoughtful silence. "Are you free tonight?"

Stefan pretended to think about it, but ultimately nodded. "Yes."

"Perfect," Elena beamed. "Dinner at my house, eight o'clock. You, me, Bonnie, and Lucy. You two will spend some quality time and she'll get to see what a great guy you are. Mission accomplished."

"I'm making spaghetti and meatballs," Lucy stated, trying to entice Stefan to take Elena's offer. "With homemade garlic bread."

"Well, how can I resist homemade garlic bread?" Stefan chuckled, Elena laughing along.

"Great—"

Elena's exclamation was cut off as Stefan turned around abruptly, swiftly catching a football that had been hurling toward the back of his head. Lucy gaped, looking around Stefan to see Matt and Tyler looking right at them. Stefan held up the ball and threw it back at Tyler—who Lucy assumed was the culprit, as Matt was too nice to throw a ball at someone with their back turned. Tyler caught the ball, which seemed to be thrown hard, as it made him take a few steps back.

As if on cue, the bell rang, interrupting the crowd's murmurs of excitement at Stefan's throw.

"That was amazing, Stefan," Elena gushed as they walked into school. "I gotta go, see you guys in history."

Lucy and Stefan, who had the same chemistry class first period on certain days, waved at her. They continued onto their class, dodging various classmates in the crowded hallways.

"That throw was impressive," Lucy complimented Stefan. "You never told me you played football."

Throughout the two weeks that her sister and Stefan had been dating, Lucy and Stefan had learned more about each other. Lucy had yet to take up his offer of talking to him about the accident and the way she felt, but she still enjoyed getting to know him.

"I used to," Stefan's eyebrows furrowed, as though he was thinking of a bittersweet memory. "It was a long time ago."

"So why don't you try out for the team?" Lucy questioned as they walked into the classroom and took their shared table at the back. "Besides Matt and Tyler, our team sucks. It makes me want to cry."

"I don't think so."

Lucy raised an eyebrow at him. "Do you not like it anymore?"

"I do," Stefan assured her. "I think it's great. But I don't think I'd be welcomed. You saw Tyler and Matt's still sensitive about me and Elena."

"Matt's not the type of person to hate you just because you're dating his ex-girlfriend," Lucy stated. "Besides, they don't even know you. It wouldn't hurt to socialize, make more friends besides me."

Stefan narrowed his eyes at her jokingly. "Says the girl who does her homework in a cemetery."

Lucy gasped dramatically. "Stefan, I told you that in confidence! And I only go once a week, give me a break."

"I'll give you a break if you stop pestering me about football," Stefan bargained.

"Pestering?" Lucy rolled her eyes before sighing. "Fine, I'll stop," Stefan grinned in satisfaction. "I'll just tell Elena."

Stefan groaned in annoyance.

"World War II ended in…" Mr. Tanner looked around the classroom, waiting for an answer. "Anyone got anything?"

Lucy looked up from her phone where she was texting Caroline—still no answer—and called out, "1945."

Mr. Tanner sighed. "Thank you, Lucy."

Lucy put away her phone and gave Tanner a cheeky thumbs-up. Tanner continued to lecture, all the while Elena and Stefan whispered back-and-forth in front of her. Apparently, they weren't as sneaky as they thought, because Tanner quickly noticed their inattention.

"Pearl Harbor, Miss Gilbert?" Mr. Tanner asked Elena, signaling her out for her whispering.

Elena hummed and turned toward Tanner, looking confused.

"Pearl Harbor," Mr. Tanner prompted.

"Um…"

"December 7, 1941," Stefan answered for her.

"Thank you, _Miss Gilbert_," Tanner enunciated, drawing a laugh from the class.

"Anytime," Stefan replied.

"Very well," Tanner nodded. "The fall of the Berlin Wall."

"1989," Stefan answered easily. "I'm good with dates, sir."

"Really?" Mr. Tanner's expression changed to one of challenge. "How good? Keep it to the year."

Stefan nodded in consent. Lucy perked up, wondering if Stefan knew history that well. It'd also be great to see Stefan out-Tanner Tanner, especially after what the teacher said to Jenna during Jeremy's parent-teacher conference.

"Civil Rights Act?" Tanner started their little trivia game.

"1964," Stefan replied.

"John F. Kennedy assassination?"

"1963."

"Martin Luther King?"

"Sixty-eight."

"Lincoln," Tanner leaned forward slightly, looking more aggravated.

"1865," Stefan said smoothly, not hesitating at all.

"Roe vs. Wade."

"1973."

"Brown vs. Board."

"1954."

"The Battle of Gettysburg."

"1863."

"Korean War."

"1950 to 1953."

"Ha!" Tanner exclaimed in victory, pointing at Stefan. "It ended in fifty-two."

Lucy rolled her eyes at Mr. Tanner's arrogance. "It ended in fifty-_three_, Mr. Tanner."

Tanner looked to Lucy, narrowing his eyes. Stefan nodded in agreement, making Tanner visibly clench his jaw.

"Look it up, somebody," Mr. Tanner demanded the class impatiently. "Quickly!"

There was a quiet shuffling as students around the classroom took their phones out to google the date of the end of the Korean War. It didn't take long to find an answer.

"It was nineteen…fifty-three," a student to Lucy's left called out.

The students started clapping for Stefan and Lucy couldn't help but join in. It looked like somebody finally out-Tannered Tanner. The arrogant, asshole of a teacher deserved it.

Lucy bent forward, stretching out her muscles as she waited for Elena to arrive. As far as she knew, her sister was coming to practice. Elena was a great cheerleader, but it would be a challenge to teach her the new routines. While Caroline had dragged Lucy out of her depressed cocoon for cheer camp, Elena had stayed home. She'd be behind, but Lucy, Caroline, and Bonnie would work with her.

"Oh, my God!" Bonnie, who was stretching beside her, squealed suddenly. Lucy looked up to see Elena approaching them. "You're here!"

Bonnie got up and wrapped her arms around Elena, both of them hugging tightly.

"Yep," Elena confirmed. "I can't be sad girl forever. The only way to get things back to the way they were are to do things that were."

"Good thinking, Lenabug," Lucy complimented her sister.

"Thanks, Lou," Elena knelt on one knee and started stretching beside her. She looked up at Bonnie and added, "Oh, and you're coming to dinner tonight."

Bonnie looked surprised. "I am?"

Elena nodded. "Yep. You, me, Lucy, and Stefan."

Bonnie faltered, a disgruntled look on her face. She clearly didn't want to spend any time with Stefan if she didn't have to. It kind of amused Lucy, because Bonnie was usually the friendliest out of their quartet.

"You have to give him a chance," Elena admonished.

"Tonight's no good," Bonnie lied. Elena and Lucy gave her nearly identical don't-lie-to-me looks. Bonnie quickly changed the subject. "Have you seen Caroline? I texted her, like, a hundred times."

"No," Lucy shook her head. "I called her, too. No answer."

"Don't change the subject, Bonnie Bennett!" Elena interrupted their conversation about Caroline's absence. "You're going to be there."

"Fine," Bonnie whined. "I'll go."

"Good."

Ten minutes went by, with several missed calls, and there was still no sign of Caroline. Lucy was really starting to get worried. Cheerleading was Caroline's favorite activity and she loved being captain, she wouldn't miss it unless something was really wrong.

Lucy huffed, looking around worriedly. "Seriously, where is Caroline?"

"I don't know," Elena took a sip from her water bottle. "It's not like her."

"Try her again," Bonnie requested, nodding to Lucy's phone.

Lucy picked up her phone and pressed Caroline's contact, waiting for her best friend to pick up. She winced when Elena slapped her arm and went to scold her, but Elena was looking behind Lucy intently, eyes narrowed. Lucy turned and saw a vintage baby-blue Camaro driving right onto the field. Surprisingly, Caroline was in the passenger seat of the Camaro and the driver was none other than Stefan's older brother, Damon Salvatore.

To say Lucy was surprised was an understatement. Caroline hadn't even told her that she had met Damon, let alone hooked up with him. Caroline always shared her love life with Lucy, always. It was strange that she hadn't spilled about her newfound relationship.

"Oh, my God," Bonnie stared at Caroline in shock as she made out with Damon. "That must be the mystery guy from the Grill."

"That's not a mystery guy," Elena sighed, getting to her feet. "That's Damon Salvatore."

"Damon Salvatore?" Bonnie hissed in disbelief. "As in Stefan?"

Lucy nodded and jumped to her feet, watching wearily as Caroline got out of the car. She was wearing standard practice clothes, but, strangely, she had a scarf wrapped around her neck. She gave Caroline a questioning look as she strode over to them, a happy smirk on her face.

"I got the other brother," Caroline bragged to Elena. "Hope you don't mind."

The blonde set her bag on the ground and walked over to the stereo. She pressed the power button and turned to the squad, ready to begin practice.

"Sorry I'm late, girls," she apologized. "I was, uh, busy. All right, let's start with the double pike herkey-hurdler, what do you say?"

Lucy gave her best friend a wide smile, happy to get practice started.

"You explain it. Last night, I was watching Nine-o and a commercial break came on. I was like, I bet it's that phone commercial," Bonnie narrated, explaining her theory that she's psychic to Lucy and Elena. "And sure enough, it was that guy and the girl with the bench, he flies to Paris and he flies back. They take a picture."

"Oh, come on," Elena chuckled, opening the fridge to take out the can of grated parmesan cheese. "That commercial is on a constant loop."

Lucy hummed in agreement, chopping up lettuce for a caesar salad to go with the rest of dinner.

"Fine," Bonnie sighed. "Well, how about this? Today I'm obsessed with numbers. Three numbers. I keep seeing eight, fourteen, and twenty-two. How weird is that?"

"Maybe we should play the lottery," Elena teased, setting the cheese and platter of warm garlic bread on the table.

"Have you talked to your Grams?" Lucy wondered, semi-focused on making the salad. The other half of her attention was on Bonnie and Elena's conversation, which was becoming more interesting.

"She's just gonna say it's because I'm a witch," Bonnie whined, stirring the spaghetti and meatballs that Lucy made together. "I don't want to be a witch. Do you want to be a witch?"

"No," Lucy answered immediately. The last thing she wanted was more drama in her life. She suspected that having magic would be utterly dramatic.

"I don't want to be a witch," Elena agreed.

Lucy sighed and finished up the salad. She looked around for the salad tongs, opening the drawer that they were usually in and finding it empty. "Elena, do you know where the salad tongs are?"

"No."

"The middle drawer on your left," Bonnie pointed to Lucy's left.

Lucy gave Bonnie an intrigued look, opening the said drawer. The salad tongs sat at the top, supporting Bonnie's guess. Lucy, Elena, and Bonnie all exchanged confused looks.

"Okay, so you've been in this kitchen, like, a thousand times," Elena excused it as a fluke.

Bonnie pursed her lips. "Yeah, that's it."

The doorbell rang, then, catching the girls' attention. Figuring that it was Stefan at the door, Bonnie bit her lip nervously. Lucy noticed and reached forward, squeezing one of Bonnie's hands comfortingly.

"Okay, he's here," Elena was excited for Stefan and Bonnie to bond. She gave Bonnie an assuring look. "Don't be nervous. Just be your normal loving self."

Bonnie sighed heavily as Elena walked to the front door to let Stefan in. As Lucy grabbed the big bowl of spaghetti and meatballs to carry over to the table, Bonnie said, "Birthday candles."

Bonnie opened the drawer by her stomach, revealing a new package of multi-colored birthday candles. Lucy inhaled sharply and abruptly turned, walking over to the table.

Was Grams right? Was Bonnie really a witch? It had to be a possibility; how else would Bonnie know that the candles—which Lucy and Elena had recently bought for Jenna's upcoming birthday—were in that exact drawer? The whole thing was mind-boggling.

Her warring emotions must have been showing on her face, because when Elena and Stefan stepped into the dining room, they instantly knew something was up.

"What's wrong, Lou?" Elena asked cautiously.

"Hmm?" Lucy hummed distractedly. When she saw Elena and Stefan looking at her expectantly, she straightened herself up. "Oh, hey, Stefan. You hungry?"

"Yeah, it smells great," Stefan complimented. "Thanks for making dinner. Hi, Bonnie."

Bonnie, who had walked into the dining room with the salad, waved sheepishly at Stefan's greeting.

Lucy already knew that this meal would be awkward.

And she was correct; no one spoke as the four of them dug into their food. Lucy sat next to Bonnie and exchanged looks with Elena, trying to get her sister to start up a conversation. It was better that Elena take the lead because Lucy rambled when there were awkward silences and it was hard to stop her.

Fortunately, Elena recognized the urge. She looked at Stefan, who sat across from Lucy, and asked, "Did Tanner give you a hard time today?"

"Well, he let me on the team, so I must have done something right," Stefan shrugged modestly.

Elena giggled, turning to Bonnie. "Bonnie, you should have seen Stefan today. Tyler threw a ball right at him and—"

"Yeah, I heard," Bonnie interrupted, smiling awkwardly.

Lucy bit her lip, desperately trying not to laugh. She was never good with serious or awkward situations. Joel was the same way—despite the sorrow they felt at their parents' shared funeral, the urge to laugh almost made them leave the church.

Stefan must have seen Lucy fighting the urge to laugh because he smiled slightly, kicking his leg forward to nudge her in the knee. Lucy playfully narrowed her eyes at him; he smirked in response.

"Why don't you tell Stefan about your family, Bon?" Lucy suggested; Elena's try at a conversation had failed, so now it was up to her.

"Um, divorced. No mom. Live with my dad," Bonnie informed Stefan, completely misinterpreting Lucy's request.

"No, no," Lucy shook her head at Bonnie. "About the witches," she looked at Stefan and added, "Bonnie's family has a lineage of witches. It's really cool."

"It's not cool," Bonnie disagreed.

Stefan looked interested; he turned to Bonnie to find out more. "Well, it's certainly interesting. I'm not too versed, but I do know that there's a history of Celtic druids that migrated here in the 1800s."

Bonnie shook her head and corrected him, "My family came by way of Salem."

Stefan's eyes widened slightly. "Really? Salem witches?"

"Yeah," Bonnie laughed nervously.

"I would say that's pretty cool," Stefan agreed with Lucy's earlier statement, looking impressed. Lucy smiled in return.

"Really?" Bonnie was surprised. "Why?"

"Salem witches are…heroic examples of individualism and nonconformity," Stefan explained carefully. Lucy could tell he didn't want to offend Bonnie with his opinion, even if he had the right one. It was really sweet the way he related to Bonnie and was respectful of her heritage.

Bonnie smiled proudly. "Yeah, they are."

The doorbell rang once again, making Lucy and Elena look at each other curiously. As far as they knew, no one else was coming; Jenna and Joel were at Whitmore partying and Jeremy was upstairs playing video games.

"I wonder who that could be," Elena sighed and turned to Lucy. "It's your turn."

Lucy gaped at her. "Uh, no," she disagreed. "It's Jeremy's turn and you know it."

They, of course, were referring to the order in which the Gilbert siblings answered the door. Ever since they were little, Joel, Elena, Lucy, and Jeremy fought over who would answer the door; Joel went first, because he was oldest, followed by Elena. Lucy would have been third in line, but she hated answering the door, so she gave her spot to Jeremy, who took it happily. It was a silly little thing, but for some reason, it stuck.

"Jeremy's not here," Elena pointed out with a smirk. "Chop, chop, Lulu, the door awaits."

Lucy scowled. "I hate you."

"Love you, too, Lucy Goosey."

Lucy glared at her sister and stood from her seat, heading straight to the front door. She opened it up and faltered when she came face-to-face with Caroline and Damon. She had totally forgotten that she had invited Caroline over for dessert.

"Hey, Luce!" Caroline greeted her happily. She held up what looked to be a coconut cake. "We brought your favorite for dessert."

"Wow, Care," Lucy shuffled to the side so Caroline could step into the house. "Thanks."

"Never pegged you for a coconut kind of girl," Damon commented, staying outside the threshold.

Lucy gave him a strange look; she couldn't even begin to know what he meant by that. Caroline distracted her by handing her the cake, so she hadn't noticed when Stefan approached the door, sending daggers at his brother with his forest-green eyes.

"What are you doing here?" he asked his brother scathingly. His harsh tone caught Lucy's attention and made Elena, who had followed Stefan to the door, raise her eyebrows.

"Waiting for Lucy or Elena to invite me in," Damon answered casually.

"Oh, yeah, you can—"

"No, no, no," Stefan cut Lucy off hurriedly. "He can't, uh, he can't stay. Can you, Damon?"

Damon narrowed his eyes at Stefan's hard look. Caroline huffed from behind Lucy, impatient.

"Get in here," she demanded.

"We're just finishing up," Stefan excused.

His eyes met Lucy's and something in them made her pause. For some reason, he really didn't want Damon in the house. He was so urgent about it, like his brother was dangerous to her or her family. It was odd, but she trusted Stefan. He wouldn't be objecting so much if he wasn't serious.

Stefan didn't want Lucy inviting Damon in, so she wasn't going to. She nodded slightly, silently telling Stefan that she wasn't going to let his brother in, even if she didn't know why. Damon saw the exchange and narrowed his eyes in irritation; Elena didn't see it at all.

"It's fine," she declared. "Come on in, Damon."

Damon sent a triumphant smirk at Stefan, making Lucy confused. Apparently Elena nor Caroline had seen Damon's smile, because they went on like nothing happened.

"You have a beautiful home, girls," he complimented as he stepped over the threshold, looking around the foyer.

"Thank you," Elena said politely.

Elena took the cake from Lucy's hands and ushered Caroline and Damon out of the foyer. Lucy lingered next to Stefan, giving him the same questioning look.

"What's going on?" she quietly whispered to him. "Why didn't you want me to invite your brother in? Is he dangerous? Is he a creep? Oh, my God, he's with Elena right now!"

"Lucy," Stefan interrupted Lucy's increasingly anxious ramble, well aware that Damon could hear every word said. He placed his hands on her dainty shoulders, squeezing them comfortingly. To her shock, Lucy calmed down almost immediately, which was a hard feat. "Everything's going to be okay. Damon's not a creep."

It was too late to realize his mistake of not assuring her that Damon was dangerous; Lucy picked up on it right away.

"So, he _is_ dangerous!" she gasped nervously.

"No, no, no," Stefan lied, trying to do damage control. It would be better if Lucy didn't know exactly how dangerous Damon was. She was already on Damon's hit list, if she knew more, she'd be dead within the day. "Damon's not gonna hurt anyone, okay?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes at him; Stefan rarely lied to her, but the one time he did—when they were in gym class and he told her she was doing a push-up correctly—he couldn't look her in the eyes. He wasn't looking her in the eyes right now, which meant that he wasn't telling her the truth.

Stefan's lie scared her; Damon was dangerous and he could hurt the people she loved. She didn't know how dangerous he was, but it was enough that Stefan lied about it. Her friend was an honest person and Lucy was sure he was lying to protect her.

Lucy was prone to panicking and said dumb things sometimes, but she wasn't stupid. She knew that it was for the best that she kept calm and acted like Damon wasn't a danger to her or her friends and family. So, for now, she'd go along with Stefan's lie.

From the quick, frantic beating of Lucy's heart, Stefan knew she could see through his lie. Instead of saying anything else (if anything more was said, Damon would know that Lucy knew something), he silently begged her to keep quiet with his eyes. Lucy took a deep, shaky breath and nodded.

Stefan sighed in relief and squeezed her shoulders once more before letting go, letting his hands lay casually at his side.

"Come on," Lucy said loudly; Stefan snickered, knowing that she was loud for the benefit of the others. "Coconut cake is my favorite."

Lucy and Stefan joined the others in the living room where they sat waiting for them. Elena had been thoughtful and cut Lucy a piece of cake, while the others were sipping coffee. Stefan took a seat on the couch next to Elena, while Lucy plopped down on the floor by the coffee table, right next to Bonnie's feet.

"I can't believe that Mr. Tanner let you on the team," Caroline said perkily as Stefan got comfortable. "Tyler must be seething. But good for you, go for it."

"That's what I always tell him," Damon commented, smirking at Stefan. "You have to engage. You can't just sit there and wait for life to come to you. You have to go get it."

Lucy shoved a piece of cake in her mouth, chewing slowly. It was interesting to see Damon act so casually. If Lucy hadn't been so observant, she wouldn't have known that he was probably being insincere.

"Yeah, Elena wasn't so lucky today," Caroline sighed. She caught Elena's frown and added, "It's only because you missed summer camp. God, I don't know how you're ever going to learn the routines."

"I'll work with her," Lucy spoke up, smiling at Elena, who gave her a grateful look. "She'll get it."

"I guess we could put her in the back," Caroline said thoughtfully, mentally changing up the formation that she and Lucy created.

Lucy rolled her eyes; she knew Caroline wasn't purposely being mean, but sometimes she couldn't read a room. She was the type of person that changed her personality to fit with whoever she was with at the time. Lucy loved her anyway because when Caroline was herself, she was great.

"You know, you don't seem like the cheerleader type, Elena," Damon said, looking over at her.

Lucy bristled, offended by Damon's tone, but Caroline spoke first.

"Oh, it's just 'cause her parents died," she said carelessly. "Yeah, I mean, she's just totally going through a blah phase. She used to be way more fun."

"Caroline," Lucy hissed warningly.

Caroline immediately grimaced, her head catching up with her mouth. "I say that with complete sensitivity," she said, giving both Elena and Lucy apologetic looks.

"I'm sorry, girls. I know what it's like to lose both your parents," Damon sympathized. "In fact, Stefan and I have watched almost every single person we've ever cared about die."

"We don't need to get into that right now, Damon," Stefan looked like he was uncomfortable, but also annoyed with Damon's words.

Damon's voice was apologetical, but almost too much; he was clearly putting on a show. "Oh, you know what, you're right, Stef. I'm sorry," he grimaced. "The last thing I wanted to do was bring her up."

There was an awkward silence at Damon's words. It was clear that he wanted to make his brother uncomfortable, but Lucy realized that he may have more than one ulterior motive when Elena got up, looking upset, and declared that she was going to do the dishes. The look on the older man's face was almost triumphant.

After Elena went in the kitchen and Bonnie excused herself to the restroom, Damon took his leave, holding a wine glass for Elena to wash. This left Lucy, Stefan, and Caroline to chat, and while Lucy was a little irritated with her best friend, she always liked to spend time with her.

"So, how was practice?" Lucy asked Stefan, curious about his try-outs since she wasn't able to watch them. "Did the team give you a hard time?"

Stefan shrugged nonchalantly. "It wasn't bad," he admitted. "It was clear Tyler doesn't want me around and I think Matt's on the fence."

"He's just trying to move on from Elena," Caroline stated in Matt's defense. "He's having a hard time. You have to understand that they were each other's firsts. You know, like, from the sand box."

Lucy hoped that Stefan wouldn't take any offense to what Caroline said, but he surprised her. He smiled politely and pointed to the scarf wrapped around Caroline's neck.

"That's a really nice scarf," he said knowingly.

Caroline hummed. "Thank you, it's new."

"Can I see it?" Stefan asked, ignoring Lucy's questioning looks. He scooted down the couch to be closer to Caroline. "I mean, would you mind taking it off?"

"Oh, I can't."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows at Caroline's answer; why on earth wouldn't she be able to take off her scarf?

"Why not, are you okay?" Stefan asked worriedly.

"Um," Caroline looked to be lost in thought, leaving Lucy to wonder what was going on with her best friend. "All I know is that I can't take it off."

"What are you three kids talking about?" Damon's voice echoed through the room as he walked over to Lucy, Caroline, and Stefan.

"I was just commenting on her scarf," Stefan answered, setting his knowing eyes on his brother, who sat on the arm of the chair Caroline was sitting in.

"Hmm," Damon nodded. He tapped Caroline on the shoulder, making her look up at him. "Hey, Elena and Bonnie are finishing up the dishes. Why don't you go see if you can help?"

Caroline scoffed. "Does it look like I do dishes?" she giggled and looked over at Lucy, who smiled, amused.

"For me?" Damon pushed.

"Hmm," Caroline pretended to think about it. "I don't think so."

Lucy watched as the polite smile on Damon's face disappeared, an irritated look replacing it. He grabbed Caroline's chin and looked into her eyes. "_Go see if Elena needs help in the kitchen."_

To Lucy's disbelief, Caroline perked up and looked at her and Stefan. "You know what? I'm gonna go see if Elena needs some help in the kitchen."

"What?" Lucy asked, astonished, as Caroline hopped up from her chair and bounced from the room. She looked at Damon, mouth open in shock. How on earth did he just make Caroline listen to him? What was he doing to her? "What the hell?"

Damon sighed and stood up, slowly walking over to Lucy. "Don't worry, sweetheart—"

Stefan was instantly on guard, interrupting his brother. "Damon, don't."

"Don't worry," Damon ignored Stefan and reached down, forcefully pulling Lucy to her feet. She gasped in fright, her heart speeding up anxiously. "I'm just gonna make her forget," his eyes dilated as he looked into Lucy's hazel gaze, compelling her, "_Forget what just happened. Go up to bed and don't come down until the morning."_

Lucy gazed at Damon for a second, her mind completely blank. When Damon let go of her, Lucy turned to Stefan with a smile. "I'm going up to bed. See you tomorrow!"

She shuffled out of the living room and up the stairs as if she was on autopilot. Damon and Stefan listened for her door to close before turning to each other.

Stefan gave his brother an angry look. "They are people, Damon. Lucy and Caroline are not puppets. Caroline doesn't exist for your amusement, for you to feed on whenever you want to."

"Sure she does. They all do," Damon disagreed, set in his views of humans. "They're whatever I want them to be. They're mine for the taking."

Stefan clenched his jaw, so incredibly frustrated with his brother. "All right, you've had your fun. You used Caroline, you got to me and Elena, you scared Lucy. Good for you. Now it's time for you to go."

Damon smiled. "That's not a problem. Because…" he paused to smirk at Stefan. "I've been invited in and I'll come back tomorrow night and the following night and I'll do with your little cheerleader and her sister whatever I want to do. Because that is what's normal to me."

Upstairs, Lucy paused while changing into her pajamas. She looked around, confused on how she got to her bedroom. And then she remembered; Damon had told her to go to bed and stay there until morning and she did as he said. He also told her to forget what he had done to Caroline and she did forget for a moment, but now she remembered.

Lucy frantically pulled on a sweatshirt, her breaths coming out as frightened gasps. Something was up with Damon; he had the power of mind control for crying out loud. Stefan knew about it and he let his brother do it to her and Caroline.

She was scared, she was so scared and she didn't know what to do. So, she did what she used to do when she was little and she thought there was a monster hidden in her closet. She called her big brother for help.

Joel didn't say much to Lucy when she called him and she didn't know if it was because he didn't know how to react or if he was drunk. The only thing he said was to get some vervain and he was going to be coming home for the Founder's Ball the next week. So, Lucy tried to do what her brother told her, but all she saw online was how to grow vervain. She didn't have much time to dive deeper into Google to find out where it was sold, but she could try again after the football game. She didn't even understand why she needed vervain so badly, all she found as its uses was to combat depression and soothe the nervous system.

School let out early for the pep rally that was to be held before the first football game of the season, which gave Lucy plenty of time to get ready for the game. She went about her usual routine; showering, drying and curling her hair so she could pull it up into a high pony, and changing into her uniform.

When she arrived at the pep rally—courtesy of Bonnie, who went five miles under the speed limit just for Lucy—she was pulled away by Caroline, gushing over how excited she was. She was still wearing a scarf, for whatever reason.

"The bonfire is starting in an hour," Caroline informed her as they walked around, taking time to chat with some of their classmates. "Tanner's giving a speech, so we need to round up the girls to make sure they're there."

"Aye, aye, Captain," Lucy said, giving her a teasing salute.

Caroline gave her an unimpressed look. "Ha-ha," she gave in and smiled, wrapping an arm around Lucy's shoulders. "You're more cheerful than usual."

"Things are starting to get back to normal," Lucy said, looking out over the crowd of football fans who showed up early. "This—the football games, cheer uniforms, drunk stoners making fun of us under the bleachers? This is familiar," she smiled at Caroline. "Besides, you know how much my mom and dad loved Football Fridays. This makes me feel closer to them somehow."

Caroline smiled back and squeezed Lucy's shoulders. "I love you, Lucy-Goosey."

Lucy laughed. "And I love you, Carebear."

"Of course you do…why isn't Elena wearing her uniform?" Caroline asked, her voice hardening as she spotted Stefan and Elena talking in the distance, Elena's cheer uniform no where to be found.

Lucy raised her eyebrows in surprise; she had no idea why Elena had chosen not to show up in uniform. Elena hadn't told her anything, but she assumed that her sister quit the team. Maybe it was because her heart wasn't in it anymore, in which case, Lucy supported her. You shouldn't do things that make you unhappy.

"I don't know…" she trailed off, watching as Stefan walked away from Elena.

"Well, I'm going over there," Caroline proclaimed. "Can you start gathering the girls?"

Caroline walked off without listening for Lucy's agreement, but Lucy didn't mind. The last thing she wanted to do was get in between one of Caroline and Elena's disagreements, which could blow up sometimes.

She looked around the ever-thickening crowd, trying to spot Bonnie so she could help round up the girls. However, Bonnie was being elusive. She turned around to keep looking, only to jump in shock when she came face-to-face with Stefan.

"Hey," she breathed, her heart jumping in a mixture of fear and shock. Sure, Stefan hadn't done anything to her the previous night, but he hadn't stopped Damon from using his freaky Jedi mind powers on her, either.

Stefan furrowed his eyebrows in concern, hearing her heart tick quickly and unsteadily. "You okay?" he asked, placing a comforting hand on her underdeveloped bicep.

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered quickly, forcing a bright smile. "I'm good, really good. So good."

Stefan didn't believe her, but he let it go. "That's good," he smiled, playfully mocking her. She rolled her eyes at him, amused. "I got you something."

Lucy looked at Stefan, surprised, as he dug into his jean pocket and pulled out a small, velvet drawstring bag. "Stefan, my birthday is in December…"

"Yeah, I know," he rolled his eyes and pulled a dainty, platinum cuff out of the bag. He showed it to her and added, "It's like a friendship bracelet."

Lucy took her eyes off the large opal nestled into the center of the bracelet, looking back at Stefan. "One, that looks really expensive. Two, I don't have a bracelet to give to you."

"Lucy, you can make it up to me," Stefan said, slightly exasperated by her stubbornness. "Are you gonna wear this token of my friendship or not?"

Lucy pursed her lips and grabbed the bracelet from him, sliding it on her wrist with little difficulty. "Do you give all your friends such expensive jewelry?" she wondered, twisting her wrist slightly so the fading sun could glint off the shiny platinum.

"Well, considering that I have exactly one friend, yes," Stefan nodded, a smirk on his lips. "Maybe you were right, I should make some more."

"Nope!" Lucy declared, her dimples popping out from her bright smile. She had forgotten her earlier fear; Stefan's presence was enough to calm her. "I can't share you with any others. I want all the presents!"

Stefan chuckled, shaking his head. "You're ridiculous."

"No, I'm your best friend," she sang teasingly before becoming serious. "Thank you, Stefan. The bracelet is really beautiful. I'll go shopping for your bracelet as soon as I have the time."

"You're welcome," Stefan smiled warmly and glanced at his watch. "I have to go, the rally's starting soon."

Lucy's eyes widened, forcefully grabbing his wrist, ignoring his protests, and looked at his watch. She winced at the time. "I was supposed to get Bonnie and the girls."

"Wow, so irresponsible," Stefan shook his head mockingly.

"Whatever," she pushed him slightly. "Good luck, Salvatore."

"Break a leg, Gilbert."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Mr. Tanner yelled into the microphone, trying to be heard over the drumline, cheerleaders, and loud students. They all gathered around the large bonfire where a dummy wearing the opposing team's jersey was being burnt. "Let's be honest here, in the past we used to let other teams come into our town and roll right over us!"

The crowd booed and Lucy did too, being overly dramatic with Caroline and Bonnie.

"But that is about to change!" Tanner declared; the crowd cheered again, Lucy ruffling her pom-poms together in excitement. "Tonight, we've got some great new talent starting on the offensive line. I'm gonna tell you right now, it has been a long time since I have seen a kid like this with hands like these," he gestured over to Stefan. "Give it up for Stefan Salvatore!"

The crowd went wild; Lucy and the cheerleaders cheered Stefan's name while Stefan himself was patted on the back by some of his teammates.

"To all the people who have been waiting for us to put a check in the win column, I have only one thing to say to you," Tanner said ominously, a large smirk on his face. "Your Timberwolves are hungry!"

Caroline led Lucy and the others in a '_Go, fight, win'_ cheer, the chants getting louder and louder as the crowd joined in. Lucy's body was thrumming in excitement; it had been so long since she had fun like this.

And then the cheers died down, making the sound of screams and grunts noticeable. Lucy looked around in confusion and saw Stefan slip out of the crowd, heading toward the parking lot. She followed his movements, eyes widening when she spotted Jeremy and Tyler engaged in a nasty-looking fight.

"Jeremy," she breathed under her breath, taking off toward the chaos.

The closer she got, the more she saw; Jeremy and Tyler were rolling around on the ground, punching each other senseless and Vicki was watching with tears streaming down her face, screaming for them to stop. Lucy caught up to Stefan quickly and went to pass him to get to her little brother, but he grabbed her waist, pulling her out of the way.

"Let me handle this," he said before she could protest.

"Tyler, stop it!" Vicki cried, catching Lucy's attention. "Stop, you're hurting him!"

Lucy looked back at her brawling brother just as Tyler tackled him to the ground again, punching him fiercely. Hot anger bubbled in her stomach and she leapt forward, ready to tear Tyler a new one for even looking at her brother the wrong way.

"TYLER—"

Stefan pushed Lucy out of the way again and rushed over to Tyler and Jeremy. "Hey, he's down!" he shouted at Tyler. "Enough!"

Stefan grabbed Tyler's outstretched fist, preventing him from striking Jeremy again. Tyler angrily glared at him and stood up, throwing a bloody fist right into Stefan's abdomen. Stefan didn't even flinch, causing Tyler—and even Lucy—to look at him in confusion.

"Jeremy, no!"

Elena's scream got Stefan's attention; he looked over Tyler's shoulder and saw that Jeremy had picked up a broken piece of glass and was marching over to Tyler, a furiously determined look on his face. Stefan pushed Tyler away just as Jeremy swiped, cutting Stefan's palm straight through.

"Jeremy!" Lucy ran toward her brother at the same time as Elena, both of them ushering him away from the crowd that had gathered to see the outcome of the fight.

"What the fuck was that, Jeremy?" Elena asked harshly.

Lucy rolled her eyes and grabbed Jeremy's chin, lifting his head with a little force, since he was fighting her so much. "Put your head up, Jere," she said firmly. "you're bleeding."

Jeremy pushed Lucy's hands away. "I'm fine!"

"Yeah, you smell fine," Elena retorted, wrinkling her nose at the heavy smell of alcohol wafting from her brother.

"Just stop!" Lucy glared at both Elena and Jeremy. "Lena, go tell Caroline that I need to help Jeremy, okay? I'll be there in time for kick-off," when Elena nodded, she looked to Jeremy. "Come on, I have a kit in my bag."

Jeremy scowled at Elena as she left and obediently followed Lucy to the girls' locker room where the cheerleaders stashed their bags during the game. Lucy set Jeremy on one of the benches and grabbed her bag, easily finding the small first aid kit within.

Lucy sighed and looked at Jeremy, grabbing some pieces of gauze and alcohol wipes. "Are you okay?" she asked, ripping open a wipe. She pulled it out and started dabbing at the cut by Jeremy's eyebrow. He winced, making Lucy sigh, "I know it stings."

"I'm fine," Jeremy muttered, clearly still angry.

"Look," she gave her brother a firm, yet sympathetic look. "I'm not going to lecture you, all right? I think Elena does that enough for the whole family. It's just…I want you to know you're not alone. I'm here if you need me."

Jeremy didn't say anything but his glare softened and he sat still, letting Lucy tend to his wounds. It only took fifteen minutes to get his cut to stop bleeding and to clean it. She was about to put a bandage on Jeremy's forehead when loud yelling got their attention.

Lucy stood up, handing the bandage to Jeremy. "Put this on. I'll go see what's going on."

When she walked out of the locker room, she had been expecting some drunk classmates fooling around. She didn't expect to see Matt, yelling for help while standing over Mr. Tanner's dead body.


	4. In the Know

**[1x04; Family Ties]**

"_I can confirm that a twelve-foot puma mountain lion attacked a hunter and was subsequently shot and killed_," Sheriff Liz Forbes stated into the microphone held out to her by Logan Fell. "_The hunter is in stable condition."_

"_To repeat, the animal terrorizing Mystic Falls has been caught,_" Logan Fell reported.

"Scum ball," Jenna muttered angrily as she stood next to the dining table, glaring fiercely at the television. "Scum bucket."

Lucy rolled her eyes at her aunt as Elena walked into the room, a piece of toast held loosely in her hand.

"Who are you talking to?" she asked Jenna, taking a bite of her breakfast.

"Him," Jenna gestured to the TV where Logan was still giving his report. "The news guy, also known as Logan 'Scum' Fell."

Lucy giggled at Jenna's hostility, ignoring the glare her aunt sent her way. "Did Mom ever tell you why Aunt Jenna moved away from Mystic Falls?"

"Oh, no way," Elena chuckled, understanding the situation right away. "You and him? He's _cute_."

Jenna looked offended at Elena's comment. "He is not cute," she disagreed strongly, glaring once again at the image of her ex-boyfriend on the screen and turning off the TV. "There's nothing cute about him."

"Uh-huh," Elena scoffed and sat down next to Lucy, looking over the box of antique jewelry that came from the Gilbert family safe deposit box in front of her. "What are you doing with that?"

"Yesterday, I went and got it from the safe deposit box," Lucy informed her sister, finishing up her task of polishing the pocket watch in her hands. "Mom had told Mrs. Lockwood she would loan it to the Founder's Committee for their heritage display."

Jenna walked closer to her nieces, leaning in between them to get a closer look. She picked up one of the rings, peering at it closely. "Is that Grandma Beth's wedding ring?"

Lucy shook her head. "Originally it was Great-Great-Grandma Mary's wedding ring."

Jenna made an impressed face and set the ring back in the box. At that moment, Jeremy walked into the room, looking interestedly at the pocket watch Lucy had just set down.

"How much do you think this stuff is worth?" he wondered, picking it up. "You know, like on E-bay?"

Elena frowned and grabbed the watch from him. "You're not gonna find out."

"That stuff is Mom and Dad's," Jeremy protested. "You can't just give it away."

Lucy sighed, taking the watch from Elena and putting it back in the box. "We're not giving it away, Jere. We're loaning it. _Loan_."

The doorbell rang, cutting off whatever argument was brewing between the Gilbert siblings. Elena smiled happily, knowing exactly who it was, and bounced over to the door, swinging it open. Lucy, Jenna, and Jeremy didn't plan on seeing her again for half the day.

Jeremy calmed down slightly once Elena left the room, allowing him to actually sit at the table and eat breakfast. He and Jenna listened intently as Lucy explained each antique and its significance to the Gilbert family—she was kind of a nerd about that kind of stuff.

Lucy was explaining the last antique, an emerald brooch belonging to their ancestor, Samantha, when the front door opened again. Casual footsteps loomed closer before Joel appeared in the doorway, a duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

"Hello, family!" he greeted them cheerfully. "It is I, the greatest Gilbert!"

"Hello, Greatest Gilbert," Lucy, Jeremy, and Jenna chorused, all smiling at the sight of Joel.

"What are you doing here?" Jenna wondered, an eyebrow raised. "Don't you have a test on Monday?"

Joel rolled his eyes. "Yes, _Mother_, I do," he shrugged. "I can study while I'm here. I didn't want to miss the Founder's Ball."

"Because there's free booze," Lucy interjected, winking at Joel.

In all seriousness, she was very happy to see her older brother. It'd been a week since her phone call with him about Damon and Mr. Tanner's death. She needed answers about Damon's mind powers and it seemed like Joel knew what was going on.

"Of course, it's because there's free booze," Joel laughed. "Lulu, could you help me bring my bags upstairs?" he gave her a knowing look, silently telling her to follow him.

"Sure," Lucy agreed. She stood up and grabbed the duffel bag from him. "You have more than one bag?"

"I'm a stylish young man, Lucy-Goosey. What did you expect?"

The two siblings walked out of the dining room, stopping in the foyer to grab Joel's other bag, which was actually just a laptop case. It didn't bother Lucy; she knew that he didn't really need help, he just wanted to speak with her in private.

"Where's Lenabug?" Joel asked as they walked down the hall to his room which was on the other side of his and Lucy's shared bathroom.

"In her room with Stefan," Lucy told him casually. "She thinks we don't know he's in there, but we're not oblivious."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot about Lena's new boytoy," Joel opened the door to his room and set his laptop case on his bed. He abruptly turned around and headed out of the room, strolling over to Elena's door and pounding it with his fist.

"Joel, what the hell are you doing?" Lucy hissed, hovering behind him.

"Being a protective older brother who gives the new boyfriend a hard time," Joel answered indifferently. The door opened abruptly and he gave Elena an innocent smile.

"Joel?"

"Hello, dearest Elena, I heard there's a boy in your room," Joel greeted her cheerfully.

Elena's surprised gaze turned to a glare as she looked from Joel to Lucy. Lucy shrugged apologetically. Joel took the opportunity to push past Elena, seeing Stefan standing casually by the window seat.

"Hello," Stefan said politely, walking forward and holding out his hand for Joel to shake. "You must be Joel. I'm Stefan Salvatore."

Joel's gaze hardened slightly as he shook Stefan's hand, much to Lucy's confusion. Maybe it was because he was Elena's boyfriend or maybe it was because Damon did his mind thing to Lucy. Either way, Joel was nailing his role of the protector.

"Nice to meet you, Stefan," Joel said coolly. "Salvatore, huh? Founding family…how old are you, again?"

"Joel!" Elena hissed, embarrassed.

Stefan, however, didn't seem nervous. "Seventeen."

Joel nodded, seeming satisfied. "Well, I'll let you two get back to whatever you were doing. Lulu and I are going out."

"We are?" Joel hadn't mentioned that.

Joel gave her an annoyed look. "Yes," he turned back to Stefan and Elena. "Use protection, you two."

"Joel!"

Lucy giggled as her older brother pulled her out of the room, leaving a mortified Elena and Stefan behind. All too soon, however, her forearm—where Joel grabbed—started to tingle. Joel abruptly let go of her, hissing in pain.

"Sorry," Lucy mumbled in distress, all humor gone from her voice. "I keep doing that to people, I don't know why."

"I know," Joel gave her a sympathetic look as they went back downstairs. He grabbed his keys out of the bowl in the foyer and called out for Jenna's benefit, "Lucy and I are going out!"

"Okay!" Jenna called back from the living room.

They left the house and headed straight to Joel's truck, climbing in. Once they were settled, seatbelts clicked into place, Lucy turned to Joel curiously.

"How did you know that's been happening to me?"

Joel didn't look at her as he pulled away from the curb. "We've got a lot to talk about, Lou."

Steven's Quarry wasn't a popular spot to hang out, but it was beautiful. The water was practically crystal clear and it was nice and quiet; a perfect place to talk. Joel and Lucy came here often when they were growing up—Lucy was closer to her brothers than with Elena, but she had a special bond with Joel. As a result, they spent many hours bonding with the quarry as a backdrop.

The siblings sat down on a large boulder by the edge of the water, the place where they usually sat. Lucy waited as Joel gathered his thoughts, his lips pursed thoughtfully. Finally, after a quiet five minutes, he began.

"You know how Mom always gave you speeches about the founding families and how they were so important?" he asked, looking over at Lucy.

Lucy nodded. "She said that they have very important roles in the community, some of which aren't often appreciated."

"Exactly," Joel's lips twitched. "Well, one of those roles is what's called the Founder's Council."

"Mom never told me about that."

"She wouldn't have," Joel said. "The Founder's Council is extremely private, only a few people know about it."

"How come you know about it?" Lucy wondered.

"Because I'm over eighteen and Dad told me," Joel smirked bitterly. "I'm supposed to join as the Gilbert representative since Mom and Dad died, but I figured Uncle John could cover for me."

Lucy bit her lip, wondering why Joel seemed so bitter about the council. "Why are they kept a secret?"

Joel looked back at Lucy, his eyes somewhat stern, which freaked Lucy out. Joel was always laid back and usually never took anything seriously. He was your standard goofy older brother.

"What I'm about to tell you, you can't tell anyone who's not involved, okay?" he said seriously. "Promise me, Lucy."

"I promise," Lucy's voice was shaky, nervous about what Joel would reveal.

Joel exhaled sharply. "The Founder's Council was formed in the 1860s to hunt vampires."

Lucy's mind went blank with shock. She couldn't even begin to—she couldn't believe—what was—

"What?" she spluttered, voice high. "Seriously?"

"I'm serious, Luce," Joel's expression made her stiffen; it was open and honest, no trace of a lie. "Vampires exist."

"You're serious," she repeated, closing her eyes. "How—"

And so Joel told her everything. He told her of the vampire infestation of the 1860s and how the Founder's Council joined together and made a plan to get rid of them. How most vampires couldn't come out in daylight—they burst into flames—but some could with the help of an enchanted stone. How vampires had to have a healthy diet of blood, whether human or animal, to live comfortably. How vampires could move very fast, how vampires never aged, how vampires were killed—wooden stake to the heart was the easiest way. Most importantly, Joel told Lucy that vampires had the power of compulsion.

"As in—?" Was that what Damon did to her and Caroline?

"Damon's Jedi mind powers," Joel confirmed. "Damon and Stefan are vampires, Luce."

"No, no, no," she shook her head in denial.

Stefan was her friend; he was there for her on the night of the comet. He was nice to her and everyone he talked to. He was Elena's boyfriend. There was absolutely no way that Stefan Salvatore was a vampire.

And yet…

Elena told Lucy that she had seen Jeremy cut Stefan's hand with the broken bottle the night of the game, yet there was no wound afterward. He popped up out of nowhere at times, as though he had super-speed. And he sat there and let Damon compel Caroline and Lucy.

She couldn't believe this. She could see Damon being a vampire, as creepy and weird he seemed, but Stefan?

Joel could see the internal struggle on his sister's face. He felt bad, but she needed to know the truth, especially if she couldn't be compelled.

"If it makes you feel any better, I heard Stefan is one of the good ones," he offered sincerely.

Lucy looked at him, eyes narrowed. "How would you even know that, Joel?"

She nearly had a heart attack when he told her. Shocking blow after shocking blow came at her, stunning her into silence. She could have sworn she was going to pass out.

"Lucy?"

Joel's voice was warbled, like Lucy was underwater.

Lucy blinked once, twice. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I said I'm a vampire too."

Placing her head in her hands, Lucy groaned loudly. This was not happening; how on earth did her older brother become a vampire?

"It's complicated," Joel said sheepishly; Lucy didn't realize she asked that out loud.

"Uncomplicate it."

Joel started to explain the process of becoming a vampire; a human had to drink the blood of a vampire and if they died while the blood was still in their system, they'd wake up in transition. To complete the transition into a vampire, they had to feed on human blood or else they'd die within twenty-four hours.

"So, you died?" Lucy whispered, horrified tears springing to her eyes.

"Yes," Joel muttered, voice tinged with bitterness. "It was a couple days after Mom and Dad's funeral. Remember when I was in that binge drinking phase?" Lucy nodded and he went on, "I was drunk out of my mind at a bar. I pitched a fight with some guy, I honestly can't remember too much. Next thing I knew, this older woman came up to me and pulled me out of the bar. She gave me blood and snapped my neck. When I woke up, she was still there and the guy from the bar was laying next to me, bleeding heavily. I fed—" Joel paused, his tone heavy with guilt. "I didn't know what I was doing…"

"You weren't in control," Lucy didn't know much about vampires, but from the way Joel spoke, it was probably really hard to control themselves around blood. And she's read Twilight; it had to have some similarities, right?

"I killed him, though," Joel's voice broke and Lucy was saddened to see tears in his eyes. The sight made her own eyes tingle. "But that's not the worst of it all…all I can think about is how horrified and disgusted Mom and Dad would be if they were here."

"They wouldn't," Lucy said thickly, her eyes watery. "You know Mom and Dad loved you so much, Joel. Besides, you haven't changed. You're just as goofy and overprotective as usual."

Joel scoffed wetly and smiled weakly at her. "It's a vampire thing. Our emotions are magnified."

The siblings were quiet as their eyes dried and they calmed down. It was peaceful for a moment until more questions started flashing through Lucy's head. She settled with one.

"So the Founder's Council hunts vampires?"

"And other supernatural creatures."

Lucy's eyes widened in shock. "There are others?"

Joel nodded. "I'm not totally sure if werewolves exist, but witches, doppelgangers, and reincarnations do. And there's also siphoners."

Lucy recognized all of the creatures except the last one; she had never heard of a siphoner before. "What's a siphoner?"

"It's a type of witch or warlock that was born without the capability to perform magic. Instead, they're able siphon magic out of creatures, like vampires or witches, or magical items and use it themselves," Joel explained. "They're pretty rare but have the potential to be very powerful."

Lucy nodded thoughtfully.

"Lucy, remember how I said I knew what's been happening to you?"

Lucy nodded again.

Joel sighed. "The reason why it hurts when you touch me or when you touch Damon and Stefan is because you're a siphoner," he said gently, waiting for her reaction. "You can't control yourself yet, so you accidently absorb the magic from us."

Another bombshell. It felt like her heart would fall from her chest. Lucy just didn't understand; why was she, in particular, a siphoner? Why not Joel, Elena, or Jeremy? It didn't make sense…The fact that the tingling she felt whenever she touched the vampires finally made sense, but she felt so bad. She had hurt Joel and Damon; sure, it was unintentional, but she still did it.

She didn't want to hurt anyone. Not even weirdos like Damon Salvatore.

"Do you know how I can control it?" she asked Joel quietly.

"The witch I know, the one that spelled me this ring," Joel pointed to his daylight ring, the one Lucy had noticed on the first day of school. "She told me about what's happening to you. It's because your powers are just starting to manifest that you're siphoning on accident. She told me that you should talk to Sheila Bennett."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows, recognizing the name. "As in Bonnie's Grams?"

"Yes," Joel nodded. At Lucy's worried look, he continued, "I've already spoken to her, Luce. All you have to do is contact her. She said she'd be able to help you."

Lucy swallowed thickly; this was too much information for one day. However, she did want to control whatever was happening to her. Grams was going to be her only choice and it could be worse. She could have no one to help her.

"Okay," she agreed. "I'll call her."

Lucy spent the whole day before the Founder's Ball in her room, looking up everything she could find about vampires on Google. Joel visited her a few times, answering questions calmly, telling her what was fact or myth. And when she was done researching vampires, she went on to witches.

The search for information about witches was, frankly, more fascinating than vampires. The things that witches could do was awesome. If Bonnie was really a witch like she claimed, that meant that Bonnie was going to be a total witchy badass.

Unfortunately, there wasn't anything on siphoners. It was disappointing, but Joel had said that they were really rare. Hopefully Grams would be able to tell her more when they met up.

It was around two in the afternoon when she finally left her room to go downstairs. Bonnie, who happened to be Lucy's friend-date, had just arrived so that she, Lucy, and Elena could all get ready together. Lucy braced herself for the interaction; she was a horrible liar and she told Bonnie, Caroline, and Elena almost everything. There were hardly any secrets between them.

This was going to be one huge secret. Joel made her promise not to tell anyone; she couldn't even tell her sister that she was dating a however-old vampire. She could do it, though; Lucy Gilbert didn't break promises.

Lucy hauled her manicure kit onto the table in the dining room where Bonnie sat, allowing her to go through the many bottles of nail polish within.

"What color are you wearing?" Bonnie asked Lucy, digging through the bottles.

"Pale pink," Lucy answered, picking up an opalescent beige bottle and showing it to Bonnie. "I was thinking this."

Bonnie nodded in approval and looked over at Elena, who was gathering paper towels so they wouldn't make a mess. "How about you, Elena?"

"Uh, red and gold."

"All right," Bonnie picked up two bottles, comparing them. "So, Delicate Flower verses Naughty Vixen."

"Tough call," Elena grabbed another paper towel and walked over to the table. "Can we mix them?"

Bonnie grinned and pulled out cotton balls and nail polish remover from Lucy's kit. "Look at you, getting all pretty for your date," she said to Elena. "You seem happy-ish."

"I am-ish," Elena shrugged, sitting down next to Lucy. "'Tonight's gonna be a good night. But don't let that stop you from telling us whatever it is you wanted to tell us as soon as you walked through the door."

Lucy raised her eyebrows and Bonnie avoided Elena's knowing gaze. "What if I tell you in the morning?" Bonnie said evasively. "I don't want to ruin the night."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Bonnie, out with it."

Bonnie sighed heavily, but gave in. "Okay, but it has to go in the vault because Caroline will kill me if it gets back to Damon that she squealed."

Lucy stiffened at the mention of Damon. She knew that she'd have to talk to Caroline about him as soon as she possibly could. She wouldn't tell Caroline about him being a vampire, but she had to let her best friend know that he was dangerous.

Elena nodded at Bonnie, wanting to know the gossip.

"Apparently, Stefan has a very interesting back story," Bonnie said lowly. "Do you know what happened with his ex-girlfriend, Katherine?"

Lucy had heard that name before. From what Elena had told her, Katherine was an ex-girlfriend of Stefan's who also dated Damon. The whole thing led to the brothers' estrangement and Katherine eventually ended up dying in a fire.

"I know that they both dated her and that's why they have issues," Elena said, not seeing what this had to do with anything.

"Yeah, they both dated her, only she chose Damon," Bonnie recited what Caroline told her. "And that drove Stefan mad. He did horrible things to try and break them up. He manipulated Katherine. He filled her head with all these lies until finally it worked and she turned against Damon."

Lucy quirked an eyebrow in disbelief. That just didn't sound like Stefan whatsoever. In fact, it sounded like Damon was telling his story subjectively. "That sounds like one person's side of the story," she spoke up. "meaning Damon's."

Elena agreed, "Yeah."

Bonnie shrugged. "I just wanted you guys to know."

"Anyway, his past relationships are none of my business," Elena declared.

Bonnie grimaced and opened the bottle of nail polish, starting on her thumb. "Unless he's a calculating, manipulative liar. That is your business."

Lucy gaped at her in shock while Elena got defensive. "Stefan is none of those things."

"Yeah?" Bonnie looked over at Elena earnestly. "How do you know?"

The clicking of Joel's tongue on the roof of his mouth was starting to annoy Lucy. He'd been doing it for the past ten minutes while he laid on her bed, fully dressed for the ball. Lucy could only take so much of the annoying noise before she slammed her eyeshadow brush down on her vanity and turned in her stool to glare at him.

Joel smiled coyly. "Oh, am I bothering you?"

"Yes," Lucy gritted through her teeth.

"Good, because I need you to hurry it up," he snapped his fingers impatiently. "I need your help to get in the Lockwood mansion."

Lucy frowned and went back to doing her eyeshadow. "Why?"

"Because vampires have to be invited into a place of residence, Lucy-Goosey."

Lucy sighed in realization; Joel had been acting pretty weird when he came home from the drinking binge after their parents' funeral. Now she knew it was because he hadn't yet been invited into the house.

"Yep," Joel nodded, acknowledging her sigh. "So, how's Caroline these days?"

"She's fine, I guess," Lucy sighed and finished up her eyes with a swipe of mascara. "I'm worried about her, though. She's in this weird relationship with Damon. I'm pretty sure he compelled her when he compelled me."

"Well, as soon as I get my hands on some vervain, I send it to you to give to her," Joel said, his eyebrows furrowed at the thought of Caroline's mind being messed with by Damon. "Who gave you that bracelet, by the way?"

Lucy glanced down at the bracelet Stefan gave her; she hadn't taken it off except for showers. "Stefan. Why?"

"I'm pretty sure it has vervain in the locket part," Joel informed her. "Good thing, too. From what you told me, compulsion works on you until you siphon the magic from it."

Lucy looked back down at the bracelet, smiling. This whole time she thought that Stefan didn't care if his brother had compelled her, but he did. He gave her the vervain bracelet to protect her.

It was really sweet of him.

"Yeah."

Joel didn't notice the dazedness of Lucy's voice. He continued, "I'll contact my witchy friend and see if she knows where we can get some for Caroline, Elena, Jeremy, and Jenna."

"Sounds goo—"

Lucy's bedroom door burst open, revealing an angry Elena in its wake. She glared at Joel as though he had murdered a precious puppy.

"Where is it?" she spat.

"Where's what?" Joel asked, bored. "You'll have to be specific."

"Don't joke with me, Joel," she scowled. "Mrs. Lockwood is freaking out because she can't find Dad's pocket watch. I saw you snooping around Mom's box before Tyler came to get it. Now, where's the watch?"

"Oh, I gave it to Jeremy."

"Why?" Lucy spoke up, confused. "We said we'd loan it for the heritage display."

"It's not yours to loan out," Joel said simply. "The watch goes to the first-born son to pass down through generations. It was mine, but since I have no desire to spawn children, I gave it to Jeremy."

It was silent for a moment before Elena burst. "Great!" she exclaimed. "Jere probably sold it for pot or something."

Lucy groaned. "Oh, come on, Elena," she shook her head. "Jeremy wouldn't do that."

But Elena was already storming out of the room, heading straight to Jeremy's across the hall. Lucy and Joel could hear the loud argument easily before Jeremy's door slammed shut.

Joel groaned and laid back on the bed. "That girl is a control freak."

"Just act casual," Joel said under his breath as he and Lucy approached the entrance to the Lockwood mansion. "Greet Mrs. Lockwood and if she's polite enough, she should invite us in."

"I know how conversations work," Lucy hissed at him.

"Really?" he smirked. "'Cause sometimes you have some trouble, Lulu."

"Shut up!"

Lucy and Joel, next in line to enter the mansion, stopped right at the threshold. Lucy planted a perky smile on her face and waved at Mrs. Lockwood, who noticed her right away.

"Lucy, you look absolutely beautiful!" she gushed, rushing over to give Lucy a short hug.

"Thank you, Mrs. Lockwood," Lucy said politely. "I love your dress."

"Dear, please," Mrs. Lockwood rolled her eyes playfully. She addressed Joel then, looking happy to see him. "Joel, honey, how's college? Are you still majoring in computer science?"

"Yes, Mrs. Lockwood," Joel was the perfect picture of the polite oldest son of a founding family. "This party looks great."

"Thank you," Mrs. Lockwood beamed and waved them inside. "Please, come on in."

Joel smirked triumphantly as Mrs. Lockwood walked away to greet some more guests. Lucy walked through the door, not waiting to see if Joel could get through. She just assumed it was now possible, since Mrs. Lockwood said the magic words.

"You owe me some new paints for that," she told Joel, seeking payment for her services. "I have to find Bonnie."

Joel waved her off. "Yeah, yeah, go bother someone else."

Lucy found Bonnie easily and they quickly walked to the buffet, collecting random food to eat. That was one of the best things about the parties of Mystic Falls; there was always a good selection of food. After they ate, Lucy did the rounds, chatting with some of the ladies from the planning committee; it never hurt to suck up to the people in charge of the organization she was involved with.

Two times Lucy had to stop and check on Jenna. Logan Fell, her ex-boyfriend, was harassing her and Jenna kept plying on the alcohol to cope. She had to make Jenna drink a bottle of water at one point, but she was pretty sure Jenna went back to drinking as soon as she walked away.

It was when Lucy headed outside where the dancefloor was that she spotted Caroline. Her blonde best friend was standing by herself, sipping at a flute of golden champagne.

"Now what if your mom saw you drinking that?" Lucy asked, approaching Caroline.

Caroline scoffed. "Like she'd even notice," she shook her head and smiled at Lucy. "Look at you! All cute and stuff."

"What do you mean?" Lucy giggled, gesturing to Caroline's pretty blue dress. "You put everyone to shame."

"I mean…"

Both girls laughed together, enjoying each other's company. They hadn't spent that much time together since Caroline started…whatever it was with Damon.

"Have you seen my brother yet?" Lucy wondered with a smirk. "He was asking about you earlier."

"Oh, really?" Caroline smiled coyly. "Does Joel Gilbert finally want this?"

Lucy snorted. "Wow, Care, wow."

"It's a relevant question, Luce!"

"What's a relevant question?"

Lucy jumped at the sound of Stefan's voice, too caught up with conversing with Caroline. Stefan stood in front of them, dressed nicely in a dark suit, holding two glasses of champagne. He handed one to Caroline, who traded it with her old one.

"Now that's an irrelevant question," Caroline snorted, taking a sip of the new champagne.

Stefan smiled in amusement at Caroline's comment before looking at Lucy. "You look beautiful," he said, his smile softer.

"Thank you," Lucy mentally cursed herself when she felt her face warm up. "You look good in a suit."

"Thank you. Would you like to dance?"

"Yes, she would," Caroline interjected with a bright smile. "Lucy loves to dance. She's the team choreographer, you know."

"Really?" Stefan looked over at Lucy with raised eyebrows. "Well, now you have to."

He held out his hand for her and Lucy playfully rolled her eyes before grabbing it. She instantly regretted it, remembering what Joel had said about touching vampires. However, nothing happened when their hands touched. No tingling on her part, no pain on his.

Lucy was silent as they walked over to the small dancefloor. She didn't think Stefan noticed, but he did. As he readjusted his hand in hers an placed his other on her waist, he frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"Huh?" she saw he was frowning in concern. "Nothing, nothing."

She didn't understand; why was she not siphoning from him? He _was_ a vampire, after all. But maybe it didn't happen with some vampires. Maybe he was doing some vampire-thing where he could shut her out.

God, she needed to stop thinking about vampires. That was literally all she could think about while absentmindedly dancing with Stefan. Stefan, who was a vampire. Stefan, who didn't even know she knew he was a vampire.

_Oh, God, Stefan was a vampire. _

She really shouldn't have been freaking out about it at this moment. She'd known for a whole day now that her new friend was technically a dead, blood-sucking creature. But seeing him in person for the first time since she found out…it must have shaken her.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Stefan prodded, seeing the blank look in her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, of course, of course," Lucy nodded. Then her mouth started to move and she couldn't help herself from saying, "I mean, it's an everyday thing to be dancing with a vampire, right?"

She hadn't even realized what she said until she felt Stefan stiffen against her and plant his feet. She looked at him, confused, seeing his shocked forest-green eyes staring back at her.

"Why'd we stop?"

"Lucy, you just told me that you knew," Stefan said, his voice stern.

"What, no I didn't!" she laughed, very fakely. "Nice joke, Stefan. Ha-ha!"

Stefan, however, wasn't amused. "Yeah, you did. Lucy, how do you know?"

Lucy sighed, obviously the jig was up. Curse her stupid blabber mouth. "Look, I've been having some problems and I asked Joel about it. Long story short, he told me what you and your brother are."

"What—" Stefan shook his head, astounded that she was acting so casual about this. "Wait, what do you mean, you're having problems? Are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah, of course," Lucy nodded, eyebrows furrowing. "I mean, I guess I can absorb magic from supernatural creatures. But other than that—"

"Really?" Stefan interrupted, intrigued. Was this what Damon was talking about when he touched Lucy? The pain he felt, was that Lucy taking the magic from him? "You can?"

Lucy nodded. "I just found out. I guess it's through touch. I'm having some trouble controlling it."

Stefan nodded thoughtfully; he was really concerned with this new piece of information. Lucy, for whatever reason, could absorb magic from vampires and she couldn't control it. If Damon found out…it would not be good. He just had to make sure that she and Damon couldn't touch. That's all…

"Wait, we're touching," Stefan pointed out to Lucy. "I don't feel anything."

"Yeah, I know," Lucy said as they stepped to the side, continuing their dance. Stefan pulled her away, giving her a quick twirl and pulling her back to his chest. "Do you have something to do with that?"

"I don't think so," Stefan murmured. "It's weird."

"Really weird," Lucy agreed.

The song they were dancing to eventually ended and Stefan and Lucy wandered off the dance floor and back over to Caroline. On the way there, Stefan picked up more champagne, handing one to Lucy.

"God, I love that song," Caroline sighed once they stopped next to her.

Lucy hummed in agreement and took a sip of the champagne, enjoying the way the bubbles tickled her throat. She really did like that song. It was meaningful to her since it was her parents' wedding song.

"What was it?" Stefan wondered. "I've never heard it before."

"'_I Love the Way You Love Me_,'" Caroline informed him. "Lucy used to play it on a constant loop."

"Peter Bates had just broken up with me!" Lucy defended herself.

"It's not a break-up song, Luce," Caroline snorted. Stefan silently agreed with her.

"Well, I know that, but it was the song my parents danced to at their wedding," Lucy mumbled, cheeks warming up. "And they loved each other so much, I just wanted to find someone who loved me like that."

"Aw, Lucy," Caroline cooed, wrapping an arm around Lucy's waist. "You were too good for that Peter kid anyway. What self-respecting eighth-grader drinks juice boxes?"

Lucy blinked at her. "I like juice boxes."

"Oh, honey…" Caroline sighed while Stefan snickered.

Lucy rolled her eyes and Stefan's laughter died off as his brother and Elena approached them, side-by-side.

"What'd we miss?" Damon asked casually.

"Oh, we were just chatting," Caroline perked up when she saw Damon.

Stefan nodded and held out the champagne in his hand to Damon. "Drink, Damon?"

Damon looked at the drink, his smirk faltering. "No, thanks, I'll pass."

Stefan simply smiled and slightly lifted his glass, as though he was silently toasting his brother.

Elena looked between the brothers and noticed the awkward silence their tension was creating. Lucy looked downright uncomfortable while Caroline was slightly fidgeting.

"Stefan," she spoke up, sending her boyfriend a sweet smile. "do you have another dance in you?"

Stefan smiled lovingly at her. "Absolutely."

Stefan held out the crook of his arm for Elena to take; she took it and they walked off to the dance floor. Still feeling uncomfortable in Damon's presence, Lucy quickly gave her excuses to Caroline and went to find Bonnie.

Lucy found Bonnie in the kitchen, snooping through the freezer.

"What are you doing?" she asked, making Bonnie jump and almost hit her head against a shelf.

Bonnie groaned and planted her sad eyes on Lucy. "I was looking for ice cream. I swear, the only desserts here are weird Jell-O molds filled with pineapples."

Lucy snorted. "That's gross. Who likes Jell-O?"

"Who likes pineapple?"

"Uh, lots of people, Bon!" Lucy was very serious about her fruits, especially the ones that go in cake. "Have you ever had an upside-down pineapple cake?"

"Pineapple hurts my mouth."

"Weak," Lucy faked coughed. Bonnie sent her a playful glare and turned back to the freezer, sighing in relief. She pulled out a tub of cookie dough ice cream. "Want some?"

"…yes."

Only ten minutes later saw Lucy finish her bowl of ice cream. Bonnie, bless her heart, had larger eyes than her stomach and scooped out too much for her. She had half a bowl left, but luckily, Elena came storming up to them and sat down. She took Lucy's spoon and dug into Bonnie's ice cream.

"You okay, Lenabug?" Lucy asked, wondering where this change of attitude came from. She seemed pretty happy with Stefan when Lucy left.

"Stefan," Elena growled around a spoonful of ice cream. "Katherine. Damon."

"…could you elaborate?"

"I tried talking to Stefan about Katherine. He wouldn't say anything and turned it on Damon," Elena sighed, a large frown marring her lips. "I stormed off."

"Um…" Lucy tried to think of something to say. "Maybe Stefan really doesn't want to talk about it?" when Elena looked at her in surprise, she continued, "I know you have good intentions, believe me, but from what you told me, his experience with Katherine wasn't the best."

"I know, I just…" Elena trailed off, shrugging.

"This is my fault," Bonnie declared, shoving more ice cream in her mouth. "I planted doubt. I'm a doubt planter."

"It's not your fault," Elena denied. "I just—I feel terrible because I said I wouldn't get in the middle of it and that's _exactly_ what I did. I got all snotty."

The loud clacking of heels caught their attention and they looked up just as Mrs. Lockwood stopped in front of them.

"Lucy, Elena, there you are," she greeted them sweetly. "I notice the watch still isn't in the collection."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mrs. Lockwood," Elena lied smoothly, knowing that if Lucy said something, Mrs. Lockwood would know they were lying. "I couldn't find it. I guess it's still packed up in our parents' stuff somewhere."

Mrs. Lockwood looked disappointed but gave them a polite smile anyway. "I see. Well, please let me know if you do find it."

"We will," Lucy forced a smile, finding it odd that Mrs. Lockwood was so adamant about the pocket watch.

Mrs. Lockwood smiled again and walked away, passing Caroline, who was walking toward them.

"Hey," Caroline chirped at the three girls before focusing on Lucy. "Will you come with me to the bathroom? I need to fix my hair and you're an expert on braids."

"Yeah, of course," Lucy agreed easily.

She waved at Bonnie and Elena before walking off with Caroline. The bathroom on the first floor was open to the public, so they went there. Luckily there were no lines and they had the room to themselves.

"Well, your braid looks fine," Lucy said, examining Caroline's hair.

"Yeah, I know, I just wanted you to come with me," Caroline said, somewhat meekly. "Damon's being rude and I didn't want to be alone."

Lucy's face softened at the vulnerability that Caroline was showing. "Are you okay, Care?" she asked softly. "Because you can tell me if you aren't. Are you doing okay with Damon?"

"Yeah, yeah, I just," Caroline waved her hand and focused on her reflection in the mirror, pulling out her lip gloss from her purse. "It's nothing."

Lucy frowned. "Are you—"

She was interrupted by the door opening and Elena walking into the room. Lucy acted like they weren't in the middle of an important discussion and turned to the mirror, fixing her hair.

"Hey," Elena greeted them, opening up her clutch to pull out her lip gloss.

"Hey," Caroline smiled at her. "So, how are things with Stefan?"

Elena hesitated and gave her a fake smile. "Great, just great."

"Really?" Caroline scoffed quietly. "Well, my radar must be off, 'cause I was getting all sorts of other vibes…"

Lucy sighed; she didn't want to get in the middle of another argument. "Caroline—" she paused when she turned to her best friend, seeing that her scarf had ridden up. There was a red mark just under it. "What is that?"

"Hmm?" Caroline glanced at Lucy, confused. Lucy responded by reaching for the scarf; Caroline flinched away. "Don't!"

Elena walked around Caroline to stand by Lucy, trying to see what was happening. Lucy took that second to quickly reach forward, pulling the scarf up more. In its place was a large bite mark.

She should have known.

"Oh, my God, Caroline, what happened?" Elena asked, horrified.

Caroline brushed Lucy's hands away from her. "Nothing, okay? It's nothing!"

"That is not nothing!" Elena snapped, concerned. "Did somebody hurt you?"

"No, okay, nothing," Caroline assured Elena, laughing awkwardly. She grabbed her lip gloss once again, leaning toward the mirror to put another layer on. "It's just, my mom would kill me."

Lucy swallowed the lump in her throat, her eyes watering slightly. Damon bit her best friend and probably drank her blood. God knows if he bit her more than once! She reached for Caroline's eyelet-laced shawl and pulled it down; another bite mark was situated on her shoulder.

"Oh, my God, Care," Lucy hissed angrily. "I'm going to kill him."

"Him?" Elena echoed, looking over at Caroline in realization. "Caroline, did Damon hurt you?"

"No, of course not!" Caroline said sharply. When Elena went to look at the bites again, she flinched back and grabbed her things in a panic. "Just leave me alone, okay?"

Caroline stormed out of the bathroom and Lucy tried to keep up with her, not caring that Elena was left behind. All that mattered at the moment was getting Caroline away from Damon. However, once she was back into the thick of the party, Caroline was nowhere to be found.

Lucy spotted Damon out of the corner of her eye, but she decided not to confront him. A strong, immortal vampire against a teenage girl who could barely lift four bags of groceries? There was no competition; Lucy would most likely die.

Instead, she looked around for Joel. She knew that he would help her with the Damon-and-Caroline situation. It didn't take long for her to find her brother; he was chatting up the bartender, a charming smile on his face, which fell when he saw the look on Lucy's.

"What's wrong?" he asked, ushering her into a private corner.

"It's Caroline," Lucy said, her breathing heavy and panicked. She felt her chest tighten with guilt and tears sprung to her eyes. "I should have known the second you told me about Damon, but I didn't. And now, Caroline—" she hiccupped, tears trailing down her cheeks as she got worked up.

"Hey, hey," Joel said soothingly. "What's wrong with Caroline?"

"Damon's been feeding on her," Lucy cried, wiping her cheeks. "Joel, we have to help."

Joel's expression hardened and his eyes narrowed into slits. This was a look that Lucy had seen on her brother only two times before—he was furious. He turned away from Lucy, looking around the room faster than Lucy could.

He focused his hearing as hard as he could, trying to ignore the various voices, music, and dishes clinking to find Caroline. It took seconds but eventually he heard it; Caroline was whimpering, trying to explain herself to a furious Damon.

"Come on," he said to Lucy as he started walking in the direction he heard Caroline and Damon.

Lucy obediently followed, matching his pace as he started walking faster through the crowd. They made it out to the lard yard, way past the party, by the lake. It was hard to see since it was so dark, but Lucy could vaguely make out the silhouette of Caroline slumped over on the grass, a figure leering over her.

Joel sped away toward Caroline and Lucy followed as fast as she could. Joel, of course, got there first. He ripped Damon off the blonde and went beat the shit out of him, when Damon fell to the grass, coughing and groaning in pain. Lucy finally caught up, breathing heavily, and went straight to Caroline, kneeling next to her unconscious form.

Damon continued to choke on the ground while Joel watched, enjoying the pain the older vampire was in. His ears perked when he heard someone walking up to them. He turned, eyebrows raising in surprise as he saw Stefan approaching with a serious expression on his face.

"Stefan," Damon coughed weakly. "What'd you do to me?"

"I knew I couldn't spike your drink," Stefan said, looking down at his brother's writhing body. "So I spiked hers."

Damon groaned and fell back on the grass, falling unconscious under the heavily toxic influence of vervain. Stefan kneeled down and slid Damon's daylight ring off his finger, slipping it into his pocket. He picked up his brother and settled him over his shoulder before looking at Lucy—who was watching the exchange in surprise—and Joel.

"She should be okay," he offered before turning around and speeding away.

That left Lucy and Joel together, giving each other wide-eyed looks.

After five minutes of waiting, Caroline's head in her lap, Lucy began to wonder when her blonde best friend would wake up. She didn't have to wait long; Caroline shot up at once, gasping loudly as though she was having a nightmare.

"You're okay," Joel leapt forward and soothed Caroline as she took shaky, wet breaths. "You're safe, Caroline. You're safe."

"He—" Caroline couldn't finish whatever she was going to say, her sobs wracked through her body. "I—"

"Shh," Lucy cooed, hugging Caroline from behind. "It's going to be okay, Care. You're safe."

Lucy and Joel exchanged looks over Caroline's shaking body—they had to do something about Damon Salvatore.


	5. Fun Facts About Stefan Salvatore

**[1x05; You're Undead to Me]**

"_Hey, Lucy_," Stefan's voice played from Lucy's phone, coming from a two-day-old voicemail that she'd just noticed. _"I wanted to let you know that I'm taking care of Damon. I'll, uh, I'll see you in a few days."_

Lucy exhaled sharply and threw her phone down on the bed. Well, that would explain why Stefan hadn't contacted her or Elena for the past few days. He was taking care of Damon…Joel would be happy to hear about that.

Lucy was happy too. She hadn't even known that Damon was a vampire for long, but she guessed that all the animal attacks that happened—including Mr. Tanner—had been him. Besides that, Caroline didn't need him around, especially if he was drinking from her and compelling her to forget.

Walking over to her closet, Lucy pulled out a coral tunic and gray jeans, pairing them with some leather ankle boots. She had just finished pulling her messy hair into a top knot when Elena burst into her room, a horrified look on her face.

"What's up?" Lucy asked, concerned.

"I just walked in on Vicki in mine and Jeremy's bathroom," Elena told Lucy, face-planting on her bed.

Lucy gaped at her. "Vicki Donovan?" she asked incredulously. "As in, Vicki Donovan, Jeremy's current obsession? Matt's older sister?"

"Yes!" Elena groaned, rolling onto her side. "She was in her underwear and was using my toothbrush!"

Lucy shuddered. "That's so unhygienic."

"That's what you care about?" Elena asked, setting her disbelieving gaze on her younger sister. "What about the fact that our _baby_ brother is having sex with an eighteen-year-old?"

"Jeremy's not a baby, Lena. He's almost fifteen," Lucy sighed and then scrunched up her nose. "But, yeah, he's still too young to be sleeping with a legal adult."

Elena pointed at Lucy in agreement before climbing out of the bed. "Ugh," she groaned, straightening out her tank top as Lucy grabbed her purse from her desk. "Why is my life so complicated right now?"

As the two sisters walked out of the room and started heading downstairs, Lucy gave Elena a sympathetic look. "I'm sure Stefan will get back to you soon."

She wasn't surely positive about what she said, but she wanted to assure her sister about Stefan anyway. A heart-broken Elena was not good mixed with a grieving Elena. And despite being a vampire, she really believed that Stefan was a good guy.

Elena gave her a look of disbelief. "It's been four days, Luce.'

Lucy raised her hands innocently and hopped off the last step, continuing into the kitchen. Jenna sat at the dining room table, a cup of coffee nestled next to her full notebook.

"Morning, Aunt Jenna," Lucy greeted her aunt cheerfully. She hurried around the island, reaching on her tiptoes to grab two bowls. She handed one to Elena before searching for her favorite cereal.

Elena gave Lucy a nod of gratitude before looking at Jenna. "Jenna," she whispered so Jeremy and Vicki couldn't overhear. "Are you aware of what's going on upstairs?"

Jenna nodded. "Uh-huh."

Lucy gave her a surprised look, setting the box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch next to her bowl. "And you have no objection?"

"He could be craftier about it," Jenna shrugged, amused. "At least make an effort to sneak her in and out," a coy smile formed on her face as she went back to doing her homework. "Oh, and just so you know, I won't be home for dinner."

Elena and Lucy grinned at each other, turning back to Jenna. "Oh," Elena said teasingly. "So, you're actually going to do it. You're gonna go out with Logan."

Lucy snickered and poured cereal into her bowl, topping it off with some milk. She dug into her breakfast, sighing in delight when the cinnamon-y gloriousness reached her taste buds.

"I'm going to show up and torture him, yes," Jenna confirmed. "And have you heard from Stefan?"

Elena sighed heavily. "Not since he left that very vague message three days ago," she lowered her voice to do an impression of Stefan. "_'Hi, um, Elena. I, um, I have something I have to do. I'll, uh, explain in a few days._'"

Lucy openly laughed at her sister, almost spitting out her food. She quickly swallowed and said, "Nice Stefan impression, Lena. You really nailed it."

Elena rolled her eyes while Jenna giggled, "Haven't you called him?"

"Nope," Elena said firmly. "I'm not going to, either."

Lucy raised her eyebrows. "And you're really okay with everything?"

This attitude was different than the one Elena had upstairs, but Lucy wasn't complaining. She'd much rather her sister not complain about something and instead just do whatever she wants. If Elena didn't want to talk to Stefan, it was her choice. If Elena wanted to marry Stefan, it was her choice.

"No, I'm not okay with any of it," Elena's voice was hard as she poured milk on her cereal. "But I'm not gonna cry about it, either. You know, I was going to write in my diary this morning and then I thought, what am I going to write? Honestly, I'm not gonna bee one of those pathetic girls whose world stops spinning because of some guy," she finished her rant by shoving a spoonful of cereal into her mouth.

Jenna looked at her oldest niece with wide eyes. "Okay then."

Elena sighed, giving Jenna and Lucy an apologetic look. Obviously her rant got out of hand. "I'll be fine," she told them.

Lucy hoped so.

"The sexy suds car wash is tomorrow," Caroline declared loudly to some cheerleaders, a few feet from where Lucy, Bonnie, and Elena were gathered by Lucy's locker. "The football team and the band have committed. Well, not the whole band…just the ones who could pull off a bikini. I want in-your-face sexy. I mean, it's a fund raiser for God's sake."

As Caroline and the other girls giggled to themselves, Elena turned to Lucy and Bonnie, a look of disbelief on her face.

"Unbelievable," she shook her head. "It's like nothing happened."

"She's in denial," Bonnie agreed.

"She's dealing," Lucy spoke up, defending Caroline. She had spent the two day after the founder's ball consoling the blonde. She wasn't in denial, she was trying to move on—at least, that's what she told Lucy. And honestly, Lucy didn't blame Caroline for dealing with the ordeal this way. Caroline had been controlled by Damon for weeks and she nearly died; it was a big deal and being in denial wasn't healthy by any means, but she was dealing.

Bonnie and Elena shrugged; they just didn't know Caroline like Lucy did.

Before the girls could comment on Caroline again, Stefan walked up to his locker. He gave Lucy a small smile—which she returned—but it turned sad and apologetic when he looked at Elena. Elena gave him an equally sad look, which made Bonnie feel awkward.

Luckily, Bonnie could walk away; Lucy didn't have that privilege.

"Hey," Stefan greeted the girls.

"Hey," Bonnie acknowledged him. "You know, I gotta go be somewhere right now."

Lucky smirked in amusement as Bonnie awkwardly walked away. To busy herself and make it look like she wasn't eavesdropping—she totally was—on Elena and Stefan's conversation, she twisted in her combination, only failing once before she managed to open her locker.

"I'm so sorry I haven't called," Stefan apologized to Elena, holding back his amusement at the way Lucy's eyes were subtly watching them. She was anything but covert.

Elena sighed heavily. "No worries. I'll live."

Lucy winced at the tone of Elena's voice. It was her I'm-mad-and-you-should-know tone, which was often directed at Jeremy and Joel. Sometimes—the time that Lucy invited herself to a movie with her and Matt came to mind—she spoke to Lucy like that.

"I was dealing with Damon," Stefan told Elena. It was an excuse but at least it was true.

"Did you deal with Damon?"

Both Stefan and Elena turned at Lucy's voice interjecting itself into their conversation. Until that point, she had been silent and awkwardly digging through her various textbooks and notes, trying to give them privacy.

"Yes," Stefan assured her, knowing that it was important to Lucy that Damon would be back—Caroline was her best friend, she had a right to be worried. "Yeah."

Elena pursed her lips. "For four days?" she snarked, pulling Stefan's gaze back to her.

"You have every right to be upset with me," Stefan acknowledged; he just wanted things to be right between him and Elena. He'd do whatever it took to make it right. "But can I explain it all to you, please?"

"Sure," Elena agreed reluctantly. "When?"

"I gotta be home after school, but…" he thought quickly, eager to see her and explain. "the Grill at four o'clock?"

"Okay."

Stefan looked relieved. "Thanks," he looked over at Lucy, who was slowly shutting her locker, relieved that the conversation was ending. "You can come, too, Lucy. If you want."

Lucy was surprised he was including her. It was really nice of him, but she didn't exactly need to know a fake story about how he took care of Damon. She was meeting with Grams after school and she wanted the real story anyway.

"I have something to do after school," she smiled apologetically. "Thanks, though."

"Stefan," the three turned to see Caroline standing behind them, looking at Stefan expectantly. "Where is Damon? He has some serious apologizing to do."

Lucy groaned softly; maybe Caroline wasn't dealing. "Care…"

Caroline didn't even look at her as Stefan replied, "He's gone, Caroline."

Caroline took this in stride. "When is he coming back?"

"He's not coming back," Stefan told her firmly, a sympathetic look on his face. "I'm sorry."

Stefan gave Elena another look before walking away.

Caroline was quiet as she stared blankly ahead of her. Lucy frowned and reached around Elena, grabbing Caroline's hand and squeezing, just to let her best friend know she was there for her.

"This is a good thing, Carebear," Lucy said quietly.

Caroline nodded. "I know that."

Lucy squeezed Caroline's hand again; she knew Caroline like the back of her hand. Even if Caroline knew it was for the best that Damon was gone, it didn't make it any easier for her. No matter how messed up Damon was, he gave Caroline attention and that was something that Caroline craved. Even if it was bad for her.

Hopefully Caroline knew just how many people cared about her—she didn't need Damon Salvatore at all.

Lucy sipped at the ice cold, sickly sweet tea that Sheila Bennett had set down in front of her. From the many years that Lucy spent over, playing with Bonnie, Elena, and Caroline, Grams knew she liked her tea so sweet it could rot her teeth. The familiarity made her feel comfortable; she was so nervous about this meeting.

Originally, Lucy had wanted Joel to be there, but Grams quickly disagreed for two reasons. One, she knew Joel was a vampire now, and no matter how much she liked the oldest Gilbert, he was still a blood-sucking monster. Two, she wanted the meeting to be one-on-one with Lucy so she could get a personal feel about her abilities.

"You don't have to be nervous, child," Grams lightly scolded her, a small smirk on her lips. "I've known what you were since you were a toddler."

This caught Lucy's attention. "Really?" she wondered. "How?"

"When you held out your tiny hand for me to shake I felt it," Grams said. "I thought it was a fluke but I looked more into it," she shifted and picked up a small book from the coffee table in front of her. "Siphoners are very rare, so it took me some time. This is all I have."

Sheila handed the book to Lucy, who took it with trembling hands. On the front, the title read, _'The Magical Abomination; Siphoners_.'

Lucy winced at the word 'abomination.' Was that how people would describe her? She could just hear what someone could say,

"_There goes Lucy, the Gilbert Abomination,"_ a girl would laugh maliciously, pointing at Lucy as she walked by. And then she'd probably pour pig's blood at her during prom night.

Okay, so that was a little dramatic…but still, she didn't want to be known as an abomination.

Sheila Bennett, an observant occult professor at Whitmore, saw Lucy's gaze glued to the title. She hated that the book was called that but it was what most witches thought about siphoners. Sheila, of course, was not raised to think that way by her mother, but the Bennett line had always been more progressive than most witch lineages.

They just didn't think it was natural for a witch or warlock to be born in a magical lineage to not have the power to use their own magic. It was even more horrific that these people were able to siphon the magic out of anything that had magical properties.

It was that kind of thinking that led to Malachai Parker and his sociopathic murder spree. He was the last siphoner she knew of before Lucy and his family's treatment of him sent him off the deep end. She was just lucky she was able to help the Gemini Coven put him in a prison world.

Sheila didn't want the same thing to happen to Lucy; she would teach the girl that her abilities weren't anything to be ashamed of, as long as she used them in the right way.

"Don't worry about the title, Lucy," Grams told her. "It's just bias that you won't have to worry about."

"But if I'm an abomination, shouldn't we—"

"You're not an abomination," Grams interrupted her firmly. Lucy's eyes were downcast and Sheila wanted her to look at her, just to let her know how serious she was. "Look at me, child," Lucy looked up, her hazel eyes shiny. "You never have nor will you ever be an abomination."

Lucy could tell from the earnest look in Grams' eyes that she was telling the truth. Grams wouldn't lie to her, not about something so important.

She nodded, whispering, "Okay."

"Okay. Now," Grams gestured to the book, still clutched in Lucy's hands. "You keep that and read it over. It will tell you more about your kind. We're going to meet once a week for a while and try to get your siphoning under control."

"You're saying I'll be able to control it?"

Grams nodded, studying Lucy's eager expression. "Now that you're aware of what's happening, it's just like learning to control your emotions. Soon it will only happen when you want it to. Once you have that under control, we'll start on doing spells with the magic you siphon."

"That sounds great," Lucy enthused.

Grams smirked. "Well, let's get started then."

Lucy sat on her porch swing, enjoying the light fall breeze while reading the first chapter of the book Grams had given her. Despite the heavy bias in the tone of the book, it was interesting so far. Though, the most she had gotten was what she heard a million times before: siphoners were rare.

She had started reading in her room before drifting to the swing; Elena was moping from her encounter with Stefan—where he was an hour late to their date at the Grill—and was blasting sad songs from her radio. It was distracting, but at least it covered up the sounds of Jeremy and Vicki having sex in Jeremy's room.

Just the thought of those two made her shudder.

She wrapped her cardigan tighter around her shoulders and looked up from her book when she heard the sound of footsteps. Stefan was climbing up the porch steps, a frown on his face.

Lucy hated not seeing his gorgeous smile.

"You know, shouldn't a vampire be sneaky?" she said to him, hoping it would cheer him up a little. "Cause I'm pretty sure I heard you from a mile away."

Stefan rolled his eyes, a small smile quirking his lips. Lucy smiled triumphantly and patted the space next to her; Stefan conceded, sitting down and pushing the swing slightly with his feet.

"I've scared you many times," he said quietly, looking at the book in her hands. "Whatcha reading?"

"A book that Bonnie's Grams gave me," she showed him the cover, watching as his eyebrows lifted at the title. "Yeah, I know. Brutal, huh?"

"Abomination seems harsh," Stefan agreed.

"Yep," Lucy nodded and dog-eared her current page, closing the book and setting it on her lap. "What are you doing here, Stefan? Elena seems pretty upset."

"I know. That's why I came," Stefan looked at Lucy, his eyes pleading. "Can you help me? I don't know what I'm supposed to do. She wants to know more about me and more about the whole…" he paused, pursing his lips. "Katherine situation. But I don't know how to tell her without telling her I'm a vampire."

Lucy hummed thoughtfully, trying to find a way to help out her new friend. Elena was big on honesty and while Stefan couldn't give her the whole truth, he could give her something. If Stefan told Elena half-truths Lucy was sure they'd make up. All Elena wanted was to know Stefan better.

"You just have to tell her some things about you," Lucy told him.

"Like what?" Stefan felt clueless; it was harder to talk to Elena than one would think. He didn't want to scare her off.

"Like…okay," Lucy shifted, turning her body to face his; Stefan mirrored her position. "Act like I'm Elena, tell me about your favorite TV shows, movies, books…And if the answer is something telling, twist the truth a bit."

"Okay…" Stefan hesitated.

Lucy rolled her eyes and tried to get him started, "Okay, you said your family has a lot of books. What's your favorite?"

"I like all sorts of books," Stefan shrugged. "I love Fitzgerald. I consider '_The Great Gatsby_' his masterpiece. But, I'm no snob. I love some good Grisham."

"Legal thrillers, huh?" Lucy nodded, impressed. "Joel likes those, too. What about television. You do watch that, right?"

Stefan chuckled. "Yes, Lucy, I watch TV. '_I Love Lucy'_ is the best show of all time," he smiled when she beamed at him. "But '_Seinfeld'_ is the best in the last fifty years."

Lucy wrinkled her nose. "Gross. No '_The Office_?""

"I can't stand Steve Carrell."

Lucy gasped dramatically. "This friendship is over, Stefan Salvatore!"

"Mmhm, sure, Lucy Gilbert," he chuckled, his forest-green eyes bright in amusement. "When it comes to movies, I'm a huge Scorsese fan. I can watch '_Taxi Driver'_ over and over again. And this is pretty embarrassing, but I'm a huge sci-fi nerd. I love '_Star Wars'_ and '_Star Trek'_. I can't even decide which is better because I'm too busy geeking out."

"Really?" Lucy perked up, interested. She would have never pegged Stefan as a sci-fi fan. He just seemed too serious all the time; it even surprised her that his favorite television shows were comedies. It was nice to see that he did something over than brood his whole life.

"Yep," Stefan smiled; it was so damn easy to talk to Lucy. He hoped it would be this way with Elena. "As far as music, I like most things. Dylan, Hendrix, Patsy, Willie…even some Kanye."

"Have you ever seen any of them live?" Lucy asked eagerly. She was a big fan of concerts, even if she hadn't been to many. She went to a rare Justin Timberlake concert a year or so ago with Caroline and Liz, and it was one of the best times of her life.

"Of course," Stefan remembered fondly. "Bon Jovi was my favorite to see live. My friend, Lexi, and I even partied with them."

"_No way_!" Lucy practically squealed. "You're joking, Stefan. I know you're joking!"

Stefan laughed loudly. "I'm not!" he promised. "I swear I'm not."

"Broody Stefan Salvatore partied with Jon Bon Jovi," Lucy shook her head, amazed. "God, I'm pretty sure nothing could shock me anymore."

"I'm not broody," Stefan protested, his mouth wide. He knew he was broody, he just wanted to mess with her.

"Uh, yeah, you are!" Lucy playfully slapped his arm. "This is the most I've seen you smile since I've known you."

Stefan's smile faltered for a brief second before he teasingly said, "If I'm broody, that makes you goofy."

"Goofy isn't one of the seven dwarves!"

"Neither is Broody!"

Lucy stilled, shocked that she hadn't realized. "You're right!" she gasped. "God, I'm a horrible Disney fan."

"You should be ashamed of yourself," Stefan quipped making Lucy roll her eyes.

"I think you'll do fine with Elena," Lucy said after a second of silence, putting a reassuring hand on Stefan's. "Just make her chicken parmesan and tell her everything you just told me."

"Do you think it will work?" he asked vulnerably.

"I think it will be a great start," Lucy didn't want to say anything on Elena's behalf. She wasn't Elena, what would work on her, might not work on her sister. And she didn't want to get Stefan's hopes up if Elena wasn't convinced. "You can cook right?"

"The Italian roots demand it," Stefan confirmed.

"Head to the grocery store, I'll keep Elena occupied until you come back."

Stefan nodded and stood up, ready to follow Lucy's advice. "Thanks for helping me, Lucy," he gave her a genuine smile and Lucy decided right there and then that she would help him smile more. His dimples were just too cute to be hidden. "And just so you know, I want to know all those things about you, too."

A warm feeling that Lucy couldn't recognize buzzed through her veins. She smiled and said, "Name a time and place, Broody."

Stefan rolled his eyes, amused. "Got it, Goofy."

Lucy listened intently to Caroline as she went over the rules to Elena. Caroline, as president of the student council, had organized the whole car wash to help out the athletic department after Mr. Tanner's death. The cheerleaders and football team would be the ones mostly benefiting from the proceeds, so they were here, scantily clad in swimsuits in late September washing cars. Most of the town had come out so far and they had made two thousand dollars before three in the afternoon.

It was kind of creepy for the adults in town to come to a sexy suds car wash full of underage workers, but Lucy didn't say anything to Caroline in fear of being maimed. When Caroline got her mind to something, there was nothing holding her back. She was a lovable control freak.

"No friend discounts," Caroline said sternly. "No freebies. No pay-you-laters. We are _not_ running a charity here."

"_No, we are not_," Lucy and Elena said together.

Caroline smiled and nodded, happy with their obedience.

"Hi," Stefan greeted them, popping out of nowhere.

"Hey!" Elena beamed up at him.

Elena and Stefan's night together had been a success, or so Stefan told Lucy. They only had a small mishap in which Elena nicked her finger and Stefan had to take a beat, trying not to let Elena see his reaction to her blood. Other than that, it was a good night for the new couple; Elena reacted to all the information Stefan told her really well.

Lucy was happy for them but she found it odd how Stefan talked to her more about his relationship than Elena talked to her about it. She didn't expect that from her sister; when Elena and Matt were together, Lucy would hear any non-sexual detail there was.

She didn't know why Elena held back; Lucy was so glad her sister was happy and smiling again.

"The event is called sexy suds, you know," Caroline declared, staring pointedly at Stefan and Elena, both of whom were wearing t-shirts and hoodies. The couple raised their eyebrows in sync at Caroline, who smiled smugly and walked away.

Lucy, who was wearing a t-shirt and bikini bottoms assemble, laughed and stood up from the cash station. "Yeah, guys. Live a little."

Elena rolled her eyes and picked up a towel from the table, whipping it at Lucy. Lucy squealed and jumped away, quickly walking toward the car where Bonnie and Matt teamed up.

Stefan looked away from Lucy—he was definitely _not_ staring at her toned backside—and smiled down at Elena. "Did we just get scolded?"

Elena nodded. "And judged."

Across the parking lot, Lucy approached Matt and Bonnie. Her eyes were on Matt first; Matt was looking very nice in his swim trunks and tank-top and he was definitely creeping on Elena and Stefan, who had just started kissing.

"Oh, no, Matty-Blue," Lucy pointed at him as she joined his side of the car and picked up a sponge out of a near-by bucket of soapy water. "None of that tortured pining stuff."

"I'm just observing," Matt lied.

Lucy snorted and exchanged an amused look with Bonnie.

"Uh-huh," Bonnie scoffed as a car pulled up beside her. She looked around and spotted Tiki, one of their teammates. "Oh, Tiki, this one's yours."

Tiki, a tall, thin girl with serious abs, walked over to the car, a disgruntled look on her face. She put a hand on her hip, her other hand holding onto a hose. "Why do I always get the homely ones?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes at Tiki; the car wasn't even bad. It was a little old, but some people couldn't afford Range Rovers and Mercedes.

Tiki looked at the customer, pursing her lips. "Just to be clear, your car's a piece of shit," she insulted him. "I mean, we can wash it, but it's still a piece of shit."

"What the hell, Tiki?" Lucy glared at her.

"You don't have to be rude," Bonnie spat.

Tiki rolled her eyes. "Rude is uglying up the road with that junker."

The customer scowled and threw his keys in the driver's seat before walking away. Honestly, Lucy was shocked he was still buying a car wash.

Tiki didn't look to be concerned about the customer's reaction. She bent down to put her hose in the bucket next to them only to shriek as water exploded out of the bucket, hitting her directly in the face. The hose in her hand was wiggling, out of control with the high water pressure within.

As Matt went to help Tiki, Lucy snickered under her breath. It was what the girl deserved; maybe she shouldn't be so rude next time. She looked to see Bonnie's reaction and calmed down, seeing the concentration all over her friend's face. Bonnie was staring at the wild hose in Tiki's hand, her olive-green eyes narrowed.

And then, all at once, the hose calmed down and Bonnie diverted her gaze.

Lucy thought it was interesting that the hose stopped just as Bonnie looked away. Then again, Grams was a witch and from the things Bonnie had been telling her, she was sure to be a witch as well. Plus, Lucy had siphoned from her a couple times, meaning one thing: Bonnie had magic.

"What the fuck?" Tiki shrieked, throwing the hose down.

Lucy giggled once again as Matt gave her a towel. "Wet and wild, Tiki!"

It was an hour later that Lucy found herself washing a SUV with Elena and Stefan. The couple had pulled her away from Bonnie and Matt as they were having a break and snacking on chips and soda.

Lucy and Elena took turns playfully bumping into one another, sending each of glares and smirks. At one point, Elena almost knocked Lucy to the ground, in which the younger girl acted afraid. She was horrible at acting, though, and burst out laughing at Elena's horrified expression.

Stefan found it amusing to watch the siblings joke around with one another. From what he heard from Elena and Lucy, it had been a long time they had acted so playful. Their parents' deaths had hurt them deeply but they were slowly getting better.

"Hey, you're getting soap in that," Elena pointed out, nodding at Stefan's daylight ring.

Stefan looked at his ring and sent Lucy a stern look as she snickered under her breath. "Oh, it's fine."

Elena nodded, washing the spot in front of her again. "I noticed that Damon has one, too. Is there a story behind it?"

"Yeah," Stefan nodded and looked at his ring again. "It's the family crest from the Italian Renaissance."

"Huh," Elena walked around to Stefan's side of the car and grabbed his hand, studying the ring. "What's the stone?"

"It's called lapis lazuli."

"Oh," Elena hummed. "You should really take it off. I could put it in my bag."

Lucy had been amused by Elena's curiosity of Stefan's ring, but it was getting dangerous now. If Stefan took of his ring he would literally burst into flames. That wouldn't be very fun at all, for anyone involved.

"Lapis lazuli isn't affected by soap and water," Lucy had no idea if that was true, but she was sure Elena wouldn't know either. "And that's platinum, right? It'll be fine."

Stefan gave Lucy a grateful look and turned to Elena, pulling his hand out of hers. "It's fine," he reiterated. "Thanks, though."

Elena furrowed her eyebrows for a second before smoothing her expression out. "Okay," she gave Stefan and Lucy a small smile. "I'm gonna go get some towels."

"Okay," Stefan agreed, smiling at her as she walked away.

As soon as Elena was out of hearing distance, Lucy turned to Stefan. "She's acting weird."

"Really?" Stefan glanced at Lucy for a second.

"Yes," Lucy sighed. "I think she thinks that something is up."

Stefan shook his head; there was no way that Elena knew something was up. At least, he hoped not.

"You were right."

Lucy looked up at Stefan from where she sat at the paying station, recounting the money; they were up another six hundred dollars which meant the car wash was officially a success. Stefan looked worried, the wrinkled between his eyebrows standing out.

"Of course, I was," Lucy agreed; she honestly had no idea what he was talking about. "Uh, what are you talking about?"

"You thought that Elena thinks something is up and I said you were wrong," Stefan reminded her of their earlier conversation. "Well, now I think you're right."

"I'm sorry, can you repeat that?" Lucy smiled smugly. "What was it, you think I was right?"

"Yeah, yeah," Stefan gave her an annoyed look. "You know, you act like Damon sometimes."

Lucy wrinkled her nose. "I'm not a sadistic murderer, Stefan."

Stefan sighed at the offended tone in her voice. "You know I didn't mean it like that, Goofy," he was relieved when she smiled at him. "Anyway, Elena started asking me about my family and where they've gone. And she was talking to this guy we ran into at the Grill yesterday, and he recognized me, Luce. I'm talking from 1953."

Lucy groaned, fully aware that this was turning into a disaster. Elena was a smart girl, she would figure everything out and be so pissed off. She had a right to be, of course, but a mad Elena was not a fun Elena that you wanted to be around.

"You've got to tell her," Lucy decided. They needed to tell Elena about vampires and Lucy before this all blew up in their faces. At Stefan's grimace, she added, "I'll do it with you. I can call Joel, too. I'm sure he'll want to tell her his story as well."

"Lucy, I don't know…"

"It's going to be worse if we don't tell her and she finds out," Lucy convinced him. "Trust me, Stefan. Elena's my sister. I know how she reacts to these kinds of things."

Sudden shouts and screams of panic caught Lucy's attention. She and Stefan turned to see what was happening and froze when they saw a trail of fire heading straight toward a car and engulfing it. Right in the center of the chaos was Bonnie, staring at the fire in a trance.

"Bonnie," Lucy breathed and ran toward her friend, Stefan right behind her. She grabbed Bonnie's arms and shook her, ignoring the tingling feeling spreading through her fingers. "Bonnie, Bonnie!"

Bonnie felt the pain of Lucy's accidental siphoning and jumped away from the younger brunette. She looked at the fire in shock as it died down and turned to Lucy and Stefan. She flinched, rubbing her arms.

"Shit, sorry," Lucy mumbled, ashamed.

"Hey," Stefan looked at Bonnie, concerned.

Bonnie looked at Stefan and Lucy with confused eyes. "What just happened?"

"You were in some kind of a trance," Stefan answered, briefly glancing at the burnt car.

Bonnie caught his glance and turned around, her eyes widening at the sight of the scorched vehicle. "Did I do this?"

Lucy gave her a sympathetic look. "I think so, Bon."

"Nobody else saw, did they?" When Lucy and Stefan shook their heads, her lips trembled. "Don't tell anybody. Please?"

"We won't," Lucy promised her. "Bon—"

Lucy wasn't even able to ask Bonnie if she was okay before Bonnie ran off. She turned to Stefan, bewildered. "She's got to be a witch, right?"

"It's more than likely," Stefan agreed. "I knew one of Bonnie's ancestors and she was a powerful witch."

"Maybe the Bennett line producing badass witches," Lucy suggested as they turned around and started heading back to the picnic table where she left her stuff. "Because Grams seems pretty powerful, too."

"Maybe."

Lucy picked up her bag and looked around for Jenna, more than ready to leave for the day. It had been long and hot and she looked forward to taking a shower and going to bed. She finally spotted Jenna talking to Logan Fell as he got out of his news van, no doubt here to report on the car on fire.

"I see Jenna," she said for Stefan's sake. She smiled encouragingly at him and added, "Think about telling Elena, please. I promise you won't regret it."

"I'll think about it," Stefan promised. "Have a good night, Lucy."

"You too, Stefan."

When Lucy got home, she went straight to her room, ready to pass out. She thought nothing of the fact that Elena's room was silent.


	6. Transition

**[1x06; Lost Girls]**

A loud pounding against the bathroom door startled Lucy as she ran a brush through her wet hair. She was fresh out of the shower and relaxed, ready to get into bed for the night.

"Lucy!" came Elena's frantic voice. "Lucy, are you in there?"

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows, wondering what had upset Elena. "Yeah, I'm getting dressed! Are you okay?"

Elena sighed in relief. "Yeah, I'm fine. Goodnight."

"…night."

Lucy faintly heard Elena's door shut as she finished her nightly routine. Once she patted her face dry and brushed her teeth, she wandered back to her room. Her dirty clothes went straight into her hamper and when she turned around, she jumped, shocked.

Stefan was sitting at the end of her bed, his head lowered. His hands were clasped tightly together, his knuckles white with strain. From his body language and the way he only whispered an apology for scaring her, Lucy figured that Stefan was upset about something.

"Stefan, what's wrong?" she asked seriously, no hint of her usual humor or sarcasm in her voice.

"Elena knows," Stefan lifted his head to look at Lucy. Lucy sighed; she had really hoped they would get the chance to explain to Elena before she found it out herself. "She's pissed…and afraid."

Lucy pursed her lips in sympathy and sat down next to Stefan. "Afraid of you?"

"Me, Damon…" he scoffed, though there was no humor in it. "I told her I wouldn't hurt her and she didn't believe me."

"She's just scared," Lucy offered in her sister's defense. She knew that Stefan would never hurt Elena and she was sure Elena knew that too. She was just afraid of something she didn't understand. "She doesn't really think that."

Stefan nodded, looking unsure. Elena looked utterly terrified of him at his house and when he went into her bedroom. It broke his heart; he never wanted to see her so afraid in her life. Especially not toward him.

After a couple minutes of comfortable silence, Stefan's phone started ringing. He pulled it out of his jeans and raised his eyebrows, not recognizing the phone number calling him.

"Hello?" he answered, holding the phone up to his ear.

"_I want my ring."_

There was no greeting or introduction, but Stefan had been hearing his brother's voice for the better part of one hundred and forty-five years. He was more than able to pick it out.

"Damon, where are you?" he grumbled, the anger of finding Zach's body flooding through his body once again.

"_I'm at the sizzler. I had the buffet,"_ Damon said carelessly. _"Where's my ring?"_

"I don't have it," Stefan told his brother, glancing at Lucy as she gestured wildly, silently asking him to put the call on speakerphone. Stefan sighed and complied, pressing the button so Lucy would be able to hear Damon's end of the call. "Where are you? What have you done?"

Stefan and Lucy could hear the faint roar of flames from Damon's end. "_No, what have you done?"_ Damon turned it back on Stefan. _"You're the one that locked me in the basement and starved me, so whatever I've done, whoever I've sucked dry is on you, buddy."_

Stefan narrowed his eyes. "You're being careless. How many more animal attacks is this town gonna believe, huh?"

"_I know how to cover my tracks, Stefan. Where is my ring?"_

"I gave it to Zach to hide," Stefan lied, hoping to get a reaction out of him. "You probably shouldn't have killed him."

Lucy's eyes widened and she looked over at Stefan in concern; he avoided her gaze.

Damon laughed after a thoughtful minute of silence. _"Ah, you almost got me. Where is it?"_

Stefan looked at Lucy; she frantically shook her head in response.

"I'll get it back," Stefan said against Lucy's wishes; if Damon didn't get his ring, he'd go on a killing spree until he pried it out of Stefan's dead hand. "I need time."

"_What, did you Fed-Ex it to Rome?"_ Damon asked in disbelief. _"Where is it? I want my ring, Stefan, or my next stop will be Elena and Lucy's house."_

Lucy's eyes widened while Stefan's narrowed. "I already want you dead," Stefan spat through a clenched jaw. "Don't give me another reason to make it happen."

"_Don't give me another reason to rip you apart,"_ Damon threatened.

"Yeah?" Stefan raised his eyebrows, not afraid of him. "Is that gonna be before or after you get your ring back?"

"_Just get it."_

The call cut off as Damon hung up his phone. Stefan slid his phone back into his pocket, his normal brooding expression firmly planted on his face.

"Are you really going to give Damon his ring back?" Lucy asked quietly.

"Yeah," Stefan stood up from Lucy's bed and slid his hands in his jean pockets, shoulder's slightly hunched. "If I don't give Damon what he wants, he'll hurt you and Elena."

"You think he was serious about that?"

"He wants to hurt me," Stefan paused at the way Lucy's face paled. "Don't worry, I'll watch the house until the sun comes up. He won't hurt you, Lucy. I won't let it happen."

Lucy smiled half-heartedly at him. She believed that Stefan would do anything to protect her and Elena, but would he be strong enough if Damon did come looking for them? Stefan told her that his animal diet didn't make him strong enough to fight Damon and win and she was certain that she didn't want Stefan to die.

Lucy snuggled deeper under her warm comforter, turning over onto her side. She silently thanked God that it was Saturday and she could sleep in until she wanted to get up.

Her door slammed open, light from the hallway streaming into Lucy's otherwise darkened room. Lucy groaned and covered her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Oh, did I wake you?" came Elena's harsh voice. Lucy opened her watery eyes and looked up to see her older sister glaring down at her. "Get up, Lucy. We're going to meet Stefan at the Grill and you're both going to explain why you kept the fact that he, Damon, and our brother are vampires."

Lucy guessed that Elena was passed the frightened phase.

"I take it you're mad," she said unhelpfully. It probably wasn't the best thing to say to her clearly outraged sister.

"No, I'm furious," Elena corrected her. "Now, seriously, get up. You can explain this whole siphon thing while I drive."

Twenty minutes later the Gilbert sister were driving away from their house. The atmosphere in Elena's Explorer was tense; Elena was less angry than when she woke up Lucy, but she looked nowhere near happy.

Honestly, Lucy didn't blame her.

"How'd you know about me being a siphon?" Lucy asked, breaking the silence.

"I've been up for hours," Elena said, clicking on her turn signal. "I called Joel and he filled me in on everything."

"Everything?"

"Well, not really," Elena admitted. "He had to go to class, but he told me about him and he told me about you," she looked over at Lucy, her face surprisingly softening. "Why didn't you tell me what was going on, Lucy?"

"I don't know," Lucy hadn't even thought to tell Elena at first, if she was totally honest. It wasn't until the recent week that she'd been thinking about it. Maybe she was afraid of her sister's reaction; being a witch was out there, but a siphon? "Maybe I was scared you wouldn't believe me."

"I would have understood if you had just explained," Elena defended herself. "What's a siphoner, anyway?"

Lucy quickly explained what a siphoner was as they finished their journey to the Grill. Elena looked understandably confused but was ultimately able to understand the difference between a witch and a siphoner. She even asked a couple of questions about what her training with Grams would entail—Lucy was happy to divulge.

Then they arrived at the Grill and Elena's mood swiftly dropped, especially when she saw Stefan waiting outside for them. Lucy's awkward babbling entertained the feuding couple as they were assigned to a table outside and ordered their drinks.

It was only after the waitress walked away that Elena addressed Stefan. "You said you would explain everything. That's why I asked you to meet me here."

Stefan nodded his understanding, waiting for Elena's questions.

"When you google 'vampire' you get a world of fiction," Elena said blankly. "What's the reality?"

"I can tell you whatever you want to know," Stefan said.

Briefly, Lucy wondered why she was here. She didn't need to know these things because she had already learned them. She guessed she was mostly here as a buffer between Elena and Stefan, which wasn't a bad idea. Stefan had trouble opening up sometimes and Elena could definitely steamroll over someone when she was being stubborn. She could mediate.

"I know you eat garlic," Elena said, remembering the times she saw Stefan eating garlic bread.

Stefan nodded. "Yes."

"And somehow sunlight's not an issue."

Instead of answering Elena's implied question, Stefan glanced up at the waitress approaching with their drinks. Lucy smiled politely and took her offered cappuccino.

"Thanks," Lucy muttered as the waitress set down Elena's coffee and walked away.

As soon as the waitress was out of hearing range, Stefan said, "We have rings that protect us," he held up his hand, showing off his daylight ring.

Elena quickly moved on. "Crucifixes?"

"Decorative."

"Holy water?"

"Drinkable."

"Mirrors?"

"Myth," Stefan answered dutifully. Lucy opened her mouth to ask a question of her own, but he beat her to it. "And no, Lucy, we don't sleep in coffins."

"I wasn't going to ask that," Lucy grumbled and took a sip of her drink. She was so going to ask that.

Elena watched the exchange, wondering how Lucy could still be friends with Stefan. Was it possible he was the same guy?

"You said you don't kill to survive," she looked back at Stefan curiously.

"Animal blood keeps me alive but not as strong as Damon or your brother," Stefan shared. "It can be very powerful."

"And yet you let him get involved with Caroline?" Elena asked indignantly.

Lucy set her mug down, biting her lip. The whole Damon-Caroline thing was an issue and she was furious that Damon fed on her best friend and nearly killed her, but Stefan really couldn't do anything about it. He's weaker than Damon. Nothing about the situation was okay, but at least Caroline was healthy and alive.

Besides, Elena didn't show this much concern about Caroline when Damon disappeared. She hadn't even gotten in touch with Caroline afterward; it was Lucy that had spent time with the blonde, making sure she was all right.

"Forcing Damon not to do something is much more dangerous, believe me," Stefan told her, a small frown on his lips.

Elena scowled. "He was hurting her!"

"He was feeding on her," Stefan corrected Elena. "He was able to take away her memories of being bitten using a form of mind compulsion. She never knew what was happening to her."

"Lena, Stefan saved Caroline," Lucy interjected, seeing how heated her sister was getting. "He stopped Damon from killing her."

"And is that supposed to make it okay?" Elena asked in disbelief.

"No. No, none of this is okay, Elena. I know that," Stefan placated her, a bit guilty. Elena was right; being a vampire and allowing Damon to get involved with Caroline wasn't okay.

Elena sighed and Stefan, who had been leaning in to speak with the girls, sat back looking sheepish. Lucy was uncomfortable; maybe she wasn't meant to play mediator.

Elena moved on quickly. "Are there any others, aside from you, Damon, and Joel?"

Stefan shook his head. "Not in Mystic Falls. Not anymore."

Lucy raised her eyebrows, intrigued. "Not anymore?"

"There was a time when this town was…" he paused thoughtfully. "very much aware of vampires and it didn't end well for anybody."

Lucy nodded in realization; Joel had mentioned that the Founder's Council was created in the 1860s because of the vampire population. She completely forgot about it.

"That's why it's important that you don't tell anyone," Stefan added, looking at Elena.

Elena pursed her lips. "I can't promise that."

Lucy huffed in frustration and appealed to Elena's love for family. "Elena, if you tell anyone, Joel will be killed," she said pointedly. "Even I'm in danger."

Elena's eyes widened; she had forgotten about Joel and Lucy. Her sister was right. Elena wouldn't tell anyone about her and Joel. But if Stefan and Damon were dangerous…

She glanced at Stefan and he caught her eye.

"Elena, give me today," he proposed; Elena looked away uncomfortably. "I will answer any questions that you have and when it's over, you can decide for yourself if you want do with what you know. It will be your choice."

Elena hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Fine."

"Thank you," Stefan said gratefully, looking around at other customers. "Come on, we can't talk here."

If Lucy didn't know Stefan as well as she did, she would think that he was leading her and Elena to their deaths. It had everything to do with the fact that he instructed Elena to drive out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by a million trees.

As if she wasn't already annoyed by the fact that Stefan got shot-gun, now she had to deal with pestering mosquitos and whatever other bugs that hung out in the woods.

"Stop here," Stefan instructed, pointing a few feet ahead of them.

Elena obeyed and pulled to a stop, shutting off the car engine. Lucy climbed out of the car at the same time as Elena and scrunched up her nose as she looked around. There were what looked to be ruins around them…maybe it was a house or something.

"What are we doing here?" Elena wondered.

"Yeah, I think I'm going to get Malaria or something from being out here," Lucy added, giving Stefan an annoyed look.

Stefan rolled his eyes at Lucy before looking at Elena. "I want to show you something."

Elena looked at him skeptically as he walked further from the car. "In the middle of nowhere?"

Stefan stopped next to a brick column that was crumbling from age and looked back at the Gilbert sisters. "This didn't use to be nowhere. It used to be my home."

Lucy frowned sympathetically and looked around. She was right, it was the ruins of a house, Stefan's house. It must have been really hard to watch as your home changed through the years to the point where it was nearly unrecognizable.

Elena looked at the brick column, her nose wrinkling slightly. "It looks so…"

"Old?" Stefan supplied when she couldn't find the right word. "It's because they are."

Elena glanced at him in realization. "Wait," she said. "How long have you…?"

"I've been seventeen years old since 1864."

Lucy wasn't shocked at the information, but she had heard it before. It was one of the first things she had asked Stefan following the brief conversation they had before he disappeared and left her the voicemail. She hadn't believed him at first—one, Stefan was mature, but she hadn't thought he was that old. And two, Stefan looked older than the average seventeen-year-old. Maybe it was the way people aged in the 1800s, though.

"Oh, my God," Elena breathed, skin paling.

"You said you wanted to know," Stefan reminded her. "I'm not gonna hold anything back," he looked away from Elena and back toward the house ruins. "Half a century before the Boarding House was even built, this was my family's home. Damon and I were both born here. The Salvatore brothers, best of friends."

Stefan led Lucy and Elena past the brick columns, deeper into his old estate. All the while, he explained that Katherine had come to live with the Salvatore family during the summer of 1864; it wasn't long before he and Damon were close with her.

"Wait, you knew Katherine in 1864?" Lucy asked; she hadn't heard much about Katherine at all. She didn't feel like it was her place to ask and Elena never got the chance to tell her what Stefan told her during their dinner date.

Elena added, "Damon made it seem like…"

"Damon was trying to make you think that I was still heartbroken," Stefan told the girls before focusing on Elena. "He saw that I was happy with you and he wanted to ruin it."

"All because you loved the same woman one hundred and forty-five years ago?" Elena asked.

Stefan smiled grimly. "She wasn't just any girl."

Stefan looked like he was back in 1864 as he recalled the memory of Damon coming home from the Confederacy and both of the brothers offering to escort Katherine to the first Founder's Ball. Lucy and Elena listened, fascinated; it was kind of like hearing old stories from their grandparents.

"She chose me," Stefan said, referring to Katherine, as they started walking through the ruins. "I escorted her to the ball at the original Lockwood mansion."

"The first founder's party…" Elena said thoughtfully, sitting on an old stone bench. She remembered seeing the Salvatore brothers' names on the old registry on display. "Where you signed the registry."

Stefan nodded. "I didn't care that I had gotten something that my brother wanted. I didn't even care if it hurt him," he looked regretful. "I only knew that I wanted her."

"So he was upset," Lucy assumed, sitting next to Elena.

"That's the thing about Damon," Stefan shook his head, annoyed that his brother hadn't changed in the century and a half they'd been alive. "He doesn't get mad. He just gets even. What Damon wants, Damon usually gets. I didn't know it at the time but…it turns out that night…Katherine was with him, too."

"So, he stole her from you, not the other way around?" Lucy remembered the story that Bonnie had heard from Caroline who heard it from Damon.

"Turns out she wasn't ours to steal…"

Lucy was shocked to find out that Katherine had compelled Stefan to not be afraid of her and to continue their relationship. She couldn't believe that Katherine claimed to love Stefan and then stripped away his choice.

"She could control my mind and Damon's," Stefan explained as they walked to another part of his old estate. "She compelled each of us to keep the secret from the other. She wanted all of us to be together forever."

Stefan bent down and retrieved something from below a fallen branch. In his hand was a soft cloth wrapped around Damon's daylight ring.

"It didn't work out that way," he continued. "but Damon and I…looks like we're stuck with each other. Like it or not."

Elena's wide eyes glanced at the ring in Stefan's hand. "Is that Damon's ring?"

"I took it from him but I have to give it back."

"No, don't, Stefan," Elena objected, stepping toward Stefan. "Keep it hidden."

Stefan glanced at Lucy for half a second; she had told him the same thing. He was going to tell her sister what he told her. "Elena, if I don't give it to him, he'll retaliate in the only way he knows he can hurt me."

Elena sighed, aggravated. "And how is that?"

The muscle in Stefan's jaw worked as he answered, "By hurting you or Lucy."

Even though he had said the same thing the night before, Lucy was still surprised that Stefan included her. Sometimes Elena was a jealous person; it happened when she and Matt were dating and he hung out with Lucy or Bonnie. It even happened when Lucy spent more time with Caroline or Jeremy and Joel than her. She was a territorial person but Lucy loved her anyway.

As if proving Lucy right, Elena sent a slight glare at her sister.

Lucy noticed and quickly looked away; she pulled out her phone to check the time and gawked. They had been out in the woods all day, completely missing lunch. It was closer to dinner time and Jeremy had to be wondering where they were.

"We should probably get going," she spoke up, showing them the time.

Stefan and Elena agreed with her. As they were walking back to the car, Stefan offered to explain more to Elena at their house. Elena reluctantly accepted the offer; she wanted to know more so she could decide whether or not she was going to keep Stefan's secret.

"The mind control you said Katherine used," Elena said as they got closer to the car. She looked at Stefan and asked, "Do you ever do that to me?"

"No," Stefan denied truthfully. "That necklace," he pointed to the chain around Elena's neck. "it contains an herb called vervain. It protects you from being compelled. I wanted to protect you from Damon's influence but I also wanted to protect you from me."

Elena's face softened, touched that Stefan gave her something to protect her from compulsion.

"Elena, you should never take that necklace off," Stefan said softly. "because no matter what happens after today, no matter how you feel about me…You'll know that you were free to make your own choice."

Lucy couldn't help but feel for Stefan; he had given Elena—and even her, though she didn't need it—the chance to make their own choices without compulsion. It was important to him because he wasn't able to choose to be with Katherine himself. Katherine took the choice away from him.

When Lucy entered her house before Elena and Stefan, she immediately noticed that Vicki and Matt were there. Then she saw that Jeremy was on the floor behind the couch, looking up at Vicki with an utterly surprised expression.

"Jere, are you okay?" Matt asked, eyes wide.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Jeremy assured Matt, getting to his feet.

Matt looked at his sister, his eyes narrowing. "Damn, Vick."

That was enough to let Lucy know that Vicki had pushed Jeremy. She marched over to Matt, Jeremy, and Vicki, asking, "What the hell is going on?"

"She's really messed up," Matt explained, shame coloring his voice.

Lucy looked at Vicki, noticing how upset the older girl looked. Her anger at her faltered, worry replacing it. "Are you okay, Vicki?"

Before Vicki could answer, Stefan stepped between them, gently pushing Lucy away. "Back up, Lucy," once Lucy was to safety, Stefan turned back to the transitioning vampire. "Vicki, look at me," he said softly, holding her face so she could concentrate. "Focus. You're gonna be fine. Everything's gonna be fine."

Vicki calmed down within seconds as Stefan subtly checked her over. Once he knew with absolute certainty that Vicki was in transition, she turned to Matt and Jeremy.

"Guy, take her up to bed," he ordered. "Shut the blinds. She's gonna be okay. Come on, come on," he ushered them out of the room.

Lucy looked at him with furrowed eyebrows; he was acting shady, like he knew exactly what was wrong with Vicki.

"You know what's wrong with her, don't you?" she accused him.

Stefan nodded. "Yeah."

"What is it?" Elena asked, coming closer to hear them better.

"She's transitioning," he told them.

"Transitioning into what?" Elena asked cluelessly.

Realization dawned on Lucy. "Into a vampire."

"What?" Elena looked at Stefan for confirmation.

"Damon must have gotten to her," Stefan confirmed, eyes narrowing angrily. "She's new. She hasn't completed her transformation yet."

"H-How does she do that?" Elena stammered.

"She has to feed on human blood," Lucy offered, recalling the first conversation she had with Joel regarding vampires. Stefan and Elena looked at her, confused. "Joel told me."

Elena immediately turned back to Stefan. "And what if she doesn't?"

Stefan's voice was grave. "She'll die."

It was silent for a moment as Elena and Lucy absorbed that information. It was difficult to understand but it made sense; Vicki had been killed and if she didn't finish the transformation, she would stay dead. It was simple, yet utterly horrifying.

"How long…?" Lucy couldn't finish her question, her throat tight with emotion.

She didn't want Matt to have to go through the loss of a loved one. She didn't want Jeremy to go through it again, especially since the loss of their parents was still so fresh.

"She may only have a few hours," Stefan whispered sadly.

Elena started pacing, a frustrated look on her face. "She's upstairs with Jeremy right now."

"It's okay," Stefan assured her. "She doesn't know what's happening to her yet."

"So when is she gonna know?" Elena wondered, stopping in her tracks.

"Right now, she doesn't remember anything. A part of her is still human…but slowly, the deeper she gets into the transition, the memories will start to come back and then she'll know she has to make a choice," Stefan told them as accurately as he could.

Elena's shoulders stiffened and she turned, glaring at Stefan. "The same choice you made?"

Lucy couldn't help but gape at the amount of malice in Elena's voice when she spoke to Stefan. Even though when she tried to intervene before it didn't work out, she couldn't help but speak up in Stefan's defense.

"Elena, Stefan was born more than a century ago," she reminded her sister, voice calm. "His choice had nothing to do with anyone but himself. You have no right to judge him for something that has _nothing_ to do with you."

Elena had the decency to look thoroughly chastised but when she looked at Stefan, her expression flattened. As Matt walked into the room, Elena grabbed some of the dishes Vicki had been using, trying to clean up.

Lucy gave Stefan a sympathetic look but he turned away from her. She didn't think anything of it—he was obviously upset—and turned to help Elena with the kitchen.

"Here, let me help," Matt offered apologetically. He picked up some plates and started to the sink, only to stop abruptly as Vicki flew down the stairs and out the front door. "Vick! Vicki!"

Matt set down the plates and ran out of the house, trying to find Vicki. Lucy, Elena, and Stefan followed, Jeremy right behind them. There was no sign of the oldest Donovan anywhere in sight.

"She was fine," Jeremy stammered, trying to explain. "And then she just—she just freaked out."

"I'm gonna go look for her," Matt told the others, jogging to his truck parked at the curb. "Call me if you hear anything."

"We will!" Lucy assured Matt.

Next to her, Stefan looked over at Elena. "I can track her."

Elena's voice was hard when she answered. "Go."

Stefan didn't hesitate to leave; he took off running, human-paced so Jeremy wouldn't find out. When he was out of sight, he sped up; he needed to find Vicki before she made a mistake.

The sun soon set and there was still no call from Matt or Stefan about Vicki. Lucy felt so terrible for her brother; Jeremy was freaked out, deeply worried about his crush. He hadn't even been able to choke down their dinner of homemade pizza, which was one of his favorites.

Elena had tried to keep him busy, but Jeremy wasn't the type to be distracted easily. He continued to worry, sticking close to Lucy so Elena wouldn't start on her lecturing. Lucy helped him out, asking him to go to the kitchen to help her clean.

Jeremy agreed, but—unfortunately for him—Elena followed them.

"Maybe we should check in with Matt," Jeremy suggested as Lucy handed him some dirty dishes.

"He'll call when he finds her," Elena said, turning on the faucet.

"Well, what are we supposed to do?" Jeremy raised his voice slightly, frustrated.

"We wait," Elena said firmly. "We're supposed to wait."

"I don't know what's wrong with her."

Lucy softened at the sad desperation in Jeremy's tone. He really liked Vicki and it was tough for him to see her so messed up. It would be hard on anyone, especially a fourteen-year-old.

And Lucy didn't want to lie to Jeremy, but she just wanted to help him feel better. "She'll be fine," she told him, squeezing his arm. "Everything will be fine."

The loud chimes of the doorbell rang throughout the house. The siblings paused and, all at once, rushed to the door, hoping it was Matt or Stefan with news about Vicki.

Elena opened the door to reveal that it was actually Damon. She abruptly tried to shut it but Damon pushed his foot through the crack, stopping her. He easily pushed the door open wider, overpowering Elena.

"Jere, go upstairs, please," Lucy ordered her brother. She didn't want Damon anywhere near him.

Jeremy rolled his eyes but did as she said anyway.

Damon smirked at Lucy, his eyes drifting to Elena, who's glare would have frightened anyone who wasn't a vampire.

"You're afraid of me," he assumed casually. "I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that Stefan finally fessed up."

"Stay away from us," Elena demanded shakily.

"Hey, there's no need to be rude," Damon scolded her. "I'm just looking for Stefan. May I come in?" he laughed mockingly. "Oh, wait. Of course, I can. I've been invited."

He smirked at Lucy and Elena as he pushed his way into the house, shutting the door firmly behind him. Lucy backed away from the violate vampire, hovering nervously by the stairs.

Damon looked around and honed his senses, finding out that Stefan was not in the house. He turned to the girls and was amused when they practically flinched away from him.

"We can cut to the chase if you want," he said casually. "I'm not gonna kill you right now. That wouldn't serve my greater agenda. So," he glared at them. "where's Stefan?"

Elena gritted her teeth. "He's out looking for Vicki."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Don't look at me with those judge-y little eyes," he took a step closer to Elena, making her step away from him. "The girl's gonna thank me for what I did to her."

"Did you thank Katherine?"

Damon looked taken aback by Elena's response. He hesitated, his eyes fluttering with the mention of his former love. He was surprised Stefan had told them what happened with Katherine, but not surprised that his brother hadn't told the whole story.

"Mmm," he hummed, smiling fakely. "Got the whole life story, huh?"

Elena glowered at him. "We got enough."

"Oh, I doubt that," he said idly and Lucy briefly wondered what that meant. Damon stepped away from Elena and walked to the door. "Tell my brother that I'm looking for him," he stepped out of the house and went to close the door, only to stop and look at them again. "Oh, tip for later. Be careful who you invite in the house."

He closed the door, leaving Lucy and Elena to stare at each other, wide-eyed.

It took another hour for Stefan to return to the Gilbert house with bad news: Vicki drank human blood, finishing her transition.

It was hard to hear, but Lucy knew it would be rougher if Vicki was actually dead. Being a vampire was probably not the best for Vicki, but at least she was alive and willing to learn how to be a vampire.

After Stefan told her the news and requested that she call Joel for help, Lucy excused herself. She knew that Elena wanted to talk to Stefan alone and she was more than happy to give them space.

And when Elena entered the house, sobbing loudly, Lucy was there to comfort her.


	7. Halloween Blues

**[1x07; Haunted]**

It had been a month since Vicki transitioned into a vampire.

For Lucy, it had been a month of lessons with Grams. She was learning to control her siphoning abilities; she now knew that her control tied in with her emotions. So she had to learn to control herself even when she was angry or sad or even happy. They would go through scenarios where Grams would ignite an emotion and Lucy would have to keep herself from siphoning Grams' magic. It was hard at first but it was slowly getting easier. Grams even taught Lucy how to store the magic she siphoned; usually when Lucy siphoned magic it would be stored in her body, eventually fading away. With Grams' help, Lucy was able to learn how to transfer her stolen magic into her moonstone locket where it would be until she needed it.

When they weren't practicing control, Lucy did lessons for using magic. Bonnie joined her then, since they were both starting out, and Grams would teach them the basics of casting spells and spell theory. Bonnie was much better than Lucy was, but it was to be expected since she had her own magic.

A month for Elena meant moping around after her and Stefan's break-up. Elena wouldn't speak to Stefan when he tried to contact her and she didn't like others talking about him, either. Lucy just hoped they'd make up soon; they were both miserable to be around.

A month for Jeremy meant turning fifteen and signing up for search parties to find Vicki. The town was under the impression that she was off on a bender, taking enough drugs that she couldn't return home. Matt had joined Jeremy in making search parties; they were both so worried and it made Lucy feel guilty that she knew exactly where Vicki was.

For Stefan and Joel—sometimes Damon—a month meant supervising Vicki. According to the snippets of information Lucy got from Joel and Stefan, Vicki was having a very rough time adjusting to the life of a vampire. First it was because Damon was giving her blood bags and she was becoming out of control. Then it was because she was having withdrawals from human blood. Now, it was because she didn't want to drink the animal blood Stefan had been catching for her. The whole thing was tiring for the older vampires—especially Joel, who gained control pretty quickly for being newly turned—but Stefan made sure that Vicki knew she had help.

And as Lucy sat at the dining table filled with research, a month for Jenna meant writing a mid-term paper. One look at one of the sources, filled with blue highlighter, made Lucy cringe. She hated writing anything—essays, diary entries, letters—she didn't know how Elena and Stefan wrote in their journals so much.

A few feet away from Lucy, Jeremy and Elena collided in the kitchen—Jeremy had been shutting the fridge door and didn't see Elena walking by.

"Sorry," they apologized at the same time.

Things had been tense between them; Elena was constantly worried about him, making sure he was going to school and not allowing him to sign up for too many search parties. Jeremy was annoyed that she didn't want him to find Vicki. Hopefully they'd get over their disagreement soon; Jeremy and Elena always butted heads and they usually got over it pretty quickly.

"You're up early," Elena observed, stepping away from him. "Where are you going?"

"Police station," Jeremy answered shortly, knowing that she'd object to him going. "They're organizing another search party for Vicki, so…"

Jeremy went to leave but was stopped by Elena. "Wait," she grabbed his arm. "Shouldn't you be going to school?"

"What?" Jeremy narrowed his eyes. "You're doing this again?"

Elena glared at him, folding her arms over her chest; Lucy sighed, resting her head on her hand. "You shouldn't skip school again," Elena scolded their brother. "If they find her, we'll know. That's what cellphones are for."

Jeremy scoffed. "Yeah, your lips keep moving. I don't know why."

He walked away right after his quip, not seeing the offended look on Elena's face. The front door slammed shut as Lucy stood from the table and carried her empty cereal bowl to the sink.

"Don't worry about it, Elena," Lucy gave her sister a small smile. "Jeremy will be fine. What's the harm in letting him look for Vicki?"

Elena didn't answer as the front door opened and slammed shut again. Joel walked into the kitchen, looking completely annoyed. He had been at the Salvatore Boarding House, taking a shift with Vicki—it didn't look like it went so well.

"They should not let drug addicts be vampires," he groaned, walking to the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water.

"How is the whole let-Vicki-adjust thing going?" Lucy asked curiously.

Joel scoffed. "Well, when I left, Damon and Stefan were arguing about animal versus people blood. Vicki was on Damon's side…it doesn't look like Stefan's getting through to her."

"So she's not adjusting at all?" Elena asked, brows raised.

"Little by little," Joel shrugged and gulped down half of his water before capping it and setting it on the counter. "Anyway, I'm on a break. There's a Halloween party at Pike tonight and I'm not going to miss it being Vicki's babysitter."

Lucy perked up at the mention of Halloween; it seemed like Elena and Jeremy had completely forgotten about it. "Costume?"

Joel smirked. "Clark Kent."

Lucy nodded in approval.

Elena spoke up then, stopping their conversation. "I think I'm gonna go to Stefan's," she declared. "Luce, you wanna go with me?"

"Sure," Lucy shrugged; nothing was really happening at school besides scary school-appropriate movies and the setting up of the open house for later that night. Her costume was settled already, much to the disapproval of Caroline, who wanted her, Lucy, and Bonnie to match.

"Have fun," Joel wished, waving mockingly as Lucy and Elena left the house.

They arrived at the Salvatore Boarding House twenty minutes later. Elena marched up to the door and rang the bell, folding her arms over her chest as they waited. They didn't have to wait for long; Damon opened the door within seconds.

"Is Stefan here?" Elena demanded without greeting him.

Elena's opinion of Damon hadn't changed within the month; Lucy's hadn't either. Especially since he was seriously sabotaging Vicki's adjustment to the vampire lifestyle.

"Yep."

"Where is he?"

"And good morning to you, Miss I'm-on-a-mission," Damon smirked.

Elena stiffened, annoyed. "How can you be so arrogant and glib after everything you've done?"

"Lena…" Lucy hissed warningly; Damon was dangerous and could snap Elena like a twig before they could blink.

"And how you can you be so brave and _stupid_ to call a vampire glib and arrogant?" Damon retorted.

"If you wanted me dead, I'd be dead," Elena spat, eyes hard.

Lucy slapped her hand to her forehead; she couldn't believe how stupid Elena was being. Talking back to a vampire was not a good idea.

"But I'm not," Elena smirked.

"Yet," Damon corrected her, looking unamused. Thankfully that shut Elena up.

"Okay," Lucy sighed, catching Damon's attention. "Damon, where is Stefan?"

"He's upstairs," Damon informed her. "Singing 'The Rain in Spain'. Knock yourselves out."

Damon brushed past Elena, sending her a menacing smirk. Lucy huffed and walked into the house, ignoring both of them. She wasn't in the mood to constantly be a buffer between people. First it was Elena and Jeremy and now it was Elena and Damon. Soon it would be Stefan and Elena. Could people give her a break?

"Stefan?" Elena called as she closed the door and joined Lucy in the hallway just before the stairs. "Stefan?"

Stefan blurred in front of them, basically appearing before their eyes. Elena jumped slightly, not as used to vampire speed as Lucy.

"Yes?" he asked patiently.

"Where is Vicki?" Elena asked.

Stefan pressed a finger to his lips, silently telling her to lower her voice. "She's upstairs."

"Well, is she getting better?" she wondered harshly. "Because our brother is out there searching for her with the rest of the town. What do I tell him?"

"We don't tell him anything yet," Lucy interjected.

"Joel and I have been working with her," Stefan said, telling them something they already knew. "But it's gonna take time. She has a very volatile and impulsive personality. She's a drug user. I mean, all that's gonna play a part in her assimilation."

"So she's a vampire with issues?" Elena said rudely, making Lucy roll her eyes. "What am I supposed to do? Because I'm lying to everyone I care about."

Lucy sighed, annoyed that Elena managed to make Vicki's transition about her. "Elena, Vicki was turned into a vampire and she's trying to get used to it. I'm sure it's not easy and if we're lying to Matt and Jeremy, it's only to protect them until she's better."

Elena gave Lucy a glare but Lucy narrowed her eyes back. Elena wasn't the victim here; Vicki was killed by Damon, turned into a vampire, and was having trouble adjusting. It was supposed to be about how they could help her.

Elena turned to Stefan, still looking aggravated. "What's going to happen to her?"

"I'm gonna keep her here with me until I know that she's safe," Stefan said patiently.

"How long is that?" Vicki interrupted, walking down the stairs.

Stefan sighed when Vicki gave him an impatient look. "We can talk about that later," he said.

"Hi, Vicki," Lucy waved awkwardly. Vicki had most likely heard Elena's harsh words and was probably not very happy with them. And she couldn't blame her; if she heard Elena speaking about her like that, she would not be a happy camper.

"How are you?" Elena added politely.

"How am I?" Vicki narrowed her eyes at Elena. "You're kidding right?"

Stefan cleared his throat pointedly. "Why don't you come in the dining room, Vicki?" he suggested, smiling slightly. "I'll make some coffee."

"I'll help you," Lucy volunteered as Vicki practically stomped down the stairs. Stefan nodded and ushered the three girls into the dining room. Once Elena and Vicki sat down at the table, as far away from each other as possible, Lucy followed Stefan into his impressive kitchen.

"Uh, the creamer's in the fridge," Stefan said, walking over to a cupboard and retrieving four mugs.

Lucy hummed and grabbed the vanilla coffee creamer from the otherwise bare fridge. She handed it to Stefan and gave him a concerned look; the furrowing in between his eyebrows was more pronounced than usual.

"Are you okay?" she asked as he poured hot coffee into the mugs.

"Do you want some?" Stefan asked, gesturing to the coffee. "And, yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"You're brooding more than usual. I'll pass," Lucy wrinkled her nose. "I'm not a coffee drinker."

Stefan pursed his lips and looked at her, confused. "I've seen you drink cappuccino before, Luce."

"Yeah, that's cappuccino."

"There's coffee in cappuccino," Stefan informed her, amused. "It's the main ingredient."

"What? No," Lucy shook her head in denial; there was no way she missed that cappuccino was made from coffee. She was supposed to be smart and knowledgeable. "That's impossible, Stefan. I don't even like coffee."

Stefan snickered. "Well, it looks you do, actually."

Lucy scowled and picked up a nearby sugar packet, throwing it at Stefan's face. Using his quick reflexes, Stefan deftly grabbed it and tore it open, pouring it into one of the cups; he was still chuckling.

Lucy's scowl deepened. "It's not funny."

"No, see, it is funny," Stefan smirked at her and picked up two of the mugs. Lucy picked up the other and they started walking back to the dining room. "And you did say I was brooding more than usual. Maybe I just needed entertainment."

Lucy rolled her eyes, her lips quirking. "I'm so glad I could help."

Stefan winked at her as they entered the dining room and Lucy could feel her cheeks warming up. She ignored Elena's inquisitive look and set down the mug in front of her, taking a seat next to Vicki. Stefan sat across from her, next to Elena, and pushed a mug to Vicki, keeping the other for himself.

"Coffee is our friend," he told the new vampire, his earlier amusement gone. "It's the caffeine. It circulates through our veins and it warms our body so we're not so cold to the touch."

Vicki gave him an unimpressed look. "Well, what if I wanna drink human blood?"

By the look on Stefan's face, Lucy knew that this was something Vicki had asked many times before. "You're gonna have to learn to live with that urge and fight it on a daily basis one day at a time."

"Oh, God," Vicki groaned, disgusted. "Don't start with that whole twelve steps thing. The school counselor has been down that road and it doesn't work for me."

"It _can_ work," Stefan argued softly. "It's your choice, Vicki."

Vicki raised her eyebrows. "So you've never tasted human blood?"

It was quiet as Elena shifted in her seat and Vicki smirked at Stefan, waiting for an answer. Lucy felt bad for Stefan; by the way he was hesitating, human blood was a touchy subject for him.

"Not in a long time," he finally answered.

"How long?" Vicki asked mockingly.

"Years and years," Stefan looked uncomfortable. "I'm not proud of my past behavior."

Vicki groaned. "Ugh," she grimaced and changed the subject, pressing her fingers against her temples. "Does this sketchy feeling ever go away? It's like I have a massive hangover. And this daylight thing is a bitch," she sighed and stood up. "I need more blood. Where's your bathroom? I have to pee. Why do I have to pee? I thought I was dead."

Stefan pointed to the bathroom and Vicki marched off in its direction. Lucy stared after her with wide eyes, wondering if all new vampires went through such crazy emotional back-and-forth.

Elena sighed as the bathroom door shut and Stefan reacted.

"I'm going to, uh," he stammered, standing up. "I'm gonna get her some more, all right? I'll be quick."

"We'll be here," Lucy assured her friend; Stefan gave her a half-hearted smile and sped off.

Lucy stood from the table and walked to the living room, looking around. The Salvatores had a grand selection of antiques and she was particularly interested in a painting encased in an old frame, wild oranges and reds swirling together. She couldn't name who the artist was, but she really enjoyed the work.

"False alarm," Vicki declared, walking into the room and picking up her cellphone. "My body's feeling really funky. It's a good funk but it's weird."

Lucy nodded understandably while Elena hummed. Vicki didn't pay attention to them as she dialed a number on her phone.

"Who are you calling?" Elena wondered.

Vicki looked up, a small, genuine smile on her face. "Jeremy."

"Vicki," Elena said slowly. "You can't see Jeremy anymore."

"Oh, come on," Vicki scoffed. "Don't you start. I'm gonna see whoever I wanna see."

Lucy walked away from the painting, back over to Elena and Vicki. She hovered between them, just in case they started arguing and it escalated.

Elena's voice hardened. "Even though you could hurt him?"

"I would never hurt Jeremy."

"I know you think that but I can't take that risk," Elena declared, stepping closer to the older girl. "You're gonna have to let Jeremy go now."

Vicki glared at her, an angry snarl on her lips. "Oh really?" she slammed her phone down on the table and slowly approached Elena and Lucy, almost menacingly. "And how long have you been preparing a you're-not-good-enough speech? I'm presuming it predates the whole vampire thing."

"It's not really that you're not good enough, it's that you're too old for him," Lucy interjected, which wasn't really a smart thing to do. "I mean, you're a legal adult…Jeremy's a minor."

Vicki turned her glare to Lucy and advanced more. Elena grabbed Lucy's arm and pulled her as she stepped back.

"Look, all we're saying is Jeremy is not getting involved in any of this," Elena stated firmly. "I mean it, Vicki."

Vicki scoffed. "Or what?" Elena stiffened at Vicki's defiance and went to say something, but Vicki apparently had enough of the older Gilbert. She rushed at Elena, hand closing around her throat, pressing her up against the wall.

"Vicki!" Lucy shouted, running to help her sister.

Vicki didn't even look at Lucy as she pushed her away; Lucy went flying back, hitting the wall behind her.

"Let's get one thing straight, you perky little bitch," Vicki sneered at Elena, squeezing her throat threateningly. "You had my brother whipped for fifteen years. Fifteen years and then you dumped him. When I look at you that is all I see, just so you know. And I'm gonna see Jeremy whenever I wanna see Jeremy because I have some fun new toys to play with and I won't think twice about ripping your little head off. You got it—"

Vicki cut herself off, screaming loudly at the pain coursing through her body. As Vicki's grip from her throat loosened, Elena looked to see what was happening. Lucy stood behind Vicki, her hands pressed against the vampire's back, red energy entering her hands.

Lucy abruptly let go of Vicki and the vampire stopped screaming for a brief second before starting back up again. Lucy glared at Vicki, using the spell that Grams had taught her and Bonnie, and gave her an aneurysm over and over as Vicki's brain healed.

"Lucy!" Elena shouted over the sound of Vicki's cries. "Lucy, stop!"

Lucy didn't hear her; she was so angry at Vicki for hurting her sister, all she saw was red. She could feel the magic she siphoned from Vicki depleting, but she didn't care.

"Lucy!"

"Lucy!" hands grabbed her upper arms, trying to stop her from hurting Vicki further. Stefan hissed as Lucy siphoned magic from him and the sound brought her out of her angry haze. Lucy's wide hazel eyes watered as she stared up at Stefan. "Hey, hey, it's okay…"

"Oh, my God," Lucy shook her head, pushing Stefan's hands away from her as tears started falling down her cheeks. "I-I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I-I didn't mean to…I just…I'm s-sorry…"

Stefan frowned, not knowing how to comfort her without touching her. "It's okay, Lucy," he whispered and stepped closer, hands in the air to show her he meant no harm. "I'm okay and Vicki's healing, look…"

Lucy set her blurry gaze on Vicki, who looked confused as she stood from the floor. She gave Lucy a frightened look before zooming upstairs and out of sight.

"Come on," Stefan wrapped his arms around Lucy's shoulders, relieved when she was able to control her siphoning. He kept his voice soothing and comforting as he turned her, ready to lead her outside to calm down. "Let's go outside for a second, okay? You're okay, Lucy. I promise…everything's fine…"

Elena rubbed her aching throat and watched, bewildered, as Stefan calmed down her distraught sister. He was shockingly good at getting Lucy to relax—her siblings had a hard time getting her to do the same after her panic attacks regarding the accident. But there Stefan was, rubbing Lucy's back, cooing at her, wiping her tears.

It was strange for Elena because she didn't want to see her boyfriend—ex-boyfriend or whatever—all over her sister like that, even if she knew they were just friends and it was in Stefan's nature to comfort someone in distress. On the other hand, she was envious of Stefan's ability to calm her sister down when she couldn't.

Elena followed Stefan and Lucy until they were out of the house, standing just outside the front door in case Vicki needed assistance. Lucy pulled away from Stefan's side and leaned against a brick column, drying her tears.

Stefan gave her a concerned look but turned to Elena. "What happened?"

Elena told him about Vicki's almost-call to Jeremy and how she forbid the new vampire to call him or be around him. She mentioned Vicki's aggravated response and how she almost choked her out.

"She threatened me," Elena said, massaging her throat. She was angry even thinking about Vicki.

"She's on edge," Stefan defended Vicki. Though he was angry with her, he knew that she had little control over her emotions. "Imagine every sense in your body operating at super speed. I mean, she's uncomfortable in her own skin. And then when you throw in her other issues…"

"How long before it settles?" Elena demanded impatiently. "It's already been a month. How much longer could she need? Hours, days, weeks?"

"There's no rule book."

"How long did it take you to learn to control it?" Lucy spoke up, crossing her arms over her chest.

"A while," Stefan admitted. "But I didn't have anybody helping me. I had to do it on my own. The thing is, it's hard to resist certain people especially when you're new. It's difficult to separate your feelings; love, lust, anger, desire…it can all blur into one urge. Hunger."

Elena narrowed her eyes. "What does that mean?"

"It means that Jeremy can't see her," Stefan's eyebrows rose slightly with the seriousness in his tone. "Not now. She might not be able to resist him and she could hurt him."

"Or worse."

Stefan looked at Elena earnestly, hearing the waver in her voice. "I'm not gonna let anybody get hurt," he promised.

Elena gulped, overwhelmed by everything that had happened and the way Stefan was staring at her. "We need to get going."

"Elena…"

Elena shook her head. "Please, Stefan. There's only so much I can take."

As Elena walked toward the car, Lucy squeezed Stefan's hand gratefully before following after her. She couldn't believe she had lost control like that; she could have seriously hurt Vicki and she didn't want that. She didn't want to hurt anyone.

And the way Elena had looked at her…her older sister looked terrified at what was happening when she gave Vicki an aneurysm. She couldn't help herself, though. She was angry and for a brief moment, when the magic was rushing through her veins and Vicki's screams were in the background, she felt powerful.

Now that it was over, she only felt regret and sadness. She was lucky Stefan had arrived, otherwise she didn't know what could have happened.

"What are you supposed to be?"

Lucy looked from her reflection in the mirror to Jeremy, who stood by her open door.

"I'm a Rockford Peach," Lucy stated matter-of-factly. She smoothed down the skirt of her light pink dress and added, "You know, from '_A League of Their Own?_'" at Jeremy's blank expression, she huffed. "Tom Hanks! Geena Davis! Even Madonna's in it!"

"Oh, yeah, I know her," Jeremy nodded.

"Oh, my Lord, you've seen '_Toy Story_!'" Lucy hissed, frustrated. She exhaled slowly, soothing her temper. "Anyway, I'm going to the open house at school. Are you gonna come?"

"I don't know, maybe," Jeremy shrugged. "Dressing up is not really my thing."

"So don't dress up," Lucy shrugged and pulled on the red cap that matched her costume. "It's not that serious."

Lucy's phone dinged from her bed and she went to look at it. It was a message from Caroline, stating that she and Bonnie were waiting outside. She said her goodbyes to Jeremy, Jenna, and Elena, before walking out of the house.

"Look at you guys!" she smiled at Caroline and Bonnie, both of whom were dressed up as sexy witches. The irony for Bonnie was not lost on her. "I like the wig," she pointed at Bonnie's long blonde locks and then at Caroline's corset. "And the corset."

"Thank you. And I wish you would have matched with us, but you still look great," Caroline admitted with a wink. "_'A League of Their Own'_ is always a classic."

"I know, right?" Lucy laughed, climbing into Caroline's car. "Let's go. I'm hoping Tyler brought the cider."

Bonnie groaned in disgust. "God, I hope not."

The open house had a nice turnout that included younger kids all the way up to high school seniors. The school was heavily decorated with three haunted hallways, one for each age group. Most the teenagers were gathered out in the courtyard, listening to creepy music, talking to friends, and drinking whatever alcohol they could sneak past their parents.

Lucy, Bonnie, and Caroline were part of the crowd in the courtyard. They were observing their classmates and quietly judging their costumes with each other.

Tyler Lockwood approached them after a while, holding red plastic cups filled to the brim. "Cider for the ladies? It's a Lockwood special."

"No way," Bonnie denied a cup as Lucy eagerly grabbed one. "Last year I was hungover until Thanksgiving."

"Lightweight," Caroline muttered, amused, and grabbed another cup from Tyler. "I am going to drink until someone is hot enough to make out with."

Tyler made an impressed face. "Sounds like a plan."

"Hear, hear," Lucy agreed, holding up her cup. The three of them clinked each other's cups while Bonnie shook her head in disapproval.

"There you are!" Lucy cheered as she jogged toward Elena and Jeremy, a large smile covering her face. "Oh, my God, I can't believe you came!"

Elena frowned as Lucy sloppily wrapped her arms around Jeremy's shoulders. "Are you drunk?"

"Nah, tipsy!" Lucy said loudly so she could be heard over the music and people. "Tyler brought his cider."

"Ugh," Elena groaned, exasperated. "Just…come on."

Jeremy and Lucy obediently followed their sister further into the school, stopping when Elena paused to talk to Matt, who was dressed in the same costume as last year—the couples costume that he and Elena picked out together.

"You went with last year's costume too, huh?" he greeted Elena, gesturing to the scary nurse costume she had on.

"Yeah, I didn't know that I was coming until an hour ago," Elena lamented, holding up her fake limb.

"Me neither," Matt agreed, holding up his matching one. They smiled at each other and held the limbs into a high-five. Matt turned to Jeremy and looked at the black sweatshirt he was wearing. "And you're going as…you?"

Jeremy just rolled his eyes, detached himself from Lucy, and walked away.

"Ooh," Lucy cooed, amused. "Harsh."

Elena sent her a quick glare before turning back to Matt. "He's not talking to me right now. We got into a fight."

"Yeah, I got into it with Vick, too, when she got home," Matt sympathized. "I'm trying not to smother her tonight but part of me didn't wanna let her out of my sight."

This caught the attention of Lucy and Elena. Vicki was supposed to be at the Boarding House, safe with Stefan and Damon looking after her.

Elena raised her eyebrows. "She's here?"

"Yeah," Matt nodded. "You can't miss her. She's a vampire."

Lucy would have appreciated the irony just like she had with Bonnie's costume, but she was too worried about Jeremy. He had walked off and Vicki was probably looking for him at this very moment. It was too much of a risk for him, especially when there were so many people around to tempt Vicki's bloodlust.

"Where did Jeremy go?" Lucy asked Elena, her breath hitching.

"What's the matter?" Matt asked, looking between the sister, concerned.

"Uh, we gotta go find him," Elena stated, grabbing Lucy's hand. As they started walking away, she called back to Matt, "Sorry!"

Lucy and Elena spent twenty minutes searching for Jeremy or Vicki but so far, they had found nothing. Elena refused to split up because Lucy was having trouble sobering up, so they stuck together, looking through each haunted hallway and the snack table.

Finally, when they agreed to head to the courtyard, they ran into Vicki and Stefan.

"Thank God," Elena sighed in relief, dragging Lucy over to the two vampires.

"What's the matter?" Stefan wondered, his voice hurried.

"We lost track of Jeremy," Elena explained. "I was worried."

"Hey, what's going on?" Matt appeared behind Lucy, glaring at Stefan.

"Hey, uh, everything's fine," Stefan assured him, knowing that Matt was already testy from earlier when Stefan went to his house.

Vick took the opportunity to cause a distraction, allowing her to get away. She ripped her arm from Stefan's grasp and said, "I told you to quit bothering me."

"No, Vicki, don't do this," Lucy warned seriously.

Vicki ignored her, turning to her brother. "Matt, he won't leave me alone."

Matt glowered at Stefan. "You need to back off, man."

"Matt, it's okay," Elena tried to assure her ex-boyfriend.

"No, it's not okay," Matt disagreed, looking back at Stefan. "What the fuck is your problem?"

Lucy went to glare at Vicki, as if to say "look what you've done", but the newly-turned vampire wasn't there. She had disappeared and there was no trace of her.

"Stefan, Elena, she's gone!" she frantically told them.

Elena started running, grabbing Lucy's hand once again to drag her with her. The stakes were higher now; Jeremy was still missing and Vicki knew that his sisters were trying to find him. She'd be able to find him first and Lucy and Elena didn't want to take the risk of Vicki losing control and draining their brother dry.

They retraced their steps, hoping that Jeremy was just wandering around. Unfortunately, they didn't find him. All they saw were many people dressed gruesomely. Seriously, how many people dressed like vampires?

Finally, Lucy stopped in her tracks. Elena reared back, looking at her in concern.

"What?"

"If I was Vicki and I wanted to be alone with my boyfriend during a party, where would I go?" Lucy said thoughtfully, trying to put herself in Vicki's shoes.

Vicki didn't go to class much when she was in school. Instead, she skipped and hung out with her stoner friends in the area behind the school where the buses parked. It was appropriately deemed the 'stoner pit' and was a popular place if you wanted seclusion.

Elena and Lucy turned to each other, eyes wide in realization. "The stoner pit!"

They raced out of the hallway they were in and entered another, lit up with neon lights and decorated with orange and black streamers. They dodged costumed classmates, passed the cafeteria, and slammed open the door that led to the stoner pit.

They paused when they heard shouting in between the buses…it sounded exactly like Jeremy.

"No, Vicki, stop!" Jeremy—Lucy was sure it was him—yelled.

Lucy and Elena rushed toward the screaming, Elena grabbing a long, wood plank. They came to the space between the buses, spotting Jeremy being held against a bus, Vicki baring her fangs at him.

"Vicki, no!" Elena screamed.

Vicki pushed Jeremy away from her and angrily stomped toward Lucy and Elena. While Elena swung the plank at Vicki, Lucy rushed toward Jeremy, helping him off the concrete.

There was a crash and when Lucy and Jeremy looked to see what had happened, they gasped. Vicki had thrown Elena into a pile of spare wood, making the human groan in pain.

Vicki went to speed over to Elena but was stopped by Stefan. He wrapped his hand around her throat and slammed her into the front of the bus, hissing menacingly. From beside Lucy, Jeremy panicked.

"Vicki!" he shouted worriedly.

Vicki pushed Stefan away from her and sped out of sight. Stefan looked around for a second, trying to find her, but she was nowhere to be seen.

He looked from Elena to Lucy and Jeremy. "Go, get inside," he urged them. "Go!"

Lucy ran over and helped Elena up, wrapping an arm around her waist as she dragged her over to Jeremy. She grabbed Jeremy's hand and started to lead them into the school, opening the door and ushering them inside.

Before she could follow them into the school, she felt hands on her shoulders. There was a hissing sound and Lucy could feel the sharp edge of teeth in the flesh of her neck. It was painful, so painful, and she couldn't help but scream.

And then the fangs inside her neck were ripped away from her and there was a strangled gasp.

Lucy looked for the source, gasping in shock when she saw a broken piece of wood sticking out of Vicki's chest. Stefan pulled the plank out of Vicki and she panted wetly, blood soaking the bodice of her costume.

Lucy looked at Stefan in shock, seeing that he was staring at Vicki with wide eyes, as if he couldn't believe what he had just done.

"_VICKI_!"

Her brother's scream, full of so much pain, made Lucy jump. Ignoring the aching in her neck and the blood dripping down her body, she ran for him. She wrapped her arms around Jeremy, hugging him tightly as he cried in agony.

She watched sadly as Vicki's eyes leaked blood and her skin turned a sickly gray. Dark black veins started popping up throughout her uncovered skin and she fell to the ground, completely still.

"Vicki!" Jeremy sobbed and Lucy had to choke back her own.

Vicki didn't deserve this; she didn't deserve to be a vampire and she didn't deserve being killed. She deserved better.

Hot, sticky tears rolled down Lucy's face as she laid her head on Jeremy's, holding him as tightly as she could. She never wanted Jeremy to feel the grief that he had when their parents died, but here he was.

"Get them out of here," Elena ordered, looking at Stefan.

Stefan nodded and walked over to Lucy and Jeremy, helping them off the ground. Lucy clung to her inconsolable brother, whispering soothing words and rubbing his back through her own tears. She was so focused on Jeremy that she didn't notice Stefan taking out his phone and calling Damon to ask for help.

Lucy held Jeremy's hand tightly as he rocked back and forth on his bed, sobbing. She didn't know what to say to make him feel better. And there was nothing. The girl he loved was killed right in front of him, he had a right to be sad…to grieve.

"I'm so sorry, Jere," she whispered, brushing his hair back from his forehead. "I'm so sorry."

Jeremy whimpered, calming down slightly. He had cried so much he was becoming numb.

The door opened and Elena walked into the room, settling herself across from Jeremy and Lucy. She smiled sadly at Jeremy and took his hands.

"Do you understand what happened tonight?" she asked softly.

"No," Jeremy whispered thickly. "I don't understand. I mean, I know what I saw, but…I don't understand."

Elena inhaled sharply. "She hurt you and me and she was going to kill Lucy."

"And now she's dead. Vicki's dead," more tears slipped down Jeremy's damp face.

"I'm so sorry, Jere," Elena apologized and went to hug him. Jeremy pushed her away, another round of sobs racking his chest.

"Make it stop," he sobbed, leaning his head on Lucy's shoulder. "It hurts."

Lucy's eyes prickled with tears as she squeezed him. "Shh," she tried to soothe him. "It's okay."

"Why does everybody have to die on me?"

Jeremy's broken voice practically killed Lucy. She buried her face in his hair and cried while Elena wrapped both of them into a strong hug.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I'm so sorry."

Ten minutes later, Lucy excused herself, allowing Elena and Jeremy to take some time alone. She wandered downstairs to the porch where Stefan told her he'd be. He was sitting in the porch swing, looking as destroyed as she felt.

"Are you okay?" she asked, wiping her tearful face.

Stefan stood at the sound of her voice. In the light, she could see that his eyes were red and glassy. "I, uh, I wanted to help her," he confessed, shaking his head guiltily. "But instead…" he paused, swallowing thickly. "How's Jeremy doing?"

"He's a mess," Lucy informed him, voice wavering with emotion. "We already went through this and he's just a kid…" more tears dripped from her eyes and she angrily wiped them away. "I don't know what to say to him. I-I—"

"Hey…" Stefan grabbed Lucy's hands and rubbing the back of them with his thumbs. "Lucy, what can I do? What can I do to help? I'll do anything."

There was a creak behind them as Elena stepped out onto the porch. "Can you make him forget?" she asked Stefan seriously.

Stefan dropped Lucy's hands and shook his head, looking regretful. "Elena…"

"Stefan, please," Elena pleaded, eyes glazed over with tears. "I don't know how he'll ever get past this. I just want him to forget everything that happened."

Lucy shook her head. "No, we aren't doing that," she protested. "We're not compelling away his memories, Elena."

There was no way she would let Elena take Jeremy's memories. He needed to grieve and move on in a healthy way; loosing those memories wouldn't help him do that. Even if Jeremy wanted that, it was his choice. Elena was taking that away from him.

Elena ignored her, staring up at Stefan. "Stefan…"

"If I did it, there's no guarantee that it would work," Stefan said reluctantly. "Because of who I am, because of how I live. I don't have the ability to do it right."

"I can do it."

All three of them turned to look at Damon as he ambled onto the porch.

"If this is what you want," he continued. "I'll do it."

"We're not doing this to Jeremy!" Lucy spoke up angrily. Elena, Stefan, and Damon turned to her, surprised. "He needs to grieve, he needs to understand."

"Mom and Dad almost destroyed him, Lucy," Elena argued. "This will make things worse."

"Doing this won't make it right. You can't play with Jeremy's head like that, you can't take away his right to grieve for the girl he loved," Lucy tried to make her sister understand. "If you do this, you're taking away his right to choose."

"This is my choice—"

"No, it's not!" Lucy interrupted her sister. She turned her pleading eyes to Stefan, hoping that he would back her up. "Stefan, you didn't like when Katherine compelled you, did you?"

Stefan bit his lip, looking as if he was going to agree with her. One look at Elena seemed to change his mind. "Elena…"

"It's what I want," Elena said firmly, knowing that Stefan would give in if it's what she wanted.

Lucy sagged, defeated and disappointed. She gave Stefan a sad look and stomped past him, her sister, and Damon, back into the house. She didn't want to watch this happen to Jeremy, she wanted absolutely no part in it.

She needed to call Joel; she wanted to know where he was at with getting vervain.


	8. Damon's Plan

**[1x08; 162 Candles]**

"I don't want to talk to you," Lucy declared as she stumbled out of her bathroom an hour after her altercation with the Salvatore brothers and Elena. She spent most of the time standing under the hot spray of her shower, letting the blood and tears wash away from her skin. After she stepped out of the shower, she diligently cleaned and disinfected her neck where Vicki bit into it.

Her exhausted, red-rimmed eyes fell upon Stefan where he was sitting on her bed, waiting for her. He stood up at her words and nervously hovered a few feet away from her as she climbed into her bed, situating herself under the thin comforter.

"You don't have to talk if you don't want to," he assured her. "I just wanted to apologize."

Lucy raised her eyebrows, surprised. She knew Stefan would eventually apologize—that's the kind of guy he was—but she didn't expect it so soon.

"You were right," Stefan admitted regretfully. "I didn't like when Katherine compelled me. I should have said something. I should have supported you and I'm sorry."

Lucy bit her lip, thoughtful. Stefan sounded sincere, which was more than she was going to get from Elena. Stefan didn't even do the compelling and yeah, he didn't support her when she spoke up in Jeremy's defense, but what did she expect him to do? Disagree with the girl he loved when they were already on the fence?

"I forgive you," Lucy sighed, her lips quirking when Stefan's tense shoulders slumped in relief. "But I don't want Jeremy compelled again. I mean it, Stefan."

Stefan nodded, silently agreeing with her. Jeremy didn't deserve to have his head messed with. "I'll tell Damon," he told her. "By the way, Elena got a call from Matt and we're supposed to be questioned by Sheriff Forbes tomorrow about Vicki."

"Great," she groaned. She was a horrible liar and there was no way she would be able to convince Liz that she was telling the truth about Vicki leaving town. It was Liz, after all. She had grown up around the Forbes household and her best friend's mom witnessed her terrible lying skills first hand.

Stefan chuckled, knowing exactly what was going through her mind. "I'll pick you up early, we'll go over the story."

Lucy nodded sleepily and Stefan smiled in response. He slowly walked over to her open window, curtains flapping in the light breeze. "Goodnight, Luce. Sleep well."

"Night, Broody," Lucy sighed, snuggling into her pillow. "Happy birthday."

"Lucy, you're here because Matt Donovan claimed that you were one of the last people he saw with Vicki last night," Liz Forbes, sheriff of Mystic Falls, told the brunette in front of her. She held a hand over a clean sheet of paper, pen cocked and ready to record Lucy's words. "You're not in trouble. I just want to ask you some questions."

Lucy smiled politely. "Of course."

"All right," Liz stated, beginning the interview. "Did you know that Vicki was going to leave town?"

"No," Lucy said, going over what she and Stefan rehearsed on the way to City Hall. "Jeremy told me."

"Do you know if she told Matt where she was going?"

"Not that I know of."

"Okay," Liz scribbled something on her notebook. "What was Vicki's behavior like those last few days before she left?"

Lucy shrugged, frowning. "She seemed off to me. Like she was coming down from a huge high."

"Any signs of aggression or violence?" Liz prodded further.

"None that I saw," Lucy lied, thinking of her neck. It had taken a heavy layer of concealer to cover up the bite mark Vicki had given her. Even then she decided to wear a scarf around her neck; she was thankful for the cool fall temperatures finally coming in so the accessory wouldn't look out of place.

"So you believe that Vicki has really left town?"

"Yes," Lucy nodded.

She felt so guilty for lying to Matt and Jeremy about Vicki's whereabouts. They both loved her so much and she was dead, probably buried out in the woods. They would never know, they would never get that closure and it was heartbreaking.

"All right," Liz wrote down her final assessment and stood up, giving Lucy a kind smile. "Thanks for coming in, Lucy."

"It's no problem, Liz," Lucy stood from her seat and allowed Liz to escort her out of the office. "Will you let me know if you find anything on Vicki?"

"Of course, honey," Liz nodded, opening her office door and allowing Lucy to step through. "Have a good day."

"You too," Lucy pulled her phone from her purse and typed a quick message to Jenna that she was done. Since Lucy was the last to be questioned, Jenna, Jeremy, and Elena had already headed to the car to wait for her.

Once Liz waved her off, Lucy traveled through City Hall, politely waving at some of the deputies and government workers she knew from various town parties and activities. She pushed out of the building and hurried down the small set of stairs, stopping in her tracks when she saw Stefan and Elena conversing next to the car Stefan was borrowing from his dead nephew.

They stopped talking as she approached, both of them looking upset at one another.

"I'll tell Jenna you'll be a minute," Elena sighed, giving Lucy a sad look.

Lucy didn't reply. She was still not happy with Elena about the whole compel-Jeremy situation. She wasn't happy with Stefan, either, but at least he apologized. Elena didn't bother.

When Elena was out of hearing distance, she turned to Stefan. "Everything okay?"

"It's fine," he shrugged. His eyebrows raised as he asked, "How'd it go?"

"I think Liz believed me," Lucy said, relieved. "I'm surprised. She once caught me and Caroline lying after we snuck out together. We were grounded for two weeks."

"Ouch," Stefan snorted, amused. "I can't believe you snuck out. I didn't think you were a rule-breaker."

"Well, I am," Lucy stated defiantly. "I break rules all the time."

Stefan scoffed teasingly. He was only disagreeing to get a rise out of her. "Sure you do, Goofy."

"I do!" she scowled at him, only for her to relax when she saw the plain amusement on his face. She decided to do a little teasing of her own. "Wow, okay. We're not friends anymore."

"Aw, but it's my birthday," Stefan complained, playing along. "You can't friend-dump me today. A guy only turns one hundred and sixty-two once."

"Wow, you're old."

"That's it, I'm not letting you meet Lexi."

"No, no, no!" Lucy said hurriedly. She so desperately wanted to meet the woman who Stefan called his best friend. She heard a lot of stories about Lexi and, fortunately, the vampire arrived in town today for Stefan's birthday. "I'll be good, I swear! No jokes about you being an old, creepy man."

"Well, now you're really not going to meet her," Stefan smirked.

"Stefan!"

"Say I'm not creepy," he laughed at the childish pout she gave him. "Come on, Luce. Say it."

Lucy sighed. "Fine, you're not creepy."

"I know I'm not," he grinned.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she glanced over at Jenna's car, seeing that her family was growing impatient. She turned back to Stefan and said, "I'll be over at six or so. Does Lexi like pizza?"

"Yes."

"Great!" Lucy exclaimed, already turning to walk to Jenna's car. "See you soon!"

Lucy sliced up the two homemade pizzas she cooked, placing them into three separate containers—one for her, one for Stefan, and one for Lexi. She gathered the containers and gently placed them into a tote bag, along with Stefan's neatly wrapped birthday gift. She started to clean up the mess she made in the kitchen while she waited for Jenna to come downstairs and give her a ride to the Boarding House.

Jeremy wandered downstairs while Lucy was finishing up, setting many notebooks and textbooks on the dining table. He sat down and quietly got to work, stressing over how much work he had to do. He was so behind in his classes. Lucy quickly finished cleaning and walked over to the living room, giving Jeremy a pat on the shoulder as she passed. She plopped down on the couch and smiled slightly when Jenna and Elena slumped down on either side of her.

"You guys are wallowing," Jenna declared, looking at her nieces.

Lucy frowned. "I'm not wallowing. I have nothing to wallow over."

"Well, I am," Elena sighed. "And so are you, Jenna."

"My wallow is legitimate," Jenna defended herself. "I was dumped."

"Stefan had a girl over," Elena countered, remembering the gorgeous blonde she encountered when she went to speak to Stefan—the blonde who was only in a towel.

"Well, Logan's a jerk," Lucy stated matter-of-factly. "And Lexi is Stefan's best friend."

"Logan sent me a brush-off email, saying, 'I'm leaving town, see ya.'"

"Stefan didn't even tell me about this so-called Lexi."

Lucy rolled her eyes; Jenna and Elena needed to pull themselves together. It was really bringing her down and she was in a good mood. She loved birthdays, no matter if it was hers or her friends'.

"Hey, wanna keep it down over there?" Jeremy called from the dining room.

Jenna shifted around on the couch so she was able to look back at Jeremy. "Why, what are you doing?"

"Homework."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows and turned around as well, exchanging mystified looks with her aunt and sister. Jeremy didn't pay attention to their disbelief; he kept on solving his math equations.

"Since when do you do homework?" Elena wondered, looking at Jeremy with narrowed eyes.

"I gotta finish this," Jeremy's voice was stressed, which was a first when it came to anything that had to do with school—he usually didn't care enough. "I'm way behind and I have a quiz tomorrow, so…"

Lucy was understandably confused. Jeremy had been blowing off school since their mom and dad died and now, all of a sudden, he cared? The timing was a little suspicious; Damon had compelled his memories away the previous night. What if the older Salvatore did more than he was asked?

"What do you think?" Elena looked over at Lucy and Jenna. "Alien?"

"Some sort of replicant," Jenna disagreed, studying Jeremy closely.

Jeremy looked up from his work, giving them an annoyed look. "He can hear you."

"Okay," Lucy sighed, checking her watch. She hopped to her feet and pulled on Jenna's hand. "I need you to drive me to Stefan's house."

Twenty minutes later, after Elena almost threw a fit about Lucy going to Stefan's house without her and Caroline called to inform her about a party she was throwing at the Grill, Lucy was finally dropped off at the Salvatore Boarding House by Jenna. She thanked her aunt and rushed up to the door, ringing the bell.

The door opened, revealing the smug face of Damon Salvatore.

"Oh, it's you," Lucy sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Ouch," Damon smirked, shifting out of the way so she could enter the house. "Tell me how you really feel, Twitch. Get it? Teen witch?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes at him as he chuckled to himself, proud of the nickname he gave her.

"Fine, _Dracula_," she hit him back with an equally ridiculous nickname. "You need a haircut and having three buttons undone isn't in style anymore unless you're a pervert waiting to lure young girls in your trap," she gestured to his shirt, giving him a judgmental look.

Damon narrowed his eyes and quickly buttoned his shirt. "I was distracted."

"Hmm," she smiled fakely. "I'm sure you were, sweetie."

Damon rolled his eyes, secretly admiring Lucy's spunk, and gestured to the living room. "Stefan and his guest are through there, pinning the tail on the donkey."

Lucy gave him a sickly-sweet smile that he saw right through. "Thanks, bud."

She left the vampire's presence and headed straight into the living room. Stefan and Lexi were waiting for her, chuckling quietly at the bewildered look on Damon's face as Lucy walked past him. It was nice watching someone put Damon in his place, especially without violence.

Lucy's smile turned genuine as she spotted her friend and the blonde vampire next to him. Lexi looked to be a few years older than Stefan with a slim body and a kind smile. Her long blonde hair made Lucy envious that she couldn't tolerate longer hair because the style looked great on the vampire.

"Hi," she greeted Lexi excitedly, setting down the bag of food and completely ignoring Stefan. "You must be Lexi. I'm Lucy, I've been dying to meet you."

She held out her hand for Lexi to shake, mentally steeling herself so she wouldn't accidently siphon from her. Lexi gently pushed her hand out of the way and, with a friendly smile, pulled Lucy into a hug.

"I'm a hugger," Lexi told Lucy as she pulled out of the tight embrace. "And it's great to meet you. Stefan's told me all about my replacement."

Lucy scoffed. "I don't think I could replace you. I mean, I just met you and I like you better than Stefan."

"What a coincidence," Lexi laughed. "I like you better than Stefan, too!"

"All right, Stefan is right here," Stefan objected loudly. "And this was a mistake. Lucy, you can go home now. Bye."

"Shush, Stef, be nice," Lexi reprimanded him, causing Lucy to send him a smug smile behind the older vampire's back. He playfully narrowed his eyes at her in return.

"Yeah, don't you want your present?" Lucy raised her eyebrows at him. "And homemade pizza?"

Stefan pretended to think for a second before sighing, a happy smile on his face. "You had me at homemade pizza and presents."

Lucy beamed and walked back over to her bag, pulling Stefan's present from it. She handed the small parcel over to him and shyly turned away and pulled the food out of the bag as he ripped off the colorful paper.

Stefan felt grateful as he read the brand name on the velvety box within the paper. He opened the box and grinned when he saw the expensive watch snuggled within—with a navy-blue face and leather band, it had a classic yet attractive design that he really liked.

"I know it's not a friendship bracelet, per se, but…" Lucy shrugged. By the look on his face, she counted the gift as a win.

"This is great, Luce," Stefan handed the watch to Lexi to look at and shuffled over to Lucy, wrapping his arms around her. "Thank you so much. I love it."

Lucy smiled into Stefan's shoulder and squeezed him slightly before pulling away. Her stomach was feeling weird, like she had just gone down a huge hill on a rollercoaster.

"Happy birthday, Stefan."

"I honestly can't believe you convinced Stefan to go to a party," Lucy laughed as she and Lexi walked into the Mystic Grill. Stefan wanted to stop by to see Elena beforehand to clear up any confusion about Lexi, so Lucy and Lexi decided to go ahead of him.

"The trick is to remind him how much fun he could have," Lexi advised with a smile. She chuckled and added, "All I have to do is remind him about the time he jumped into the Trevi Fountain naked and he usually gives in. Granted, it might just be to shut me up."

Lucy's eyes widened in astonishment. Stefan Salvatore, jumping naked into a historic fountain? On his own accord? She couldn't even imagine it.

"Stefan really did that?" she asked, amazed.

Lexi nodded with a grin. "We also got drunk on the torch of the Statue of Liberty."

"Wow," Lucy breathed. She knew that Stefan felt comfortable around her, but she wished their friendship could be at the level he and Lexi were at. She adored Stefan and wanted to see all sides of him. She guessed that came with time.

Lexi observed the expression on Lucy's face and smiled to herself. Stefan loved Elena and Lexi was so happy for him, but she was glad he had Lucy too. There was something special about their relationship that he and the older Gilbert didn't seem to have. Then again, she hadn't exactly seen Stefan and Elena together yet.

"This place is nice," Lexi complimented, looking around the Grill. There were many kids around Lucy's age crowded around tables, talking, drinking, and eating together. "Looks like a good turnout."

"Caroline has that effect," Lucy stated proudly, looking around the restaurant for her best friend.

She spotted Caroline across the restaurant, standing next to Damon. Damon didn't look pleased with the blonde but when his eyes met Lucy's, his expression changed into his usual smirk. He excused himself from Caroline and started approaching Lucy and Lexi.

"Incoming," Lucy sighed to Lexi, rolling her eyes in Damon's direction.

Lexi snorted. "Lovely."

"Where's my brother?" Damon greeted them, looking behind them for Stefan.

"He said he'd meet us here," Lexi informed him.

Damon nodded. "Buy you guys a-"

Damon didn't get to finish his offer as Lexi grabbed Lucy's hand and dragged her away from the raven-haired vampire. Lexi ushered Lucy to the bar and quickly ordered them drinks, compelling the bartender so he wouldn't check their IDs.

"So I'm guessing that you're not a fan of Damon, either," Lucy said, looking over at the blonde. She sensed the same hostility from the older vampire that Stefan held for his brother.

"You'd be guessing right," Lexi confirmed, giving the bartender a charming smile as he handed her a sangria and martini. She handed the sangria to Lucy and added, "We slept together once."

Lucy gasped, completely surprised. "Really?"

"Yep," Lexi took a heavy sip of her drink, looking regretful. "And then he left me to burn on the roof of a bar."

"Damn," Lucy narrowed her eyes and looked at Damon where he was sitting at the other end of the bar, flirting with one of the waitresses. "What a dick."

Lexi laughed. "You got that right. There was one time…"

Lucy listened intently to Lexi as she recalled what happened to Damon and Stefan in New Orleans during the 1940s with a girl Damon had changed. Somehow the story turned into the one about Stefan jumping into the Trevi Fountain, which Lucy enjoyed immensely. It sounded like Lexi and Stefan had a lot of fun through the years.

Lucy was sipping down the last of her sangria when Caroline approached her and Lexi, a bright smile adorning her face.

"Hey!" she pulled Lucy into a tight hug; Lucy gladly returned it. "I'm glad you came. Who's your friend?"

"Oh!" Lucy pulled away from Caroline and gestured to Lexi, who was smiling politely. "Lexi, this is Caroline, my best friend."

"Nice to meet you," Lexi hugged Caroline, surprising the younger blonde. "Do you want a drink? I was just getting me and Lucy another one."

"Uh, sure. Thanks," Caroline agreed as Lexi turned to the bar. "So, are you new in town?"

"She's Stefan's best friend," Lucy told Caroline, her eyebrows raised.

"Wow, I didn't know Stefan had so many friends," Caroline joked making Lexi laugh.

"Oh, he doesn't."

"Why are you guys so obsessed with the amount of friends I have?" Stefan's voice came from behind Lucy and Lexi.

Caroline snickered as Lucy's eyes widened, though Lexi just faced her friend with a smirk.

"Because it's a real concern, Stefan," she chided, handing him a drink. "You brood too much and you need someone to balance you out."

Lucy laughed at Lexi's words and pulled her tequila sunrise off the bar, taking a sip. The alcohol stung her throat but the orange juice soothed it, making it a tasty combination.

"Hey, let's dance!" Lexi suggested as a new song played over the speakers.

"No, no, no," Stefan refused immediately.

"Come on, Broody!" Lucy pouted, her head feeling a good kind of fuzzy.

Stefan rolled his eyes but ultimately agreed, "Fine."

After Caroline excused herself, wanting to speak with Bonnie, Lucy and Lexi dragged Stefan onto the dance floor. The space was crowded with dancing teenagers but Lucy thrived in an environment like this—dancing with her friends was so fun to her.

Lucy and Lexi immediately started dancing to the beat, jumping up and down and twisting their hips. Stefan stood next to them awkwardly, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but there on the dance floor.

"Okay, we're gonna need a little more foot movement!" Lexi scolded Stefan, bopping her head to the beat.

"Yeah, I'm not really interested in making a fool of myself," Stefan replied, looking around the bar.

"Come on," Lucy breathed, beaming. She took his hands and tried to force him to dance, meeting much resistance. "You're not _that _bad!"

Stefan sighed and took Lucy's hand, twirling her around. "Do me a favor and tell me if you see Damon with a camera phone."

Lexi agreed and watched with a smile as Stefan and Lucy danced goofily together. The smile on Stefan's face was blinding and Lexi realized that she hadn't seen him so happy in a long time. It seemed like the Gilbert sisters were a good thing in his life.

Lucy dried her hands on a paper towel and threw it in the trash before walking out of the bathroom. She had left Stefan and Lexi at the pool tables to find Caroline and Bonnie but she was distracted by her need for the bathroom. Having taken care of that problem, she was free to find her friends.

She found Caroline and Bonnie happened to be beside her. Unfortunately, it looked like they were arguing. Before she could even start to walk over to them, Damon stepped in front of her, a cocky smirk on his face.

"Having fun at my party?" he asked, handing her a glass of clear liquid. To her surprise, it was water, which was actually exactly what she needed.

"Your party?" Lucy asked after she swallowed the cold water. "Caroline planned this."

"No, I asked Caroline to throw Stefan a party," Damon corrected her.

"You're supposed to be staying away from Caroline," she reminded him, eyebrows furrowed unhappily.

"Relax, I'm not starting that again," Damon rolled his eyes. "This is me simply being a better brother."

Lucy didn't believe Damon, but his words did remind her of something. "Speaking of brothers, what did you do to mine?"

"Pardon?"

"I know you compelled his memories away," Lucy acknowledged. "But he's not...he's acting weird. He was doing homework today and he didn't even do homework before our mom and dad died."

"Oh," Damon raised his chin in recognition. Elena had just asked him the same thing, so he wasn't surprised Lucy was wondering about Jeremy as well. "I took away his suffering. You're welcome."

Damon walked away before Lucy could respond. She sighed and reluctantly admitted to herself that she was glad Jeremy didn't have to suffer through his grief. Was it the best thing for him? No, but she just wanted him to be okay.

Noticing that Bonnie and Caroline had split up, Lucy made her way back to the pool table. Lexi wasn't there, but Stefan was playing around, shooting his assigned striped balls into the various pockets around the table.

"Where's Lexi?" she wondered, picking up a discarded stick and wandering over to Stefan's side.

"Well," Stefan paused, shooting another ball into a side pocket. "She was getting us shots but she's talking to Elena now."

"Really?" Lucy perked up, her eyes wandering to find Lexi and her sister. She found them at the bar, Lexi throwing back at shot before speaking to Elena. "Is she hyping you up?"

Stefan grinned at the smile on Lucy's face. "You could say that."

"Good," Lucy took her turn, sloppily aiming her stick at one of the solid balls. It was no surprise that she ended up missing the shot. "You and Elena mope way to much without each other."

"Um…"

"It's not a bad thing," Lucy assured him with a wink. "That just shows you how much you like each other, right?"

Stefan nodded, relieved. "Right."

"Come on, it's your turn."

It was only two turns later, when Stefan was taking his last shot, that Lexi came back to them. She gave Stefan a guilty smile and declared, "Yep, I drank yours. Sorry."

Stefan smiled fondly at her; he was so lucky that he met her all those years ago. Lexi was one of the only good things that his vampirism brought him.

"Thank you."

"You weren't supposed to be listening," Lexi scolded him lightly. When Stefan continued to smile at her, she sighed, "I was feeling epic...Whatever…"

Another hour passed and, after Elena joined Stefan at the pool tables, Lucy gave them some privacy. She spent that time with Bonnie, quietly discussing the ugly brown jewel that Caroline had given her to wear for her Halloween costume.

In a weird twist of events, the jewel turned out to be a talisman of one of Bonnie's ancestors. It belonged to her great-great-grandmother, Emily, who was a powerful witch who lived in Mystic Falls during the Civil War. Even weirder was the fact that it was Damon who have the jewel to Caroline.

Unfortunately, Damon wanted the talisman back. He had tried to rip it off Bonnie's neck the night before and now he had Caroline trying to do the same. It puzzled both girls; why would Damon want the talisman so much?

Lucy was about to ask Bonnie about what Grams had to say about the situation when she spotted Liz leading a weakened Lexi out of the Grill. Her heart practically leapt into overdrive and she hurriedly stood up—something bad was going to happen to Lexi.

"Bonnie, I'll be right back," she threw over her shoulder as she hurried after the police officers.

She was stopped at the door by two deputies.

"Can't go out this way," one of them told her.

"Would you just move!" she exclaimed angrily.

"Ma'am-"

"Hey, hey," Stefan came up behind her, wrapping his hand around her wrist. "Excuse us," he tried to go out the door, but the same deputy spoke again.

"You can't go out this way."

Stefan didn't bother to waste time arguing; he had to get to Lexi before something bad happened. He swiftly turned around and found another exit, heading straight to the door. Lucy and Elena followed him, both worried.

The three of them exited the Grill and ran around the building, trying to find Lexi. When the sound of gun shots went off, they quickened their pace. Just as they went to run around the corner, Stefan stopped, shocked at what he was seeing.

Damon had ran in between Sheriff Forbes and Lexi, sticking a wooden stake in Lexi's chest, piercing her heart. Stefan gasped in shock, stopping Lucy and Elena in their tracks. Lucy peaked around him, tears wetting her eyes at the sight of Lexi's rapidly-graying body.

"Oh, my God," Stefan whispered, his voice filled with grief and anger.

Lexi fell to the ground, dark veins popping up all over her body. Lucy covered her mouth with one hand and grabbed Stefan's with the other as Damon picked her up and put her in the back of Liz' cruiser.

"I'm gonna fucking kill him," Stefan growled furiously as Damon and Liz entered the Grill. The veins under his eyes visibly flared, his eyes tinting red.

He ripped his hand away from Lucy's and stormed away from the restaurant, hoping to catch Damon at home. Lucy's watery eyes fell away from the spot where Lexi had laid and followed his form worriedly.

Yeah, Stefan deserved to kill Damon, but would he be able to? Not only was Damon stronger than him, but he was still Stefan's brother.

"Stefan!" Elena called, rushing after him; Lucy followed them both. "Stefan!"

Elena quickened her pace and grabbed Stefan's arm, turning him to face her.

"He killed her!" Stefan sneered, tears falling from his eyes. "He killed Zach, he killed Tanner, he turned Vicki. I have to kill him!"

"No, you can't do that," Elena objected.

Stefan reared back, astonished by her words. "Why are you trying to save him?" he asked harshly. "Elena, he's never gonna change. Don't you see that? He's not gonna change."

"I'm not trying to save him," Elena denied. "I'm trying to save you. You have no idea what this will do to you. Please, Stefan…"

"Stefan…" Lucy spoke up. When Stefan's eyes went to her, she tried to silently show him that whatever he did, she would support him. Deep down she knew Stefan wouldn't kill Damon, but that was his choice and his choice only. She wasn't going to interfere.

"Everywhere I go, pain and death follow," Stefan said quietly, his face showing his acceptance of his situation; Damon would never give up his obsession with destroying his life. "Damon follows me. No more."

When he went to walk off, Elena quickly grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Stefan, please," she begged. "Please just talk to me. Let me be here for you. Talk to me."

"No," Stefan shook his head and released Elena's hold on him. "You were right to stay away from me."

When Stefan walked away, this time Elena didn't stop him. Lucy approached Elena, coming to a stop by her side.

"He won't do it," she whispered. "Even if Damon does deserve it."

Elena sighed and shook her head, giving her sister a sad smile. "Come on, I'll take you home."

"Home sounds nice."

Lucy allowed Elena to fuss over her as she drove both of them home. She wasn't annoyed by Elena's disapproval of her drinking or what she said about Damon—she didn't care about that right now. All she knew was if something happened to Elena like what happened to Lexi, she would go out of her mind.


	9. The Haunting of Bonnie Bennett

**[1x09; History Repeating]**

Lucy's junior year was going quicker than she thought possible. Thanksgiving passed by with a blur of watery mashed potatoes—Jenna and Joel were in charge of that particular side dish—delicious pumpkin pie provided by the Grill and Grayson Gilbert's famous apple strudel that Lucy attempted to replicate. The holiday was melancholy with the absence of their parents, but Jenna made sure that Lucy, Joel, Elena, and Jeremy had a nice time. It helped that their uncle, John, was on a business trip and unable to attend.

Other than the short Thanksgiving break, school was becoming busy. Not only were finals coming up with the end of the semester, but Lucy was starting her ACT prep. A good ACT score would do wonders for her college applications and with the help she was getting from the humongous book she bought online, she knew she would rock the standardized testing.

Added to test prep and finals? Driver's Ed.

Lucy was still worried about learning to drive but she knew she couldn't put it off any longer. She didn't want to be the only sixteen-year-old girl in Mystic Falls who didn't know how to drive and she didn't want to have to rely on her family and friends to get her places. Besides, if she trusted anyone behind the wheel of a vehicle, it would probably be herself. So, when the new classes started, Lucy allowed Jenna to sign her up-even though it took Jeremy promising to take them with her to actually give in.

With the stress from her education and driver's ed, there was also friend drama. Not between her and anyone, but between Bonnie and Caroline. Ever since the night of Stefan's party, the girls hadn't been talking. The only time Lucy had been allowed to speak to Bonnie was during their sessions at Grams' house. Otherwise, Caroline had a tight handle on her. With Lucy sticking with Caroline—even though she thought both Caroline and Bonnie were wrong—Elena stuck with Bonnie. Needless to say, there were a lot of silent lunches between the four of them.

"Have you even talked to Bonnie?" Elena asked Caroline as they walked with Lucy up the sidewalk to school.

"No, I'm mad at her," Caroline declared, straightening her back in defiance. "She needs to make the first move."

"Be the bigger person," Elena advised.

Caroline scoffed. "Impossible in her presence."

"Why are you so pissed at her, anyway?" Elena wondered, having never getting the reason for their feud out of Bonnie.

"She's a thief!" Lucy rolled her eyes, having heard Caroline's argument over and over again. Caroline caught Lucy's actions but decided to ignore her. "I gave her my necklace and she refuses to give it back. It's a matter of principle."

"All right," Elena sighed, putting her hands up in defeat. "I tried. I'm officially out of it."

Caroline nodded in understanding. "Good. Where's Stefan? Have you talked to him?"

Stefan was a sore subject with both of the Gilbert girls. The vampire hadn't contacted Elena once since his birthday, even when she called and left him many messages. It upset Elena and Lucy didn't blame her one bit. Even if she understood where Stefan was coming from-his brother killed his best friend, after all-it didn't excuse the fact that he was avoiding Elena.

And her.

Stefan called her only once after his birthday and it was to inform her that he didn't kill Damon. After that, there was no contact—not even when she and Elena decided to invite him to Thanksgiving. It was disheartening, she wasn't going to lie, and she really missed him. Stefan was becoming one of her best friends and she really felt his absence.

"He's avoiding me," Elena confessed while Lucy huffed.

"Why?" Caroline asked Elena but sneakily looked to Lucy, knowing that Stefan was ignoring her too.

"It's complicated," Elena fibbed, pausing when the bell rang. She waved at Lucy and Caroline as she started to walk to her first class. "See you later."

"Bye," Lucy and Caroline chorused.

"So," Caroline started as she and Lucy continued to walk to their class. "What were you thinking for your birthday?"

Lucy frowned; she usually loved birthdays but the closer she got to hers, the more she was dreading it. It was her first birthday without her parents and she didn't feel like celebrating without them.

"I wasn't thinking about anything," Lucy grumbled.

"It's your sixteenth birthday, Luce," Caroline gave her a sympathetic look. "I know you miss your mom and dad, but you know they'd want you to celebrate," Lucy shrugged and Caroline decided to compromise. "Okay, we don't have to have a party. It'll just be you, me, my mom, Bonnie, and your family. We'll have lasagna and coconut cake. Sound good?"

Lucy smiled slightly, appreciating the fact that Caroline put aside her controlling tendencies to make her feel better. "That sounds great, Care."

"Good! Now, what should we—" Caroline paused as they came across Matt who was walking out of the school.

"Hey!" he greeted, smiling at Caroline.

Caroline flustered and waved awkwardly, much to the amusement of Lucy. "Hey!"

The blonde watched Matt walk away before reluctantly turning to her best friend.

"What was that?" Lucy asked, beaming. Matt hadn't even looked at her when he greeted them, his eyes were for Caroline only. Caroline's cheeks were light pink as she avoided Lucy's gaze. "Seriously, Carebear, what was that? Are you and Matt…?"

"No, no!" Caroline interrupted her. "It's not like that. We're friends now."

"You were friends before," Lucy pointed out as they walked into the school.

"Well, we're better friends now," Caroline shrugged nonchalantly. She honestly didn't want to tell Lucy about her developing crush on Matt. Talk about embarrassing. "I'll see you later, okay?"

"Yeah, bye…" Lucy waved at Caroline as they parted ways, heading to their respective classes.

Mr. Tanner's old classroom was already full by the time she got there but she luckily managed to get her regular seat. History class had been full of horrible substitute teachers since Tanner's death; ones that showed unrelated movies and ones who had no idea what they were talking about. Lucy was getting tired of having below-par teachers and was hoping that the administration would get its act together and hire a permanent teacher—preferably one that actually knew how to teach.

As Lucy was taking a pen out of her purse, someone caught her eye. Bonnie was scurrying into the classroom as the final bell rang, followed by a man who looked to be in his early thirties.

"Good morning, everyone," the man greeted the class, setting his briefcase onto the teacher's desk.

Was this another substitute or was he the real deal?

"Alrighty," the man sighed, picking up a piece of chalk. He started writing his name on the chalkboard, muttering quietly when he got to his last name. He put down the chalk and pointed to his name. "_Alaric Saltzman_. It's a mouthful, I know. Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue."

Mr. Saltzman smiled bashfully as he looked around the classroom, his eyes darting from student to student. Lucy observed his face—there was just something familiar about him…

"Saltzman is of German origins," Mr. Saltzman continued. "My family emigrated here in 1755 to Texas. I, however, was born and raised in Boston. Now," he pointed to his first name on the board. "the name 'Alaric' belongs to a very dead great-grandfather I will never be able to thank enough. You'll probably want to pronounce it 'Ala-ric,' but it's 'A-lar-ic.' Okay? So you can call me Ric."

Alaric smiled nervously once again and announced, "I'm your new history teacher."

Since Lucy didn't have time to indulge on breakfast, she was starving by the time lunch came around. She told Elena and Bonnie to go on ahead of her and get them a table while she went through the lunch line, grabbing herself a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich and a bottle of water. She was just about to head outside to find her sister and friend when a hand wrapped itself around her wrist and pulled her into an empty classroom.

"What the…" she paused when she saw Stefan in front of her and not some random guy trying to make moves on her. "…hell, Stefan? What are you doing here? The high school dropout life not what you expected?"

Stefan had noticeably been absent today, just like the previous weeks. Lucy wasn't worried about it because she was pretty sure he'd been through high school before, but it hurt that he hadn't been responding to the messages she sent him, so she was going to be snarky.

Stefan didn't respond sarcastically like he normally would have—he just smiled sadly at her. He knew her and the way she used snarky comments to cover up what she was feeling.

Lucy huffed. "Seriously, Stefan…why are you here? It's not like you've bothered to reply for the past month."

"I'm sorry I didn't get back to you," Stefan sincerely apologized, feeling guilty for ignoring her and Elena. He just needed some time to himself after Damon killed Lexi. Getting drunk at the Statue of Liberty seemed like a good idea to mourn his best friend but it just made him miss her more. "I was…trying to get myself together."

Lucy visibly deflated, seeing the sadness in Stefan's eyes. How could she fault Stefan for trying to grieve? "It's okay," she assured him. "You needed time. I understand. I'm sorry that I got so upset."

"You don't have to apologize," Stefan shook his head, a frown adorning his lips. "Um, I came here to tell you that I probably won't be coming back to school."

"Oh…"

"I just—I need to keep my distance."

Lucy understood what he wasn't saying. She shifted uncomfortably, trying not to let the hurt she was feeling show on her face. The fact that she was upset about Stefan keeping his distance confused her—she had only known him for a couple of months so why was she so upset?

"Okay, well…" Lucy gave Stefan a weak smile, shifting toward the door. "I guess I'll see you whenever."

"I'm sorry, Lucy."

And he really was. Stefan loved Elena but he had a fond spot for Lucy. She was basically the only friend he had left and it destroyed him to see her upset. It destroyed him that he had to leave…but it was to keep her and Elena safe. He just had to remind himself of that. It was dangerous for him to be around them.

"It's okay, Stefan," Lucy opened the door and gave him another sad smile before walking out of the classroom.

Lucy didn't want to think about what had just happened in the classroom. She didn't want to think about Stefan potentially leaving Mystic Falls and she didn't want to think that their friendship might be over.

It was impossible not to think about, though, so she just needed to distract herself. She headed out to the courtyard and looked around, finding Elena and Bonnie at a picnic table. She headed their way and sat down next to her sister, unwrapping her sandwich like nothing had happened.

"What's up?" she asked, looking over Bonnie's dark under-eyes. "Are you not getting enough sleep?"

The simple question launched Bonnie's explanation of why she wasn't getting enough sleep. According to her, her ancestor, Emily Bennett, had been prominent in her dreams lately. Bonnie was freaked out by the way Emily constantly appeared and refused to sleep more than an hour at a time because of it.

"…and then I ended up at the remain of the old Fell's Church before I woke up back in the woods." Bonnie finished, slightly out of breath.

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows, intrigued, while Elena asked, "And you always see your ancestor, Emily?"

Bonnie nodded silently.

"Huh," Lucy hummed, taking a bite of her sandwich.

"Do you believe in ghosts?" Bonnie asked abruptly.

"Two weeks ago, I'd say no, but now—"

"I think I'm being haunted," Bonnie interrupted Elena.

"I don't get it," Lucy sighed. She remembered reading about spirits in one of the books she borrowed from Grams and how some witches need to use the spirits of their ancestors to practice magic but she hadn't read about one outright haunting someone. "Why Emily?"

"Grams said she was a powerful witch back in the Civil War days and that this medallion," Bonnie grabbed the necklace around her neck—the same one she and Caroline were fighting over. "was hers, a witch's talisman."

"And it all started when you got the necklace?" Elena asked.

"I think she's using it to communicate with me," Bonnie replied.

Lucy pursed her lips thoughtfully. "What does Grams say about it?"

Grams would definitely know what was going on. Lucy didn't think there was anything that the woman didn't know.

"I can't call her," Bonnie frowned. "She's gonna tell me to embrace it. I don't want to embrace it, I want it to stop."

Lucy sipped at the icy cola in her glass, starring down at the worksheet of answered math problems that Jeremy had given her to check over. When she found a mistake, she quietly told him what he did wrong and how to fix it.

"Joel's gonna be here for the career fair," Jenna informed the youngest Gilbert siblings, not realizing that they weren't paying attention. "I guess his work wants an alumnus to represent their booth…are you guys even listening to me?"

"Of course, Aunt Jenna," Lucy soothed her, looking up from the worksheet with a bright smile. "Joel's staying at Whitmore for another week."

"No, that's not what I said," Jenna rolled her eyes before looking around the restaurant, sighing deeply. Her eyes landed on an unfamiliar man around her age, looking through a stack of papers. "I like a man who can dine alone. A quiet strength."

Lucy and Jeremy followed Jenna's sightline and saw that she was talking about their new history teacher, Mr. Saltzman. They exchanged eye rolls.

"I thought you were still in that whole Logan depression thing," Jeremy commented while Lucy snickered.

"Oh, I've sworn off men forever," Jenna declared, smiling sneakily. "But it doesn't mean I can't observe them from a safe distance."

"Well, I can introduce you," Jeremy offered.

"You know him?" Lucy asked, confused.

"Yeah, Mr. Saltzman is letting me write an extra-credit essay to make up for what I've missed," he informed her.

"That's great, Jere," Lucy smiled, happy that her brother was getting back on track. "Have you picked a topic yet?"

"No, not yet," Jeremy shook his head. "It's gotta be local and non-internet research, so…"

"Well, that's easy," Jenna interjected. "You got all your dad's stuff."

"What stuff?"

"How the Gilberts over on the Mayflower stuff, all that family lineage from way back," Jenna informed him. "Your dad really loved all that family history stuff."

"It's all boxed up in the hallway closet," Lucy informed Jeremy, having used the Gilbert possessions before for various town projects.

Jenna nodded in agreement but her eyes darted elsewhere as a mild squeal came from the chair that Mr. Saltzman was sitting on. Lucy looked over at him, surprised to see that he was making his way to their table.

"Mr. Saltzman!" Jeremy called eagerly.

"Jeremy," Mr. Saltzman greeted him back, holding his hand out for Jeremy to shake. "What's up, man?"

"This is my aunt, Jenna," Jeremy gestured to Jenna and then Lucy. "And my older sister, Lucy."

"Hi," Lucy waved politely. "I'm in your first period class."

Mr. Saltzman's eyes softened when he turned his gaze to Lucy. His expression could only be read as nostalgic which confused Lucy greatly—why was he looking at her like that?

Mr. Saltzman shook his head and smiled at Jenna and Lucy. "Alaric Saltzman," he shook Jenna's hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"Jeremy was just telling us about his paper," Jenna said with a smile. "Thanks for giving him another chance."

"Oh, you know, it was my first day," Mr. Saltzman shrugged. "I wanted to make a good impression."

Lucy's phone buzzed on the table and she grabbed it, noticing that she had a message from Elena. Her sister told her that she was outside and asked her to pick up the food that she had ordered from the Grill, informing her that Bonnie and Caroline were sleeping over at their house.

Lucy smiled, glad that she and her friends were going to spend time together, and stood up, grabbing her purse.

"I have to go, Elena's outside," she told Jenna and Jeremy. She smiled at Mr. Saltzman and added, "It was nice to officially meet you, Mr. Saltzman."

"You too, Lucy."

She left the table after Jenna warned her not to stay up late and went to the bar, quickly picking up the two large bags of food Elena had ordered. She received the food quickly and headed outside, getting into Elena's car when it pulled up in front of her.

"So why are we having a sleepover?" Lucy asked her sister as they drove through the court square.

"Because Damon is terrorizing Bonnie," Elena told her. At Lucy's horrified look, she continued, "Apparently he really wants Bonnie's necklace."

"So that's why Caroline is making such a huge fuss over it," Lucy concluded. "He compelled her to get it for him. You know, we really need to get her some vervain."

Elena sighed as she stopped at a traffic light. "If Stefan wasn't ignoring me, I would ask him."

"Well, call him anyway," Lucy shrugged; she figured Elena had gotten a version of the speech Stefan had given her. "We need to let him know about Damon threatening Bonnie, too."

"He's not gonna—"

"Elena, seriously, just call him," Lucy advised. "Maybe he'll pick up."

It turned out that Lucy was right—Stefan answered Elena's call and agreed to meet them at the house to talk about Damon and Bonnie. As Elena pulled into their driveway a few minutes later, Lucy could see Stefan standing on the front porch.

"Thanks for coming," Elena said as she and Lucy carried the food up to the house. "I wouldn't have called if it wasn't important."

"I know that," Stefan nodded. "What happened?"

"Damon is terrorizing Bonnie," Lucy informed him, setting her bag of food on the bench by the door.

"Terrorizing?"

"He threatened her, Stefan," Elena clarified.

Stefan's eyebrows furrowed thoughtfully as he leaned against a pillar. "What would Damon want with Bonnie?"

"She has a necklace," Elena sighed. "Caroline got it from Damon and she gave it to Bonnie and now Damon wants it back. He's tormenting her."

"Over a necklace?"

"It's not just any necklace. It's part of Bonnie's heritage; it belonged to one of her ancestors who lived here during the Civil War," Lucy told him.

Elena looked at Stefan thoughtfully. "When you and Damon lived here."

Stefan straightened his posture, crossing his arms over his chest. "Her name was Emily," he revealed. "She was Katherine's handmaid and a witch."

"You know?" Elena asked him, shocked. Stefan nodded. "About Bonnie?"

"The first night that you invited me over for dinner, I made the connection," Stefan said.

"And now Damon knows," Lucy guessed, catching a nod from Stefan. "And for some reason he wants that necklace…"

"What does it look like?"

Elena gave Stefan a confused look but answered him anyway, "It's an antique iron setting with—"

"With an amber crystal," Stefan interrupted her once he remembered the particular piece of jewelry. "I know it. It belonged to Katherine. Emily gave it to her, which means that…"

Stefan trailed off, trying to organize his thoughts. Obviously Damon wanted the necklace because of its connection to Katherine but why this particular piece? And why now, almost a hundred and fifty years later?

Lucy and Elena shared a bewildered look.

"What?" Elena spoke up after Stefan's silence continued.

Stefan hesitated a second before answering, "I don't know," he sighed. "But I'm gonna find out. Let me talk to Damon."

"Will he even tell you?" Lucy wondered.

"I'll—I'll get it out of him," Stefan gave the sisters a grim look before walking away from the house.

Lucy sighed and checked her phone, noticing a message from Caroline.

"Come on," she nudged Elena. "Care will be here any minute."

The awkwardness surrounding Caroline and Bonnie was thick, even when Bonnie wasn't even in the room. She had gone to the bathroom as soon as Caroline arrived at the house and still hadn't returned.

Lucy, Caroline, and Elena had resorted to take out their food while waiting for Bonnie. Lucy silently took out plates, napkins, and silverware while Elena and Caroline sorted out the containers of food. It was then that Bonnie came into the kitchen, giving Caroline an awkward smile.

When Caroline continued to take out the food, Elena gave her a pointed look.

Caroline pursed her lips and turned to Bonnie. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "There, I said it. If you want the ugly-ass necklace, keep it. It's yours."

Bonnie hesitated for a second before saying, "Will you hate me if I tell you I threw it away?"

"You threw it away?!" Caroline gritted her teeth.

"I know it sounds crazy but the necklace was giving me nightmares," Bonnie explained herself. "I had to get rid of it."

"You could have just given it back to me," Caroline reminded her.

"Why?" Elena spoke up, narrowing her eyes at the blonde. "So you could give it back to Damon?"

Lucy sent Elena a glare; she knew that Damon was messing with Caroline's head. It wasn't exactly Caroline's fault.

"Screw Damon," Caroline said softly before straightening herself out. "Are we doing manicures or what? Who has their kit?"

"Mine's in my bag," Bonnie gestured to her purse on the table.

Caroline nodded with a smile and headed over to Bonnie's bag, rummaging through it. "So, Elena," she called while continuing her search. "How long do you think this fight with Stefan's gonna last? Is it, like, a permanent thing?"

Elena gave Caroline's back an annoyed look. "I don't know, Caroline."

Caroline scoffed, catching Lucy's attention. "Why are you such a little liar, Bonnie?" Caroline asked harshly, turning around with Bonnie's necklace in hand.

"What?" Bonnie gasped.

"Care…" Lucy warned her best friend, not wanting a fight to break out.

Caroline marched back over to the island and slammed the necklace down in front of Bonnie, an expectant look on her face. She obviously wanted an explanation.

"I'm not lying to you, Caroline, I swear," Bonnie promised Caroline, looking at the necklace with a horrified expression on her face.

"It's true," Elena added. "I watched her throw it into a field."

Lucy gave Bonnie a bewildered look, wondering how she could throw her ancestor's necklace away like that. Then again, Emily _was_ haunting Bonnie—Lucy would probably do the same thing if she thought about it.

"Well, then explain it," Caroline demanded.

Bonnie pointedly looked at Lucy and Elena. "Emily."

"Who's Emily?" Caroline asked, confused.

"The ghost," Bonnie narrowed her eyes at Elena, hoping that her friend would understand that Emily had somehow managed to put the necklace back into her purse.

"Oh, the ghost has a name now?" Caroline muttered sarcastically.

Elena hushed Caroline, holding a hand up in her direction. "Caroline, please."

Lucy rolled her eyes and nudged Caroline's arm, giving her a reassuring smile when her best friend looked at her. Lucy knew that Caroline felt left out from Elena and Bonnie sometimes, so she wanted to be there for her.

"I wonder why she won't leave me alone," Bonnie said to Elena, looking worried.

"What is going on?" Caroline interjected, frustrated. "Why am I not a part of this conversation? You guys do this to me all the time."

"That's not true," Elena disagreed.

"Yes, it is," Lucy defended Caroline.

Bonnie nodded in agreement before turning to Caroline. "I can't talk to you. You don't listen."

Caroline looked offended. "That's not true!"

Bonnie huffed and confessed, "I'm a witch."

"And don't we all know it," Caroline shot back immediately.

Lucy put her head in her hands, frustrated. She knew Caroline didn't mean to respond that way, but she just didn't believe in the stuff she, Bonnie, or Elena did. Still, this was why Lucy hadn't told Caroline about her siphoning abilities…she just wouldn't believe her.

"See?" Bonnie said loudly, pointing at Caroline. "That's what I'm talking about. I'm trying to tell you something. You don't even hear it."

As Bonnie stormed out of the kitchen, Caroline reared back, looking at Elena and Lucy.

"I listen," she insisted. "When do I not listen?"

"Caroline," Lucy sighed, pulling her head out of her hands. "Just talk to her, all right? Even if you don't believe that Bonnie's a witch…that doesn't matter. Bonnie just wants you to listen to her and be there for her, okay?"

Caroline pursed her lips thoughtfully and left the kitchen to go talk to Bonnie. Lucy just hoped that they could make up—their feud was becoming uncomfortable to be in.

When Lucy urged Caroline to make up with Bonnie, she didn't expect it to end like this. Caroline had suggested that they all do a séance to talk to Emily and Lucy, Bonnie, and Elena reluctantly agreed.

That's how they ended up in Elena's room in the dark with only three candles lit. Lucy, Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena sat around them, holding each other's hands to form a circle.

Bonnie sighed heavily. "What are we doing?"

"I don't know," Elena muttered, shaking her head.

Caroline hushed them. "Be quiet and concentrate," she told them. "Close your eyes and take a deep breath."

Lucy closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, wondering how Caroline knew how to do this.

"Bonnie, call to her," Caroline advised.

"Emily, you there?" Bonnie asked in a monotone voice.

Lucy snickered, finding it funny, while Caroline sighed and looked at Bonnie.

"Really?" she asked, annoyed. "_'Emily, you there?_' That's all you got? Come on!"

"Fine," Bonnie pouted and closed her eyes again; Lucy followed suit. "Emily, I call on you. I know you have a message. I'm here to listen."

At once, the flames of the candles flared. Lucy and the others flinched away, dropping the hands they were holding onto. Lucy stared at the candles in shock, she didn't actually think anything was going to happen.

"Did that just—"

"Yeah, that just happened," Caroline answered Elena's question.

"Woah…" Lucy breathed before shivering violently. It felt like something freezing cold just brushed past her.

She looked at her friends with wide eyes.

"It's just the air conditioning," Bonnie assured her quickly.

The candles flared again, as if disagreeing with Bonnie.

"Ask her to show you a sign," Caroline breathlessly urged Bonnie. "Ask her."

When Bonnie didn't say anything, Caroline took it upon herself to call out, "Emily, if you're among us, show us another sign."

Despite Lucy and the girls keeping their eyes on the candles, nothing happened.

"See?" Bonnie spoke up. "It's not working."

If she was honest, Lucy was kind of disappointed. She wanted to see if Emily would reach out to Bonnie.

_Bang!_

Lucy jumped as the windows behind her slammed open, curtains flowing in the harsh breeze. The action scared her at first, but now she was fascinated. If Emily could manipulate the wind to open the windows and cause the candles to flare, what else could she do?

Bonnie shrieked and stood up, a panicked look on her face. "I can't!" she yelled, ripping the necklace off of her and throwing it on the floor by the candles. "I'm done."

The flames on the candles went out, surrounding them in darkness. Lucy stood up cautiously, reaching out to grab Caroline's arm. Her fascination dimmed; this was beginning to scare her and she could tell Elena, Caroline, and Bonnie were frightened too.

"Get the light!" Bonnie squealed. "Please get the light on!"

"Hold on, hold on, I got it," Elena's voice came from Lucy and Caroline's left.

The room was flooded with light, making Lucy sigh in relief. She squeezed Caroline's arm as she looked around the room for any evidence left from Emily.

"You guys," Bonnie caught Lucy's attention. "The necklace, it's gone."

Lucy looked down at the floor where Bonnie threw her necklace, her eyes widening when she didn't see it there. The girls started to look for it, ducking down to check under Elena's bed and chair.

Finally, after not finding it, Elena turned to Caroline. "Fun's over, Caroline," she said harshly. "You made a point and I get it. Now give it back."

"What?" Caroline was shocked. "Well, I didn't take it."

Elena scoffed in disbelief.

"She didn't take it," Lucy defended Caroline. Elena's eyes weren't on her, but on the doorway where she swore she saw someone walk past. "What? What happened?"

"I don't know, nothing," Elena crossed the room and looked out her door. "Jeremy, are you home?"

"Um," Lucy and Caroline looked over at Bonnie as she walked into the bathroom. "Guys…"

The door abruptly closed by itself as Bonnie walked into the bathroom.

"Oh, my God!" Bonnie shouted, frightened.

Lucy, Caroline, and Elena leapt at the bathroom door, frantically tugging on the doorknob to try to get it open. The door wouldn't budge and from the screams coming from Bonnie, it didn't sound like anything pleasant was happening inside.

"Bonnie, what's going on?" Elena shouted as Lucy pounded at the door.

"Bonnie!" Caroline and Lucy yelled simultaneously.

Bonnie's only answer was terrified screeching.

"Try the other door!" Elena yelled to Bonnie before looking at Caroline and Lucy. "I'll check the hallway."

As Elena ran out of the room to try to open the other door to the bathroom, Lucy continued to try to open the one before her. It still wouldn't open.

"Get me out!" Bonnie screamed as the lights around the house flickered in and out.

Lucy frantically looked around and paused, trying to think. Unless Bonnie locked the door—and Lucy doubted that because Bonnie sounded genuinely scared—there was no other way to keep the door shut other than magic. And Lucy could siphon magic.

Lucy pressed her palm against the doorknob and concentrated, willing the magic away from the door. Her palm lit up as the magic from the door flowed into her, unlocking the door at last.

Bonnie's screaming stopped at once as Elena and Caroline shoved themselves into the bathroom. While they were occupied with making sure Bonnie was okay, Lucy transferred the magic she had just siphoned into her moonstone locket to save for an emergency.

"What happened?" Elena asked Bonnie worriedly. "Are you okay?"

Bonnie took her head out of her hands and looked at Lucy, Elena, and Caroline with a calm expression. "I'm fine," she said, her voice monotone.

"Unbelievable," Caroline scoffed. "You were totally faking it."

"Caroline, come on…" Elena sighed.

"No, you scared the fuck out of me!" Caroline shouted at Bonnie before stomping away.

Lucy looked carefully at Bonnie, wondering what was wrong with her. She didn't react at all to Caroline shouting at her—she was very calm.

"Bonnie?" she asked tentatively.

"I'm fine," Bonnie answered in the same tone. "Everything's fine."

Bonnie walked out of the bathroom and straight out of Elena's room, Lucy and the others following her.

"I can't believe I fell for it," Caroline said, still angry with Bonnie.

Elena gave Bonnie a confused look, noticing the same thing Lucy did. "Are you okay?" she asked Bonnie.

"I must go," Bonnie insisted.

"If she's leaving, I'm leaving," Caroline spoke up.

"You guys can't leave," Elena argued.

"Oh, I can," Caroline said harshly as Bonnie started down the stairs. "I've had enough freaky fake witch stuff for one night."

"Thank you for having me," Bonnie interjected calmly, looking at Lucy and Elena. "I'll take it from here."

Lucy narrowed her eyes; something was up with Bonnie.

"Where are you going?" she asked, suspicious.

"Back to where it all began," Bonnie answered, continuing down the stairs.

"Bonnie!" Lucy objected; Bonnie had been acting strange since she walked into that bathroom and the fact that they had just summoned Emily didn't bode well. "Oh, my God," she breathed in realization. "Emily!"

Bonnie, who was being possessed by Emily, turned around abruptly. "I won't let him have it," she said, determined. "It must be destroyed."

Emily ran down the rest of the stairs and out of the house, slamming the front door behind her.

"Wait," Elena called as she, Lucy, and Caroline ran after her.

"What's happening?" Caroline asked, confused, as Elena tried to open the door.

The door wouldn't open, just like earlier.

"I don't know," Elena lied. "The door, it's not—"

The door flew open, making Lucy, Elena, and Caroline tumble away from it. Jeremy walked into the house, looking at the girls with a confused face, wondering why they looked pale-faced and terrified.

"What the hell?"

Lucy, Elena, and Caroline didn't answer as Jeremy walked past them and into the kitchen. Caroline, still panting with terror, looked at Lucy and Elena.

"I'm out of here," she told them before running out the door.

Lucy sighed and looked at Elena, wondering what they were supposed to do. They had to do something to get Emily out of Bonnie's body. Elena already had her phone in hand, dialing a number.

"What are you doing?" Lucy asked.

"Calling Stefan," Elena answered, putting her phone to her ear. Stefan must have answered, because Elena spoke into the receiver, "It's Bonnie."

Lucy listened carefully to Elena's side of the conversation, hoping that she would be able to figure out what was going on. As Elena and Stefan's conversation went on, Elena realized that Emily must have been going to the old Fell's Church. When Elena hung up the phone, she looked frustrated.

"Well?" Lucy asked, wanting to know what Stefan told Elena.

"Stefan wants us to stay here while he finds Bonnie," Elena told her.

Lucy huffed. "Screw that!" she shook her head. "This is Bonnie. Let's go."

There was fire up ahead.

Lucy and Elena ran through the woods, trying to get to the old Fell's Church as quickly as possible. Ahead of them, Lucy could see fire and when they got closer, she could see that Bonnie was in the middle of a flaming pentagram, Stefan and Damon standing outside of it.

"Bonnie!" Elena shouted, stopping in her tracks as Stefan sped over to her and Lucy.

Emily threw what Lucy presumed to be the necklace up into the air, causing Damon to scream. The necklace exploded in the air, causing sparks to rain down all around them. As the fiery pentagram died down, Emily lowered her head.

Lucy assumed Emily had left when Bonnie looked up, seeming to be confused about her location. Unfortunately, Bonnie wasn't able to get her bearings when Damon angrily snarled and ran at her. He ripped into her neck as Bonnie screamed.

Before Lucy could siphon magic out of her locket and give Damon an aneurysm, Stefan sped toward him and ripped him off of Bonnie. As Bonnie fell to the ground, Lucy and Elena quickly made their way to her.

"Oh, my God," Lucy breathed as she knelt next to Bonnie's unconscious body. "Oh, my God."

"Is she…?"

Stefan dropped to his knees and pressed his ear to Bonnie's chest before answering Elena's question, "She's alive," he told them. "But barely. I can save her."

Stefan brought his wrist up to his mouth and bit into it, cutting the skin. He pressed his bleeding wrist against Bonnie's mouth, letting it slide down her throat. It took a second, but eventually Bonnie's neck started healing from the vampire blood in her system.

"Her neck's healing," Lucy sighed in relief. She looked at Stefan, smiling weakly. "Thank you."

Stefan nodded. "Come on," he carefully grabbed Bonnie and helped her to her feet. "You'll be okay," he assured her.

Lucy took Bonnie's other arm and started to help her through the woods, Elena quickly joining them. She wanted to get Bonnie as far away from Damon as possible.

It only took them a few minutes to reach Elena's car but Bonnie was still confused about what happened to her.

"I don't understand, Elena," Bonnie cried when Elena tried to calm her down. "What happened to me? He attacked me and his face was like…"

"How do you feel?" Lucy asked Bonnie when Elena didn't answer right away—it was clear that neither of them knew what to say without telling Bonnie the truth. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. It's just…this blood," Bonnie gestured to her bloody neck. "I don't…"

Bonnie trailed off when she saw Stefan approach them. Lucy and Elena turned to see Stefan who was making sure Bonnie knew that he meant no harm.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said softly.

"What's going on?" Bonnie demanded, looking between Lucy and Elena.

Elena looked at Stefan, having no idea what to say. Lucy took over and pulled Bonnie into a one-armed hug.

"We'll explain everything," she told her. "Let's get out of here," when Bonnie looked back at Stefan, Lucy nudged her to get her attention. "Bonnie, look at me. Stefan won't hurt you, okay? Trust me. Let's get in the car."

When Bonnie silently agreed, Lucy nodded gratefully at Stefan and led Bonnie into the car. Once Bonnie was situated, Lucy climbed into her own seat and looked out the window; Elena and Stefan were talking.

Whatever they were speaking about, it didn't look good. Elena's arm movement was jerky and expressive while Stefan was almost curled into himself, as if he was closed off. When Stefan started to walk away from Elena, Lucy knew that whatever just happened didn't end well.

Elena was teary-eyed as she got into the driver's seat and the ride back to their house was completely silent except for Bonnie's sniffles. When they got home, Lucy let Elena to tell Bonnie about vampires by herself and went to her room.

She picked up her phone and called Stefan to thank him once more for saving Bonnie but he never answered.


	10. The Logan Problem

**[1x10; The Turning Point]**

"Hello?! I'm in here!"

Lucy winced as Joel practically screamed at her, shutting the bathroom door almost immediately after she opened it. She was so used to having their bathroom to after Joel started living at Whitmore that she didn't even think about knocking.

"Why didn't you lock the door?" Lucy huffed, shuffling over to her vanity. Usually she would use the bathroom to style her hair so she had more space but it looked like she'd be stuck in her room.

She heard a mumbled reply from Joel but didn't pay attention. She threw her hair into a low side-bun and smeared lip balm on her mouth, popping her lips to distribute the substance evenly. Officially ready for the day, Lucy grabbed her purse and left her room, pausing when she heard music coming from Jeremy's bedroom across the hall.

Jeremy's door was popped open so Lucy sneakily peered in on him. To her surprise, Jeremy had his sketchbook out and was drawing, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. It made Lucy so happy to see her brother drawing again. If only she could follow his example.

Lucy and Jeremy had always shared their love of art; from a young age, they would go to art classes together and would drag their mother to the art store afterwards, begging for supplies. Lucy's expertise was more focused on painting, while Jeremy was into sketching. It was something special they shared with another, just the two of them.

Unfortunately, Lucy hadn't picked up a paintbrush since the car accident that killed her parents. It was just too hard to try to make something when she was so depressed about her loss. Of course, there were times where she wanted to paint—Joel bought her some expensive colors after the Founder's Party that she desperately wanted to get into—but she just couldn't bring herself to do it.

Jeremy was much like Lucy but thankfully, he was starting to draw again.

Smiling, Lucy walked away from Jeremy's room and down the stairs, running into Elena and Jenna who were getting ready to leave.

"Did you see that Jeremy's got his sketchbook out?" she asked them, an easy grin on her lips.

Elena nodded with a smile as Jenna looked at her, shocked. "You're kidding?"

"Nope," Lucy confirmed. "But don't say anything about it. If we make a big deal out of it, he'll put it away."

"Sounds like Jeremy," Elena muttered as she buttoned her jacket.

"Psychology major," Jenna pointed at herself. "Check that," she looked at Elena, who finished with her jacket and had picked up her phone, checking for any missed calls or messages from Stefan. "You and Stefan? Update?"

Lucy turned to Elena curiously as she sighed, "He knows how I feel and where I stand and I know where he stands but it doesn't matter. He's leaving, moving away."

Lucy frowned at the news; Stefan hadn't contacted in the week since Damon attacked Bonnie and she eventually gave up and tried to give him space. If Stefan wanted to leave and not even Elena could convince him to stay, what chance did Lucy have?

"Where is he going?" Jenna asked, shocked.

Elena opened the door and allowed Jenna and Lucy to walk through. "I've stopped asking questions. The answers get scary."

Jenna scoffed, disappointed. "Yours leaves and mine returns."

Lucy perked up at that information; last she heard from Jenna, she got an email from Logan telling her he'd moved to the Bahamas. "Logan?"

Jenna nodded. "He's back," when Lucy and Elena groaned in unison, she added, "I didn't let him past the front door."

"I hope you slammed it in his face," Lucy grumbled; Jenna deserved way better than Logan Fell.

"Ah, medium slam…"

"Three-strike rule, Jenna," Elena interjected, giving their aunt a meaningful look. "You're not even allowed to watch the news."

"Exactly," Jenna agreed. "No more Logan 'Scum' Fell."

Within twenty minutes, Elena was pulling into the school's parking lot. Lucy and Elena chatted quietly about Logan's reappearance as they walked into the school, their conversation coming to a stop when they met up with Bonnie.

"Good morning," Bonnie greeted them with a bright smile.

"Morning, Bon-Bon," Lucy grinned as Elena greeted Bonnie.

The three of them started walking down the hallway to Lucy's locker. Lucy took her lock into her hands and started trying to unlock it, having trouble as usual. For a while, she was used to Stefan helping her out with it. It was sort of silly, but her locker just reminded her that Stefan was leaving Mystic Falls.

"Did I miss something?"

Lucy looked away from her lock at Elena's voice and looked to see what her sister was talking about. She smiled when she saw Caroline and Matt talking at the other end of the hallway; they looked cute together, even if Caroline was adamant that she and Matt were just friends.

"They've been hanging out," Lucy informed her sister nonchalantly, turning back to her lock. She bit her lip triumphantly as she finally succeeded with dialing in her combination.

"It's kind of weird, don't you think?" Elena looked skeptical as she watched Caroline and Matt veer down another hallway.

"She needs someone nice like him," Bonnie shrugged; Lucy nodded in agreement. "As opposed to a homicidal vampire like Damon."

"Yeah, how are you doing with all that?" Elena wondered as she and Lucy looked at Bonnie in concern.

"I'm freaked out," Bonnie stated honestly. "Damon attacked me. I could be dead right now…but I'm also grateful."

"Grateful?" Lucy echoed, taking off her jacket and hanging it up in her locker.

Bonnie nodded. "To Stefan," she clarified. "He saved my life and…have you guys seen him?"

Lucy shook her head and grabbed her needed textbook.

"Not since he told me he was leaving," Elena sighed. "For all I know, he's already gone."

This didn't sit well with Lucy. Stefan definitely wouldn't leave without telling them. He loved Elena and she knew he cared for her too.

"He wouldn't leave without saying goodbye," Lucy said adamantly, closing her locker. She turned to Elena and added, "That's not Stefan."

"Yes, he would," Elena insisted. Lucy rolled her eyes and started walking down the hallway, Bonnie and Elena following her. "He thinks he's protecting me. Clean break and all that."

"So what are you gonna do?" Bonnie asked her.

Elena shrugged. "What am I supposed to do?" she shook her head. "I already begged him not to go. If I ask again, I'm being selfish. It is what it is."

"Well, maybe it's for the best."

Elena turned her head sharply at Bonnie's words and even Lucy gave the witch a confused look. What did she mean by that?

"What? Why?" Elena stopped walking and turned to face Bonnie.

"I mean, what kind of future could you have had with him even if he stayed?" Bonnie explained her reasoning.

Lucy jumped as something brushed against her arm, calming down when she saw that it was a fallen banner and not a creepy spider like she thought. Ironically enough, the banner read, 'The Promise of Your Future' which made Lucy snicker.

Elena didn't find it funny. She grabbed the banner and looked at Bonnie. "Did you just…?"

"No, I swear," Bonnie promised.

Elena sighed angrily and pushed the banner out of the way, stomping down the hall. Lucy and Bonnie exchanged worried looks and quickly rushed after her.

Lucy sighed in relief as she entered her bedroom and kicked off her heeled ankle boots. Another boring day at school was over and she was that much closer to winter break. She loved learning but she hated school; knowing things wasn't as much fun when you're practically bored to death every week day.

"Hey, watch where you kick those things!"

Lucy gasped in fright; she had no idea there was someone in her room. Let alone Damon Salvatore. She turned toward the sound of the voice and was shocked to see Joel and Damon sitting on her window seat, totally relaxed. It surprised her that Joel was in the same room as the oldest Salvatore since he was pretty mad at him for feeding on Caroline.

"What the hell?" she exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Bad news, Twitch," Damon proclaimed. "There's a new vampire in town and we need your help to catch him."

"_Excuse me?"_

"What Damon means is that Liz spoke with Damon and apparently there's a new vampire in town," Joel explained. "Stefan and Damon didn't change anyone and I certainly didn't, so we're kind of at a loss about who it could be."

Lucy pushed away the fear of the unknown vampire and tried to focus on what her brother and Damon were saying.

"So what do you need me for?"

"Well, we already canvased most of the town, so we narrowed down where a vampire could potentially be. We're almost positive they'll be in the warehouse district," Damon told her as he pulled something out of his jacket pocket. He held it out where Lucy could see it. "That's where you come in. We need you to use this."

Lucy narrowed her eyes, studying the object in his hands. Surprisingly, it was the Gilbert pocket watch that was passed down to the men in the family. Jeremy had the last time she saw it.

What was Damon doing with a Gilbert antique?

"Where did you get that?" Lucy wondered. "And how is that gonna help me find a vampire?"

"I grabbed it in the woods when Vicki was turned," Damon answered. "And this nifty thing is a compass that finds vampires. Your ancestor used it to gather up the vampires in town in 1864."

He passed the compass over to her and she observed it, seeing how the clock face had been changed out to form a compass. It flickered in her hand, its pointer landing on Damon and Joel.

She wasn't surprised that one of her ancestors helped rid the town of vampires all those years ago.

"I'm guessing that you guys interfere with the signal," she summarized, looking up at them.

"Yup," Damon nodded.

Lucy sighed. "Fine, I'll help," she looked at Damon and narrowed her eyes. "but I'm only helping to protect the town. This doesn't mean we're friends or anything."

"You got it, Twitch," Damon smirked and stood from the window seat. "Come on, let's roll."

The car ride with just Lucy and Damon was sufficiently awkward. Joel couldn't come with them because of his booth at the career fair that was starting soon, so there was no buffer between them. Lucy tried to push the memories of Damon hurting both Bonnie and Caroline away from her memory and try to focus on her task, but it was hard.

"Just for the record, I wasn't going to ask you for help," Damon told her as they got closer to the start of the warehouse distract. "I wanted to compel Caroline but then I remembered Stefan telling me about your request."

Lucy thought back to the night that Jeremy was compelled, remembering that she told Stefan to tell Damon not to compel her loved ones. It surprised her that Damon was actually going along with it.

"I'm glad you asked me then," Lucy sighed; she'd rather be in an awkward situation with Damon than Caroline being compelled once again.

"No problem," Damon quipped as he pulled off to the side of the road. "Okay, just walk around and follow the compass. Call me when you get something."

Lucy nodded and got out of Damon's Camaro, shutting the door behind her. As Damon drove off, she pulled the compass out of her coat pocket and held it out in front of her.

The pointer flicked east and Lucy followed it, walking in that direction until the compass pointed in another way. She walked through the warehouse district, splitting her gaze between the compass and the streets so she wouldn't be attacked by an unknown vampire.

It was only a half-hour later when she came to a stop outside of the Fell family's warehouse. She didn't think anything of it as she pulled out her phone to call Damon and tell him her location.

"_Hello?"_

Lucy rolled her eyes at Damon's sing-song tone. "I'm outside the Fell warehouse."

"_Really_?" Damon sounded intrigued.

"Yep," Lucy sighed. "So what do I do now?"

"_Just wait_," Damon advised_. "I'll be there in a second."_

"Will you hurry?" Lucy asked impatiently. "I have to get to the career fair."

Lucy heard a small gush of wind and turned, seeing that Damon had arrived. They both hung up their respective phones and Damon held his hand out for the compass.

"Why can't I hold onto it?" Lucy complained as she handed the compass over. "It's from my family."

"Because I don't trust you with it," Damon rolled his eyes and looked over at the warehouse.

Lucy pursed her lips, annoyed. "Whatever. You're welcome for my help. I'm sure I'll see you soon."

"You can count on it," Damon started walking toward the warehouse only to stop and look back at Lucy. "And thank you, Lucy. I appreciate it."

Lucy was taken aback by the sincerity of his gratitude. "Be careful," she reluctantly said before turning around and walking away.

She wanted to get out of there before the vampire got to her.

Lucy looked around at the table in front of her, her eyes scoring over the various pamphlets and swag that included colorful pens and highlighters. Joel stood behind the table, looking bored in his bright green company polo. The IT company he worked at wanted one of their workers who graduated from Mystic Falls High School to accompany the booth, so Joel was chosen.

The booth was empty except for Lucy, so that showed how popular IT was.

"Please just stake me now," Joel mumbled under his breath as another group of teenagers passed by the table, not one of them stopping.

"Maybe it's your shirt," Lucy theorized, wrinkling her nose. "Neon green is not a good color on you."

Joel huffed and looked down at his polo. "I guess that's why I never get dates in this shirt."

Lucy scoffed in amusement, shaking her head. "Well, I'm gonna go look at the other tables. I don't think IT interests me."

"You and the whole student body."

Lucy laughed and walked away from her brother, heading away from the crowded commons. She ducked into the STEM room, seeing that Elena and Matt were talking across the room. She waved when they looked over at her and went to the table closest to her.

The table turned out to be STEM education, which actually interested Lucy. From a young age, she had always wanted to be a teacher and make learning fun in a way that none of her teachers had done for her. She wasn't sure which age she'd want to teach but she was leaning toward older students.

"You want to be a teacher?"

Lucy looked at Stefan and smiled slightly, happy to see him. It'd been a week since she had seen him and that was when he told Elena he was leaving. She knew he wouldn't have left Mystic Falls without saying goodbye and he definitely wouldn't leave when there was a rogue vampire on the loose—Stefan wouldn't leave town while Elena was in danger.

"Yeah, I do," she told him. "I've kind of always wanted to be one."

"That's rare," Stefan noted, a hint of a smile on his lips. "I wanted to be a soldier for a while until I was a teenager. I wanted to be a doctor then."

"And now you can't," Lucy assumed with a frown. Stefan nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Stefan shrugged.

Lucy nodded and looked back down at the table, grabbing a pamphlet for math education. She moved onto the engineering table, Stefan walking beside her.

"I'm guessing you're not here to plan for your future," she observed. When Stefan shook his head, she continued, "So you must be here to keep an eye out for Elena."

"And you," Stefan corrected her. Lucy looked at him, surprised. "I hope that's okay."

"It's fine," she assured him, secretly touched that he cared enough to look out for her. So Stefan wouldn't see how his words affected her, she added, "But I can take care of myself, you know."

"I know you can," Stefan nudged her gently with his elbow. Lucy laughed and he continued, "Damon told me he was going to ask you to use the Gilbert compass. How'd that go?"

"It was fine. The compass led us to the Fell warehouse."

"Fell?" Stefan's eyebrows furrowed worriedly. There was something fishy about the fact that the vampire was hiding out in a property that the Fell family owned. But Damon killed Logan Fell weeks ago and neither of them, nor Joel had given him blood.

"Yep. Uh-oh," Lucy grimaced as she caught sight of Elena storming over to them. "Elena's coming over and she doesn't look happy."

Stefan stiffened, looking over at Elena with a pained look in his eyes. Lucy didn't understand where all this tension was coming from—Elena was upset Stefan was leaving earlier in the day but now she seemed angry.

"I told you to leave," Elena said as she marched up to Lucy and Stefan.

"Elena!" Lucy gasped, shocked at her sister's behavior. What was happening here?

Before Elena could explain her behavior, Jenna came rushing over to them. She squeezed in between Lucy and Stefan, her head bowed.

"Hide me," she requested, pushing closer to Lucy.

"What's going on?" Elena asked her, forgetting her anger with Stefan.

"The Scum Fell has landed," Jenna stated, giving Lucy and Elena pointed looks.

Lucy groaned in disgust. "Logan's here?"

Stefan stiffened at the mention of Logan—he was supposed to be dead. That meant that Logan was the new vampire…the question that needed to be answered now was who turned him.

"Wait, Logan Fell?"

Jenna sighed and nodded.

Stefan quickly left the classroom and headed into the hallway, a confused Lucy, Elena, and Jenna following after him. He looked around at the people cluttering the space and narrowed his eyes as he spotted Logan Fell, alive and well and talking to a bunch of star-struck teenage girls.

His blood practically boiled as Logan turned and sent him a playful wave.

"Stefan, what's going on?" Elena asked as Lucy looked between Stefan and Logan Fell, who was walking over to them.

"Jenna!" Logan called, coming to a stop in front of them. "Are you dodging me?"

"It's a form of self-preservation," Jenna stated matter-of-factly.

"Uh, Elena," Stefan turned to Elena. "Why don't you, Lucy, and Jenna go somewhere else?"

Lucy looked between Stefan and Logan, her brain whirling. Stefan looked surprised and angry when he heard about Logan and now he wanted them to go away, an urgent look in his eyes. And with the Gilbert compass leading Lucy to a property that the Fell family owned, there was only one conclusion she could make.

Logan Fell was now a vampire.

Elena must have realized that, too, as she grabbed Jenna's arm and said, "Let's go."

Elena lead Lucy and Jenna out of the hallway and straight into the crowded cafeteria where the snacks were laid out onto multiple tables.

Elena whirled around on Jenna. "When Logan came to the house, what did he say?"

Jenna scoffed. "Fake flattery. Stupid, dimpled grin. Puppy-dog eyes—"

Elena cut Jenna off before she could list all of Logan's mannerisms. "I'm serious, Jenna. How did he act? What did he say?"

"He was the usual Logan," Jenna answered seriously. "He was charming. A little more manic than usual. He kept trying to convince me to let him in."

That caught Lucy's attention. Only vampires and old, polite people need to be invited into a house. This was bad but thankfully, Jenna hadn't invited him into the house.

Jenna caught the look on Lucy's face. "What?"

Lucy looked to Elena for guidance; how was supposed to tell Jenna to stay away from Logan for her safety?

Luckily, Elena took charge.

"Okay, listen to me very carefully," she said to Jenna. "Do not, under any circumstances, talk to him again. I'm serious, Jenna, like ever."

Well, Lucy could have done that.

Jenna looked deeply confused and Lucy didn't blame her one bit. She wouldn't know how to act if she had a niece who was telling her to stay away from her ex-boyfriend. Jenna wouldn't understand why Logan was so dangerous.

"Hey, Lucy, Elena," Mr. Saltzman approached them with a smile. "Jenna."

"Hi, Mr. Saltzman," Lucy said politely as Jenna turned to him with a large smile, completely forgetting about Logan for the meantime.

Mr. Saltzman looked equally pleased to see Jenna. "I was hoping to, uh, see you tonight."

"Career night is the new bowling," Jenna joked making Mr. Saltzman laugh.

"Okay," Elena interjected before Jenna and Mr. Saltzman got lost in each other's eyes. "Excuse us."

Lucy followed Elena out of the cafeteria so they could look for Stefan and get a definite answer on whether Logan Fell was the vampire they were looking for.

Once they searched the whole career fair, Lucy suggested they look outside. Thankfully, when they walked out of the school, Stefan was standing by the parking lot, phone in hand. Lucy presumed he was talking to Damon.

"…he's working the crowd," they heard Stefan say into the phone as they walked over to him.

Damon must have hung up the call because Stefan put his phone back into his jean pocket, turning to face Lucy and Elena.

"So, anything you'd like to share?" Elena asked, annoyed.

Stefan sighed heavily. "Logan Fell is a vampire," he told them. "Damon killed him the night that Vicki turned. Someone must have slipped him some blood."

"What do we do?" Lucy asked, concerned.

"_You_ aren't doing anything," Stefan said, making it clear that he didn't want Lucy or Elena involved. "_I_ will go tell Joel about Logan and wait for Damon to show up."

Lucy rolled her eyes, annoyed. Stefan said that he knew she could take care of herself, yet here he was, forbidding her to get involved. She knew she wasn't strong like a vampire, but she could still cause them pain. All she had to do was siphon from Logan and then give him an aneurysm.

Simple but effective.

Stefan caught her gesture but didn't say anything. He did think that Lucy could take care of herself, he'd seen her go up against Vicki, but he didn't want to take any chances. Logan was full of human blood and he seemed pretty hostile—it was better that he, Damon, and Joel took care of him alone.

"Come on," he placed each of his hands on Lucy and Elena's upper backs, gently pushing them toward the school. "Let's go inside. Safety in numbers…"

Lucy didn't want to cause any trouble with Logan on the loose, so she did as Stefan suggested and walked inside the school. The three of them started walking toward Joel's booth, looking around for Logan at the same time.

Unfortunately, he was no where to be found.

"Hey, Matty," Lucy said as she came across Matt. "Have you seen Logan Fell. The news guy?"

"Yeah," Matt looked disappointed. "He just gave Caroline a ride home."

As Matt slumped away, Lucy and Elena turned to Stefan. Lucy was terrified; if Logan did anything to hurt Caroline, she would kill him herself.

"Stay here," he commanded before storming away from them.

Lucy couldn't just sit still and wait for news, so she walked away from Elena to tell Joel about what was going on.

After informing Joel about Logan being the vampire they were looking for and that he had taken Caroline, she had to calm him down. Joel wanted to go help Stefan and Damon but she convinced him that they would be able to take Logan down themselves.

It was selfish of her to take away more manpower to kill Logan, but she wanted Joel to stay with her. Besides, Damon and Stefan were over a century old; Logan had nothing on them.

Forty-five minutes after Stefan left to help Caroline, Damon called her phone. She answered it quickly, hoping to hear good news.

"Is Caroline okay?" she asked, not bothering to greet him.

"_She's fine,"_ Damon told her. "_Stefan took her home. She was knocked out when we got there, so she probably won't remember anything_."

Lucy sighed in relief; she was so glad that her best friend was home and safe.

"And Logan?" she wondered.

"_I took care of him,"_ Damon said vaguely. "_Bye, now—"_

"Wait," Lucy said hurriedly. "Thank you, Damon. Seriously."

It was silent for a second before Damon replied. "_No problem, Twitch_."

With a beep, Damon hung up the call. Lucy sighed and slipped her phone in her purse.

She wasn't lying when she thanked Damon. She was very grateful that he and Stefan protected Caroline. She didn't know what changed in him, but she knew that the Damon from a couple weeks ago wouldn't have done that.

Lucy could definitely be friends with Damon if he went on like this.


	11. The Truth

**[1x11; Bloodlines]**

Lucy huffed as she closed the door to Elena's room; it was empty. Her sister was no where to be found. She hadn't seen Elena since the career fair the night before and all of her calls went unanswered.

It drove her nuts; not only was Lucy going to be late to school but she was worried about Elena as well.

"Joel!" she called, hoping that she'd caught her brother before he went back to Whitmore. She knocked on his closed door. "Joel, are you still here?"

The door opened within a second, revealing Joel dressed and ready to go. "What's up, Lulu?"

"Will you drive me to school?" Lucy asked, happy that she would be able to say goodbye to her brother. He still had two weeks before he was off for winter break. "Elena's not here or answering her phone."

Joel immediately nodded. "Sure," he agreed and quickly grabbed his backpack. "I'll drop you off on my way back to school. Where's Elena?"

"Thanks," Lucy said as Joel shut his door and they started walking down the stairs. "And I have no idea."

"Huh," Joel opened the front door, allowing Lucy to head out of the house first. They got into his truck and buckled up. "Did you call Stefan? I think they left the career fair together."

"Oh," Now it made sense that Elena wasn't at home or answering her phone. She was probably busy with Stefan. "Maybe she'll be at school then."

"Yeah," Joel said absentmindedly as he turned onto the court square. "Have you heard from Caroline?"

"No, but Damon said she was knocked out. I'll see how she's doing at school. Hopefully she's okay."

Joel nodded. "And how are you doing?"

Lucy gave him a weird look. "What is this, a check-up?"

"No," Joel rolled his eyes. "When I'm away at school we don't talk much. I just wanted to see how you're doing. How are your lessons with Grams?"

"They're okay," Lucy said honestly. If Joel wanted to check on her, she'd let him. That's what older siblings do. She did the same thing with Jeremy. "I had one the other day and I'm really making progress according to Grams."

"So you're not siphoning accidentally?"

"Once in a while," Lucy admitted sadly. "I've got it mostly under control, though. Other than that, Grams is teaching me some spells. For my birthday, she told me I'm getting my own grimoire of spells she's collected from other witches over the years."

Joel beamed at her, proud of how far his sister had come. It was only months ago that she was siphoning from him and Damon on accident and now she could mostly control it and was even learning spells.

"I'm proud of you, Lu."

Lucy smiled, her eyes stinging. When she found out she was a siphon and read the title of the book Grams gave her, she thought that all she could be was an abomination. It made her so happy and grateful that she had Joel, Grams, Bonnie, Elena, and Stefan to make her feel loved. She had a long way to go and a lot more to learn but she was really hoping that she could use her unnatural powers for something good.

"Thanks, JoJo."

"I thought I told you not to call me that anymore."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Lucy asked as she pulled away from the tight hug she had given Caroline at lunchtime. "Should you even be at school?"

Caroline laughed softly. "I'm okay as I can be given that my old babysitter tried to kidnap me," she assured Lucy. "And I'm only here to get my work for the rest of the day. The doctor said I should rest."

"Well, your doctor is smart," Lucy chuckled. "I'll leave you to it, then. Call me later if you need company."

"I will," Caroline promised with a smile.

Lucy left Caroline and bought a sandwich from the cafeteria before meeting up with Bonnie. They had agreed to eat lunch together in the courtyard since it was a relatively warm day and it was only the two of them.

Elena hadn't been in any of the classes that she shared with Lucy, nor had Stefan. She thought with their relationship repaired, they'd be here, but it was clear that she was wrong.

"Lucy!"

Well, she was half-wrong.

She turned to face Stefan as he briskly walked toward her. He had no bag with him and he was strangely wearing the same shirt that he wore the day before.

"Hey, Stefan, it's cool that you and Elena made up, but if she's going to sleep over, can you—"

Stefan cut Lucy off just as she was about to request that she could get a heads up so she could arrange a ride to school.

"Lucy, Elena's with Damon," he told her unhappily, slipping his hands into his jacket pockets.

"What? Why?"

Stefan hesitated for a second. "Because we had a disagreement," he admitted. "And now she's with Damon. I don't know where."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows, confused. "Is Damon compelling her or something? He and Elena aren't really friends…"

"She doesn't have her necklace on, so I don't know," Stefan replied, frustrated. Out of his pocket, he pulled out the necklace full of vervain that he gave to Elena. "I was wondering if you could see if she's okay."

Lucy apprehensively looked at the necklace. "I don't think I can do that yet," she said, feeling helpless. No matter how much progress she had made with her abilities, she didn't think she was able to see where Elena was. "I'm sorry, Stefan."

"No, no, don't be sorry," Stefan said softly; the last thing he wanted to do was make Lucy feel like she wasn't useful or good enough.

"We could ask Bonnie," Lucy suggested. "I know she's been working on that kind of stuff with Grams. I was about to meet her…"

Stefan smiled gratefully. "Yeah, okay."

Lucy and Stefan set off together, walking through the rest of the school to get to the courtyard. They spotted Bonnie right away, sitting at the picnic table that she and Lucy agreed to meet at.

"Hey, Bon," Lucy greeted as she sat down and started to unwrap her sandwich. Even though they were trying to locate Elena, she still needed to eat.

"Hi, Luce," Bonnie smiled, her lips dropping when she spotted Stefan sitting next to Lucy.

Stefan nodded in greeting. "Hi, Bonnie."

"Stefan," Bonnie smiled politely, still on the fence about vampires.

"I, uh, I haven't seen you lately," Stefan pointed out; he was actually concerned with how the witch was taking the existence of vampires. Her introduction to them wasn't the greatest, after all. "How are you doing with everything?"

"I'm fine," Bonnie stated softly. "It's all fine."

"Good."

"Yeah," Bonnie looked at Lucy for help out of the small talk she was exchanging with Stefan, but Lucy winked at her and continued eating her ham sandwich. "Are you back in school?"

"No," Stefan shook his head. "Actually, I came here to find you and Lucy. I was hoping you could help me with something. A spell."

Bonnie sighed. "Stefan, look, I know that Elena and Lucy are okay with all of this and I appreciate what you did to help me, but I'm not really ready to dive into it with you just yet."

"I understand that," Stefan said calmly. "But I need your help."

Seeing that Bonnie wasn't going to give easily, Lucy spoke up, hoping that Bonnie would at least help her. "Look, Bon, Elena's with Damon. Stefan has her necklace and we were hoping that you could use it to make a connection," she paused and grimaced. "I would do it, but…"

Bonnie looked between them. "How do you know I can do this?"

"Because I've known a few witches over the years," Stefan stated. "I've seen what they can do."

"I'm still new at it," she warned him.

"It's okay," Stefan assured her, handing her Elena's necklace. "Give it a shot."

"Okay," Bonnie sighed. "All right."

She pressed the necklace firmly against the palm of her right hand before putting her left palm on top of it. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to make a connection from the necklace to Elena.

After a few seconds of darkness, she opened her eyes and looked at Lucy and Stefan. "There's nothing," she told them. "Nothing's happening. Usually there's an image or…" she looked around the courtyard before turning back to Lucy and Stefan. "Tell me if anyone's looking."

"Okay," Lucy nodded.

Bonnie leaned over and picked up a leaf that was sitting on the ground by the table. She placed it on the table and sighed, brushing back her hair from her face. She held her hands palm-down over the leaf and breathed heavily, trying to raise it into the air.

Lucy watched closely, concerned that nothing was happening. Levitating leaves and feathers was one of the first things that Bonnie achieved when she learned that she was a witch. If nothing was happening, something was wrong with Bonnie's magic.

Bonnie huffed, scared and frustrated at the same time.

"What is it?" Stefan asked worriedly.

"Something's wrong," Bonnie told him.

"With Elena?"

Lucy rolled her eyes at Stefan as Bonnie replied, "With me. There's something wrong with me," she stood up and grabbed her bag, flinging it over her shoulder. "I have to go. I'm sorry, I can't help you."

Lucy stood up as well; if something was wrong with Bonnie's magic, she wanted to be there for her. "Wait, Bonnie. I'll come with you."

Bonnie nodded and Lucy reached out and grabbed her hand, squeezing it in reassurance.

It was two hours after Lucy and Bonnie arrived at Grams' house and they were still going through books, trying to find out what was wrong with Bonnie. Every single book that Grams owned on occult magic they had taken off their shelf to look through. So far, they hadn't found anything and Lucy had to help Bonnie out of an anxiety attack two different times.

"This one said that another witch could take your powers," Lucy said, reading the book in her hands. She looked at Bonnie. "Did a witch take your magic?"

"No," Bonnie shook her head. "I would know, right? I mean, I think I would notice if a witch came up to me and forcefully took my magic."

"Yeah, you're right," Lucy agreed, closing the book and putting back on the coffee table in front of them. "Well, I didn't take your magic, either, so it must be biological or something."

"Ugh!" Bonnie groaned loudly, throwing her current book on the table and grabbing another one. "I didn't even want magic and now I'm practically lost without it."

Lucy patted her back sympathetically and grabbed another book that she hadn't read.

Luckily, the door opened and Grams walked in, arms weighed down by grocery bags and her briefcase.

"Thank God you're back!" Bonnie exclaimed, startling Grams.

Grams pursed her lips, looking at her granddaughter and student. "And hello to you, too," she mumbled, shutting the door. "What's the matter?"

"My powers are gone, Grams," Bonnie frowned. "I can't do anything, even when I concentrate. And there's nothing in any of these books that can tell me how to get them back."

"Hang on, now," Grams said soothingly. She set down her bags and took a seat next to Bonnie. "Just calm down and tell me what happened."

Lucy and Bonnie shared a look; even though Grams knew about vampires, she wasn't sure if they should tell her about the Salvatores.

Bonnie sighed, "I can't."

Grams raised her eyebrows, catching Lucy and Bonnie's exchange. "We keeping secrets now?"

"I have to," Bonnie insisted. "I'm sorry, I promised. Please help me."

Grams looked displeased that Bonnie was keeping something from her, but she was going to help anyway.

"Well, first of all, there's nothing in any of these that's gonna help you," she said, gesturing to the books. "If you're blocked, it's in here—" she pointed to Bonnie's head. "You gotta clear it out—then you're back in business."

"Clear what out?"

Grams smiled sadly. "Whatever's got you so scared."

It was clear that Bonnie knew exactly what Grams was talking about. When Bonnie stood up to go clear her mind, Lucy was surprised when she asked her to come with her. Lucy said yes, determined to help Bonnie in anyway she could.

After telling Grams that they'd be careful, Lucy and Bonnie left the house and started to drive to the old Fell's Church. Fog was thick in the air as they walked through the old cemetery on the way, but they were able to find their way to the church easily enough.

"I'm sorry that you got caught up in all this, Bon-Bon," Lucy said sadly. She felt so bad that Bonnie was scared enough of vampires that she couldn't even use her magic.

Bonnie gave her a small smile. "It's okay. Besides, it seemed like Emily was gonna get me involved whether I knew you or not."

Lucy had to admit that Bonnie had a point.

The girls fell quiet as they came upon the ruins of the church. They looked around for a second to make sure there was no one around before Bonnie bent down, grabbing a leaf from the ground.

She held the leaf with one palm while trying to levitate it with the other. When that didn't work, she rubbed her hand on her jeans and tried again. Unfortunately, her magic still didn't work.

She was still scared.

All of a sudden, a loud creak filled the air. Lucy and Bonnie whipped their heads around, trying to find the source of the noise.

"What was that?" Lucy whispered harshly, scared that someone was around.

"I don't know," Bonnie said quietly before raising her voice. "Hello? Anybody here?"

Another creak sounded, causing Lucy to flinch. All at once, the ground beneath their feet caved in. Lucy and Bonnie screamed as they fell into the tomb below, falling unconscious with the force of their bodies against the hard stone.

"Lucy! Lucy, wake up! Lucy!"

Whoever was calling her name sounded like they were under water. Or maybe she was the one underwater…either way, the sound of her name was muffled but enough to catch her attention.

Lucy slowly opened her eyes, wincing as she felt a stabbing pain coming from her forehead. Bonnie's face was hovering over her, the skin above her eyebrow cut and bleeding slightly.

"Lucy, are you okay?" Bonnie's voice was much clearer than before.

"Yeah," Lucy said hoarsely, blinking as Bonnie helped her sit up. "I'm all right."

She looked around her, startled to see that they were in some kind of stone room. She remembered the ground caving in, so she presumed that they were in some sort of underground chamber. She looked above their heads and groaned in relief when she saw that it was still light out.

While Bonnie called for help, she looked over herself to see if she was injured. Her tights were ripped at the knee and there was a cut underneath, she had a scrape on her forearm, and blood dripping down her face. It could have been worse; she could have broken a bone.

Lucy stood up and joined Bonnie in calling for help. When it was clear that no one was around to help them out of the tomb, Lucy looked around. There was something that looked like a sewage drain that was long out of use and to her horror, a large door with a pentagram carved into it.

"Bonnie," she whispered, pointing the door out to her; Bonnie gasped in fright.

This had to be the actual tomb that Damon was talking about. Apparently there were around twenty-seven vampires from 1864 behind that door, including Stefan and Damon's ex-girlfriend, Katherine. They had been desiccating for a hundred and forty-five years—there was no doubt they were hungry.

An hour passed and after looking around carefully, they found that there was exit. Unfortunately, the exit was blocked by debris, so they were unable to leave that way.

Lucy was frustrated; she was cold and it was starting to get dark. And both her phone and Bonnie's phone had no service so it wasn't like they could call anyone to their rescue.

Bonnie still hadn't given up on her phone. She held it up in the air, trying to get a bar. "Come on, phone!" she cried. As if the phone wanted to defy her, it abruptly died. She groaned loudly, "Great!"

"Okay," Lucy sighed and turned on the flashlight from her phone. The small beam of light illuminated the stone room and somehow made the large door seem even creepier. "Your Grams has to realize you've been gone for too long, right?"

"Maybe," Bonnie shrugged as she walked over to Lucy, eyeing the pentagram on the door behind her. She tilted her head, hearing various whispers. "Do you hear that?"

Lucy listened carefully and heard the same thing as Bonnie. She narrowed her eyes at the door and concluded that the vampires could probably smell their blood.

"Yeah."

Lucy stepped closer to the door to see if she could hear them better. She was about to press her hand against the stone when someone who was not Bonnie called her name.

"Lucy, don't!"

Lucy and Bonnie let out identical shrieks as Stefan appeared in front of them. Lucy didn't wait to recognize him before she struck out, still shrieking, to hit their attacker.

Stefan stopped her before her hit landed, carefully grabbing her wrist so she would hurt herself. A slight sting started in his palms as Lucy unknowingly siphoned from him, her arms glowing red.

"Lucy, it's me," Stefan gritted his teeth, in pain. "It's Stefan."

Lucy relaxed and Stefan felt her stop siphoning from him right away. Lucy felt foolish; she tried to punch Stefan and ended up siphoning from him! How humiliating.

"I'm so sorry," she apologized profusely, pushing his hands away from her. She didn't want to hurt him again.

"It's fine, Luce," he assured her. He looked at Bonnie and then back at her. "Are you guys okay? Are you hurt?"

"We're okay," Bonnie said, hand pressed over her heart. "The ground gave way and we fell."

"It's okay, it's okay," he said calmly. He looked at Lucy and noticed the guilty expression on her face and her heavily, panicked breathing. He couldn't help himself; he cupped her clean cheek and rubbed her flushed skin soothingly. "Calm down, okay?"

Lucy blew out a breath slowly, trying to calm down. She just felt so bad that she hurt Stefan. She really thought she was getting her siphoning under control—apparently, she wasn't. Stefan was okay, though, he told her himself. She just needed to relax and breathe.

Once Lucy's breathing was steadier, Stefan spoke up again, "Come on, let's get you guys out of here."

"How?" Bonnie asked fearfully.

"Just close your eyes and trust me," Stefan told her softly. He looked at Lucy, silently telling her the same and she nodded back at him. "Come here."

Stefan made sure both Lucy and Bonnie were safe and secure in his grasp before jumping out of the tomb. They landed safely in the ground outside of the hole without any trouble.

Stefan released Bonnie but made sure to keep an arm around Lucy. He was worried sick about her when he hadn't heard from her all afternoon; he was very glad that he found her safe and only slightly injured. Lucy seemed like she needed a hug, too; she was still shaking.

"You can open your eyes now," Stefan told Bonnie, noticing that her eyes were still closed.

Bonnie opened her eyes and gasped, astounded to see that they were above ground again. "Whoa."

"I didn't want to scare you."

"How did you know where we were?" Bonnie wondered.

"Well, your grandmother told me what you were doing and that Lucy went with you," Stefan informed them. "I guessed the where."

"We heard them down there, Stefan," Lucy told him, looking down at her feet. "Behind the door. Are they in pain?"

"In the beginning—yes. But not anymore," Stefan stated. "They've been starved to the point of desiccation."

"But if they have blood—"

Stefan cut Bonnie off. "That's not going to happen, Bonnie," he assured her. "They can't get out. Emily saw to that when she had you destroy the crystal. You're safe," he squeezed Lucy's shoulders. "You're both safe."

The front door of the house opened as Bonnie, Lucy, and Stefan wandered up the sidewalk. Grams appeared and gave Bonnie a bright smile.

"Well, now, look who's returned from battle," she said causing Bonnie to leap and engulf her into a hug. When Bonnie pulled away, Grams asked, "Can I talk to your friend for a minute?"

Bonnie nodded and stepped into the house. She looked back at Stefan and Lucy and said, "Thank you, guys."

Lucy smiled and waved, glad that she could help Bonnie even if it was almost a disaster.

When Bonnie left for the kitchen, Grams turned to Stefan. "I appreciate your help, Stefan."

"You're welcome, _Sheila_."

Grams' face visibly brightened when Stefan called her by her given name causing Lucy to look between them curiously. How would Stefan know Grams' name?

"I wasn't sure you remembered," Grams looked pleased.

"October 1969," Stefan recalled.

"I was barely a teenager."

"And you were leading what was probably the only anti-war sit-in within miles of Mystic Falls," Stefan added. "You know, when you spoke, people were mesmerized. I know I was."

"Until the cops showed up," Grams chuckled. Her grin faded as she became serious. "You took a big risk coming to seem me earlier. Letting me read you and realize who you were. It could have gone a completely different way."

"Well, your family has a very long history of keeping my secret," Stefan replied. "I knew that I could trust you if you believed that I was worthy of your trust."

"Bonnie knows, doesn't she?"

Stefan nodded. "Yes."

"Please understand that our loyalty can only extend so far," Grams said firmly. "This town won't be easy on any of us if they figure it out. And I'll protect my own before anybody else—Lucy included."

Lucy smiled gratefully at Grams, happy that she was included as an honorary member of the Bennett family.

"I know that," Stefan accepted Grams' claim calmly.

"As long as we're clear," Grams nodded, smiling slightly. "Goodnight, then."

Stefan grinned. "Goodnight, Sheila."

As Grams closed her door, Lucy turned to Stefan, amazed. "You really knew Grams when she was young?"

"I didn't really know her," Stefan corrected her as they climbed down the porch steps. "I just met her once."

"Sometimes I forget how old you actually are," Lucy commented. As they started walking down the sidewalk—Stefan didn't bring a car—she furrowed her eyebrows thoughtfully. "Stefan…"

"Hmm?"

"Why did you stop me from touching the tomb door?" she asked quietly. "Is it because I can…"

"You'd probably be able to siphon the magic seal on the tomb," Stefan finished softly. "And we can't let those vampires out. It wouldn't be good."

Lucy nodded, understanding his reasons.

"That also means that we can't let Damon figure out that you can absorb the seal," Stefan continued. "If he knows you're able to drop the spell, he'll use you to get Katherine out. He's desperate when it comes to her, so he would do anything to make you help him."

Lucy shivered, hoping that Damon would never find out. "Okay, then. No telling Damon. Got it."

Stefan scoffed in amusement. "Yeah."

"Speaking of Damon…" Lucy drawled, watching as Stefan frowned. He probably knew what she wanted to ask, but she was going to anyway. "How did Elena end up with Damon? What were you guys fighting about, anyway?"

Stefan sighed. "It's complicated and it sounds worse than it is…"

"Seriously, Stefan, you can talk to me," Lucy could see how reluctant he was to share. "You're one of my best friends and I'm here for you."

Stefan couldn't help but smile at Lucy despite the seriousness of what he had to tell her. "Thanks, Lucy," he said gratefully. "What I did was horrible and I should have told Elena from the start, but…"

Lucy listened in shock as Stefan told her about Katherine and how Elena was basically a carbon copy of her. When she shook her head in denial, he even pulled out his phone to show her a picture he had. It was too weird, but Stefan was telling the truth. The woman in the picture looked just like Elena but she was wearing old-fashioned clothing and her hair was adorned in vintage curls. There was even a date at the bottom corner of the photo, dating it back to the 1860s.

When Stefan saw the shocked look on Lucy's face, he hurried to explain. "Elena's not Katherine and that's not why I'm with her," he said seriously. "Even before we were together, I knew that she was the opposite of Katherine."

Lucy looked at him, confused. "How would you know that?"

"The first day of school wasn't the first time I saw you and Elena," Stefan admitted.

"What are you talking about?" Lucy couldn't remember meeting Stefan and she would have. He was a memorable person. "When did we first meet?"

"May 23, 2009."

Lucy stopped walking, her eyes narrowed. "No, that was—"

"That was the night when you, Elena, and your parents were in a car accident," Stefan acknowledged, stuffing his hands into his jacket as he stopped walking, turning to face her. "and your car went off the bridge."

Lucy's eyes stung, her vision blurring. "You—?"

Stefan nodded. "Every couple of years or so, I come back here to see Zach and my home. And last spring, I was out in the woods by Old Wickery Bridge. I heard the accident. All of it. I was fast getting there but not fast enough. The car was already submerged."

Lucy breathed deeply, tears wetting her cheeks. Memories flashed through her eyes and she could practically feel the cold water around her.

"Your dad was still—he was still awake," Stefan continued sadly. "I was able to get to him but he wouldn't let me help him until I helped you and Elena."

"No one knew how we survived," Lucy whispered, almost in a trance. She recalled the looks on Joel and Jenna's faces when she woke up. They looked so relieved even through their sobs. She absentmindedly placed a hand on the left side of her ribs where they were broken during the accident. They still hurt once in a great while. "My ribs…"

"Your heart stopped beating so I performed CPR," Stefan told her quietly, looking regretful about her injury. "I didn't mean to go so hard."

"Don't apologize," Lucy whispered. "You saved my life."

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to do the same for your parents."

Lucy shook her head though more tears welled up thinking about what could have been. Stefan did the best he could and, in the end, it was her father that gave up his life for her and Elena. That was his choice and he made it with love.

"So you saw Elena," she said, trying to distract herself.

"I couldn't believe how much they looked alike," Stefan said. "So I spent time making sure Elena wasn't Katherine."

"So you stayed," Lucy assumed. It was kind of stalkerish that Stefan watched Elena for a while but at least his intentions weren't malicious.

Stefan nodded.

Lucy inhaled deeply and wiped the tears off her face. "Do you know why Elena looks like Katherine?" she wondered. "Is Katherine related to us somehow?"

"No."

Lucy raised her eyebrows. "What do you mean? How else would Elena look just like Katherine?"

"It didn't make any sense—Katherine was a Pierce—so I looked into it," Stefan said. He took a deep breath and confessed, "Lucy, Elena is adopted…and so are you."

Lucy felt lightheaded; there was no way Stefan was telling the truth. She had seen her birth certificate before and her parents' names were printed on it. She was a Gilbert; Stefan had to be mistaken.

She must have faltered because suddenly Stefan was there, holding onto her arms to make sure she wouldn't fall to the sidewalk. "Lucy…"

"No, no, no," Lucy shook her head, tears once again making their way down her cheeks. "Stefan, you're wrong, okay? I know you're wrong. _Please_ tell me you're wrong."

"I can't, Lucy," he whispered, apologetically. "I'm sorry."

A sob tore its way from Lucy's throat and that was as much as Stefan could take. He wrapped her into a tight hug, making sure she knew that he was there for her. He held her as she cried heavily, not even noticing when his shirt became wet with her tears.

Lucy didn't want to believe that she was adopted but suddenly things started to make sense. Her mom never used to tell her stories about being pregnant with her. Her Grandpa and Grandma Gilbert would always give her slightly disapproving looks that they would give to Joel, Elena, or Jeremy. And she felt really stupid when she remembered that she had a different blood type than both of her parents, which wasn't possible.

She felt ignorant that she hadn't found out sooner.

"How did you find out?" Lucy asked after her sobs came to a stop. Her breath was still hitching once in a while and she kept her head on Stefan's chest, reveling in his hug.

"I found your birth certificate at the city records office," Stefan told her. "It has your name, your parents' names and Mystic Falls General. But there's no record of your mother being admitted on your birthday. There's no record of her even being pregnant."

"And Elena?"

"It's the same with her."

Lucy closed her eyes, feeling defeated. It seemed like everything she knew was a lie; was Lucy even her real name?

"I'm not a Gilbert," she whispered, her eyes watering again. God, how she wished she would stop crying. "Joel and Jeremy aren't my brothers…Elena's not my sister…"

"Stop. Look at me," Stefan pulled away from their hug and lowered his head so Lucy didn't have to crane her neck to look him in the eyes. When her watery hazel eyes locked on his, he continued, "Listen to me, Lucy. Just because you don't share blood with Elena, Joel, and Jeremy, doesn't mean you're not family. You were raised together and you love each other, you'd do anything for one another. How is that not a family?"

"But…"

"Your dad made sure I got you out of that car because he loved you more than he loved himself," Stefan went on, not letting her interrupt him. "And I know you probably feel lost and confused—" tears dripped from Lucy's eyes but she didn't break eye contact with him. "—but you're still Lucy Gilbert. You're the sister of Elena, Joel, and Jeremy. You're Caroline Forbes' best friend. You're _my_ best friend. You're still the goofy Lucy Gilbert that everyone knows and loves and being adopted doesn't take that away."

When Lucy looked back on that moment years later, she knew that was when she first started to fall for Stefan Salvatore.


	12. Decade Dance Disaster

**[1x12; Unpleasantville]**

Lucy looked at the clock, noticing that it had been almost fifteen minutes since she ordered pizza for herself, Jeremy, and Elena. The only pizza place in town—other than Papa John's, which Lucy despised—usually took fifteen minutes at the most, depending on your order.

She grabbed her wallet and left her room to go downstairs and wait for the delivery person.

"Lucy."

Lucy gave Stefan a hesitant smile as she stopped and turned around to face him. He had just left Elena's room when he heard her leave hers and he wanted to give her the vervain that she had been persistently asking about lately.

"I brought you some vervain," he told her, holding out the wooden box.

"Thanks, Stefan," Lucy stuck her wallet under her arm to hold in place while taking the box from him.

"I made a bracelet for Jeremy," Stefan pointed out as she opened the flap. "There's extra for Jenna and Caroline. You can put it in jewelry or you can even put it in food or drink. As long as it's in them or on them, a vampire can't control them."

"That's a lot to remember," Lucy sighed, picking up the black bracelet Stefan mentioned. There was already so much on her mind and now she had to worry about a new vampire trying to compel her friends and family.

"I know," Stefan gave her a sympathetic smile. "But with a new vampire in town…we have to be careful."

Lucy nodded and opened her bedroom door, placing the box full of vervain on her desk. She shut the door once more and turned to Stefan.

"Thank you, Stefan. Really."

"It's no problem. You've been asking for it," Stefan shrugged, shoving his hands in his jean pockets. "How are you doing? Have you talked to Jenna—"

"Lucy!" Jeremy called from downstairs. "The pizza's here!"

"Coming!" Lucy yelled back. She smiled apologetically at Stefan but she was secretly happy that Jeremy interrupted Stefan's question. She hadn't yet talked to Jenna about the adoption. "I'll see you later…"

Stefan smiled and nodded as Lucy turned to go down the stairs.

Lucy shuffled through her wallet and pulled out a twenty-dollar-bill and a ten, handing them to the man standing in her foyer. She had never seen him before, so the pizza place must have just hired him.

"Thanks," she exchanged the money for the pizza. "Keep the change."

The man smiled, "Thank you. Have yourself a good night."

Lucy smiled and shut the door as the man walked out, turning to face Jeremy with the pizza in hand. "Dinner!" she declared loudly, hoping that Elena could hear.

Rapid footsteps from upstairs told her she did.

When it came to dances, Lucy and Caroline were always the ones in charge. For the decade dances that Mystic Falls High put on, the co-presidents of the dance committee alternated the decades they were in charge of. Lucy happened to be in charge of the decade dance happening the next night, the 1950s. It wasn't her favorite era when it came to fashion, but at least it was better than the sixties.

The flyers, decorations, and music were all ready to go. Lucy was even able to convince Jeremy's English teacher to allow him to volunteer to watch over the punch bowl for extra credit. All that was left for her to do was figure out the rest of her outfit. She had a gray, patterned skirt that fell to her knees and a black blouse with a white peter-pan collar, but nothing in the way of accessories or shoes. She didn't even know how to style her hair, for crying out loud.

Lucy sighed and threw a pair of black heels on her bed before heading back over to her closet to grab her painting clothes. She and Caroline still had to paint a couple of signs so she needed something she could get messy in.

Lucy didn't want to think about how it was going to be the first time she had picked up a paintbrush since her parents died.

There was a knock on the door as soon as Lucy slipped a heather-gray v-neck splattered with paint stains over her head. She pulled her hair out from under the shirt and called out for whoever was at the door.

It happened to be Elena; she peeked her head into the room and smiled when she saw the old pair of skinny jeans Lucy was hopping her way into.

"I think you've grown out of those," she commented, walking over to sit on Lucy's bed.

Lucy shook her head adamantly. "Nope. There's no way. These will fit forever."

"Tell that to your hips, then," Elena laughed. When Lucy frowned and finished buttoning her jeans, she added, "You got those jeans ages ago."

Lucy rolled her eyes but smiled anyway, knowing that Elena was right. The jeans only went to the area right above her ankles, a little shorter than before. She cuffed the hem, making them look acceptable to wear in public.

"Did you find anything to go with your outfit for the dance yet?" Elena wondered.

"No. You?"

"Nope," Elena sighed. "Do you wanna go with me to pick something out?"

"Um," Lucy hummed, trying to remember when she and Caroline were going to done with the decorations. "As long as it's after four, I should be good."

Elena smiled. "Great…" she paused thoughtfully, trying to approach the subject of their adoptions carefully. From what Stefan told her, Lucy didn't react that well and they hadn't had a chance to speak about it yet. "Luce, how are you doing?"

Lucy gave Elena a confused look. "…good?"

"No," Elena sent her a pointed look. "About being adopted…are you okay?"

"Oh…"

Truth was, Lucy was actually better than she thought she would be. Taking Stefan's words into mind, she realized that family wasn't just made up of blood relatives. She loved her parents, aunt, and siblings, so what did it matter if she wasn't a Gilbert biologically?

Talking with Joel and Caroline helped her, too. Joel was only five when Grayson and Miranda took in Lucy, but he remembered some of the talk their parents gave him. He told her the basics; they loved her and Elena just as much as they loved Joel. Caroline said much of the same as Stefan but knowing that her big brother and best friend didn't view her any differently helped her reaction so much.

Lucy still hadn't talked to Jenna about the adoption, but she was going to as soon as she had the chance.

"I'm fine, Lenabug," Lucy gave her a reassuring smile. "Just because we're not technically related, doesn't mean we're not family. You're still my sister, just like Jeremy and Joel are my brothers. Are you okay?"

"It's just weird," Elena shrugged. "I just hate the fact that they lied to us."

Lucy could relate to that but mostly, she understood where their parents were coming from. Maybe they didn't want Lucy and Elena to feel different than Joel or Jeremy. Maybe they didn't tell them the truth to protect them. Maybe they were waiting until they turned eighteen. There could be multiple possibilities of why Grayson ad Miranda hadn't told them but, in the end, her and Elena would never know.

"Mom and Dad probably had their reasons," Lucy shrugged. She continued when she saw Elena about to argue, "It sucked that they lied, though. I agree with you."

"Have you talked to Jenna?"

"Not yet," Lucy grabbed her canvas bag full of painting supplies and heaved it over her shoulder. She glanced at her alarm clock and noticed that they had a half-hour until school started. "Come on, we'll be late."

"Another day at school," Elena sighed, jumping off Lucy's bed. "Yippee."

Lucy wrapped a paper towel around the tips of her paint brushes, carefully soaking up the water in the bristles. Her and Caroline had just finished one of their banners and it was getting late, an hour after school officially ended.

"Matt and I will finish the other banner tomorrow," Caroline told Lucy as set closed the bottles of smelly acrylic paint that the school provided.

Lucy smirked and placed her brushes into her bag. "Are you and Matt officially a thing yet? Because I bet Joel that you'd be going to the dance together."

"You bet on me and Matt?" Caroline gaped at Lucy, throwing a damp paper towel at her. "Lucy Gilbert!"

Lucy laughed and threw the towel into the large garbage can a few feet away. "It's a harmless bet…just twenty-five on the line."

"Well, you'll be happy to know that I'm going to ask him if we need to coordinate outfits."

"Really?" Lucy grinned. "So, you really like him, huh?"

Caroline nodded. "Yeah. I just feel like we've peaked as friends, you know?" she frowned a little. "I'm just wondering if Matt will ever be over Elena. I mean, I talked to her today and she said she was fine with it…"

"I would hope she is," Lucy rolled her eyes. "She's with Stefan. You don't need her permission."

Caroline shrugged. "I don't know, Luce. It's girl code not to date your friend's ex."

"Normally I would agree but it's different with us and it always has been," Lucy reminded her. "Remember, you and Bonnie both dated Peter before we went out."

"That was middle school, Lucy."

"It still counts," Lucy was adamant. "Besides, it's not like there are bountiful amounts of attractive guys our age to date."

Caroline snickered and agreed.

They quickly finished cleaning up their mess and walked out of the gymnasium, locking up with the key they were entrusted with specifically for dances. They were halfway across the parking lot where Elena was parked next to Caroline's car, when Lucy remembered the vervain locket she made up for Caroline.

"Before I forget," she mumbled, unzipping a pocket on her purse and pulling out the locket. "I got this for you."

Caroline furrowed her eyebrows. "Luce, it's your birthday coming up. Not mine."

Rolling her eyes, Lucy grabbed Caroline's hand and forced the necklace into it. "I know that, but I saw it online and wanted you to have it."

"Well, it's beautiful," Caroline studied the silver locket with a smile. "Thank you, Luce. I love it."

"You're welcome. Make sure you wear it, though, because otherwise I'll have to rescind our friendship," Lucy joked. In all seriousness, though, Caroline needed to make sure she had the locket on at all times. The more protection she had from the vervain, the better.

"I will," Caroline promised. "It'll go with everything."

Lucy grinned; that was the exact reason she got that specific necklace.

When they got to their vehicles, they said their goodbyes. Caroline wished Lucy and Elena good luck with their accessory shopping and hopped into her car, zooming out of the parking lot like a madman.

"Did you have fun?" Elena asked as Lucy clicked her seatbelt into place.

"Yes, Mom, I did," Lucy said teasingly; Elena rolled her eyes. "We should probably hurry up. The store closes at six."

"Yes, ma'am."

Lucy and Elena traveled to the vintage store a street off the town square where everyone usually got their clothes for the decade dances. The store sold everything vintage, including clothes, games, and even candy. The owners were an elderly couple named Frank and Peggy who were probably the sweetest old people Lucy had ever come in contact with.

Peggy happened to be working at the shop that night and was eager to help Lucy and Elena. After they both described their outfits, Peggy led them around the store, picking out things that would pull their outfits together. For Lucy, Peggy insisted that a simple pair of pearl earrings would look great and for Elena, she suggested a matching belt and scarf, along with a white headband.

The sisters left the store with two bags and advice about their hair, large smiles painting both of their faces. It was dark out, now, but they stuck together as they crossed the street on their way to Jenna's car that Elena was currently borrowing.

Elena's phone rang as they got to the car.

"Hello?" Elena answered the phone, trying to get the keys out of her purse at the same time. "Hey, who is this?"

Lucy watched, confused, as Elena's eyebrows furrowed at whoever answered. She paused, her eyes widening, and then turned, looking at the end of the street. Lucy followed her gaze, breath stuttering when she saw a masculine figure standing in the shadows of a street lamp.

"Get in the car," Elena ordered Lucy frantically, unlocking the car.

Lucy didn't need to be told twice. She hurriedly opened her door and practically leaped into the car, shutting and locking the door behind her. Elena quickly started the car and backed out of their parking space, the tires squealing as she drove away.

"Elena, who was that?" Lucy asked worriedly, looking through the back window to see that the man was no longer there.

"It was the guy I hit with my car," Elena told her breathlessly.

Lucy inhaled deeply, frightened. "Shit."

"Why me?" Elena asked Stefan as she handed Lucy a warm mug of french vanilla cappuccino and sat down on the couch next to her. "What does he want with me?"

"If he's trying to kill Elena, why call first?" Lucy wondered after taking a sip of her drink.

"It's because we're predators," Stefan paced in front of them, his worried-vampire look on full display. "We hunt. We stalk. It's often as exciting as the kill."

Stefan had the full run down of what happened the night before and had speed over as soon as he and Elena hung up their phone call. This wasn't good; if the vampire was playing with Elena, they needed to figure out who it was.

He pulled the Gilbert compass out of his jean pocket and handed it to Elena. "I want you to take this."

Lucy recognized the compass as Elena turned it over in her hands.

"This is the pocket watch Joel gave Jeremy," Elena stated, looking at Stefan. "How did you get it?"

"I took it from Damon who took it from Logan, who must have taken it from Jeremy," Stefan explained.

Elena narrowed her eyes and looked back down at the watch, seeing that the clock face wasn't there. "What happened to it?"

"It's not just a watch," Lucy told her sister, remembering what Joel and Damon told her when they were tracking down Logan. "It's like a compass but it points at vampires."

Stefan emphasized Lucy's point by twisting the knob. The compass whirled before pointing right at him, clicking into place.

Elena closed the compass, eyebrows furrowed. "Why did our father have it?"

"The Gilberts were one of the founding families and back in 1864, they were among those who sought to eradicate the vampires," Stefan informed Elena and Lucy. "The compass was used to find us."

"Did you know them?" Lucy wondered; she thought it was cool that Stefan might have known their…adopted ancestors.

Stefan nodded, smiling slightly at Lucy. "Yes," he looked between her and Elena. "I want you to keep this on you guys. That way you'll know if you're ever in danger."

Lucy and agreed to use the compass, leaving the room shortly after so Stefan and Elena could have some privacy. She needed to get ready for the dance, anyway.

It was awkwardly silent in Lucy's room as she sat at her vanity, Jenna behind her as curled her hair. Lucy wanted to take the time to ask Jenna about her adoption but she didn't quite know how to start. How do you bring up something like that? She didn't even know if Jenna knew if she knew she was adopted.

Luckily, Jenna decided to clear it up.

"I know you know about the adoption," she sighed, running a comb through the hair she released from the wand, loosening the curl.

Lucy looked into the mirror in front of her, eyes locking with Jenna's. "Why did no one tell us?"

"Your mom and dad were gonna do it, eventually," Jenna answered, a small frown quirking her lips. "I never thought I would have to."

"So, what happened?" Lucy wanted to know how she came to her parents.

"First, you have to know Elena's story, because your story is connected," Jenna wrapped another strand of hair around the curling wand. "Your dad was about to leave the office one night when a girl showed up. She was sixteen, a runaway, and about to give birth. He delivered her baby and he gave her a place to stay but a few days later, she disappeared."

Jenna took a deep breath and continued, "The baby was Elena. After Joel was born, your mom was having trouble conceiving again; it just wasn't happening. Miranda wanted a daughter, so your parents made Elena's birth certificate."

Lucy bit her lip. "So, what do I have to do with this?"

Jenna rolled her eyes at her niece's impatience. "I'm getting there. Elena's birth mother's real name was Isobel. Almost two years after Elena was born, a guy showed up with you, telling your parents that a girl named Isobel sent him."

"Wow," Lucy was shocked. She thought she had been adopted the old-fashioned way. "Was he my biological father?"

"That's what your mom and dad thought," Jenna confirmed. "He was young, around the age Joel is now. Miranda and Grayson took one look at you and fell in love. It was easy to take you in after that."

Lucy's eyes stung but she held back her tears. "Do you know the guy's name?"

Jenna thought for a moment. "I think his name was Rich or something. I'll look into it, okay?"

"Thanks, Jenna," Lucy smiled genuinely. She was glad that Jenna knew more than Joel did. It was nice to get some information about her origins. "And thanks for telling me that."

"You deserved to know," Jenna shrugged and picked up a bottle of hairspray, spraying over Lucy's wavy locks. "And you're done."

Lucy beamed and looked at her hair, happy with the way it turned out. She hopped up from her seat and unplugged the wand before turning to Jenna and taking in her outfit, consisting of a decade-appropriate plaid blouse tucked into a red pencil skirt.

"You look great," she told her aunt, smiling widely. "I can't believe Mr. Saltzman asked you to chaperone with him."

Jenna smacked Lucy on the arm as she wiggled her eyebrows at her. "Shut it, you."

"Hey!" Lucy raised her arms defensively. "He's about a thousand steps up from Logan Fell."

Especially since Logan was dead and gone.

"True," Jenna grinned coyly.

Lucy shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Get outta here," she demanded. "Chaperones are supposed to be at the dance earlier."

"Aye, aye, captain," Jenna mock-saluted Lucy, laughing as Lucy practically pushed her out of the room.

After Jenna left for the dance, Lucy quickly did her make-up, slipped on her black heels, and wandered downstairs for something to eat. The dance only offered potato chips and pretzels and Lucy didn't want to eat those for her dinner.

Leftover pizza was perfectly all right, though, so she quickly heated up a couple of slices in the microwave. As she grabbed a water bottle from the fridge, she heard her name being called by Elena.

"Lucy!"

"Yeah?" Lucy left the kitchen and saw that Elena was panicking, the Gilbert compass in hand.

"Call Stefan," Elena urged, looking down at the compass as it spun seemingly in different directions.

Lucy did as she was told, grabbing her phone from her purse and pressing on Stefan's contact. It rang four times before someone picked up.

"_Stefan's phone. How may I help you?"_ Damon answered.

"Where's Stefan?" Lucy asked, keeping her eye on the compass that had yet to settle down. From the kitchen, the microwave beeped but Lucy paid it no mind.

"_He's on his way there_," Damon replied, sounding bored. _"He forgot his phone."_

Lucy sighed in relief. "Thank God. The compass was spinning. He must be here," she gave Elena a thumb's up and continued with Damon, "Thank you."

"_You're welcome."_

Lucy hung up her phone when she heard the dial tone and slipped it back into her purse. She turned to Elena and said, "Stefan's on his way here. He forgot his phone."

Elena sighed, only to jump when Lucy screamed. A vampire jumped down behind Elena and grabbed her, quickly twisting her around. The veins beneath his red eyes popped out, his fangs growing as he lunged at her, trying to rip into her neck.

Lucy grabbed her locket, hand glowing red, glared at the vampire. The vampire groaned in pain from the aneurysm Lucy was giving him, but it didn't seem to affect him for long. He leapt at Lucy, intending to teach her a lesson.

Lucy couldn't move.

"Lucy!"

Stefan rushed into the room and threw the vampire off of Lucy just before he bit into her. The vampire was to his feet within a second, rushing out of the house as a blur with the door slamming behind him.

"Oh, my God," Lucy whispered shakily, rushing to Elena who was on the floor, breathing heavily. "Are you all right?"

Lucy helped Elena up and her sister went straight to Stefan, wrapping her arms around him. Stefan embraced her back, offering comfort, but kept his eyes on Lucy. She didn't look too good; her face was pale, making the blush on her cheeks stand out, and her hands were shaking.

"Come sit down," Stefan told Elena quietly, gently ushering her over to the couch. Once Elena was seated, he turned to Lucy. "Come on, Luce."

Stefan wrapped his arm around Lucy's and guided her to the couch. Once she sat down, Elena quickly grabbed her shaking hands, giving her a concerned look.

"Are you okay, Lucy?" she asked, briefly glancing at Stefan as he used Lucy's phone to call Damon over.

"Yeah," Lucy whispered.

She was okay but she just needed a minute. She couldn't believe she let the vampire get that close to her in the first place. The vampire had to be old because her aneurysm didn't work on him that well. Maybe she needed to practice…

Once Stefan hung up the call with Damon, the oldest Salvatore was at the house in minutes. He came right into the living room and looked around, as if he was looking for clues.

"How did he get in?" he asked, looking down at Lucy and Elena.

Lucy inhaled unsteadily, remembering that the vampire was actually the delivery guy from the night they ordered pizza. "He was invited in."

"He posed as a pizza delivery guy," Stefan added, telling Damon the detail Lucy left out.

Damon looked begrudgingly impressed. "Well, he gets points for that. Did he say what he wanted?"

"No," Elena glared at him. "He was too busy trying to kill me and Lucy."

"And you have no idea who this is?" Stefan asked Damon, giving his brother a suspicious look.

"No," when Stefan narrowed his eyes, Damon added, "Don't look at me like that. I told you we had company."

"You think there's more than one?" Elena asked, eyes widening.

Damon raised his eyebrows. "We don't know."

"Damon," Stefan pinched the bridge of his nose and then looked at Damon pointedly. "He was _invited_ in."

Damon nodded silently; he knew full well what that meant. The vampire had free range to do whatever he wanted in the Gilbert house. "Then we go get him tonight," he looked at Lucy and Elena. "You up for it?"

Lucy stayed quiet; she had a feeling he was asking Elena more than he was asking her. Plus, the vampire seemed to be after Elena. The only reason why he tried to attack Lucy was because of her magic.

"What do I have to do?" Elena asked seriously.

"Let your boyfriend take you to the dance," Damon stated. "We'll see who shows up."

Stefan shook his head. "That's a bad idea."

"Till we get him, this house isn't safe," Damon tried to convince his brother. "For anyone who lives in it," he looked back at Elena, knowing she held more persuasion over Stefan. "It's worth a shot."

Elena looked at Lucy, who nodded, and then back at Stefan. "I'll do it," she declared, taking Stefan's hand. "I'll be with the two of you. I'll be safe."

Damon was satisfied. "All right, then," he grinned at Lucy. "Twitch, looks like I'm your date."

Lucy didn't like the sound of that. "I don't think so, Dracula."

Lucy pouted from Damon's side as they looked around the crowded gym, a song from the fifties playing loudly as everyone danced. She was quickly overruled by the Salvatore brothers and her own sister, so now she had Damon as her date.

It kind of put a damper on the dance; not only was Damon Caroline's kind-of ex-boyfriend that compelled and fed on her but she didn't like him all that much. He was annoying, too, especially when he made fun of the banner she and Caroline painted.

"I'm going to get some punch," Lucy huffed, spotting Jeremy behind the refreshment table.

"I'll come with you," Elena offered, allowing Stefan and Damon to take a better look around for the mysterious vampire that was out to kill Elena.

Lucy nodded and the sisters walked through the crowd of dancing teenagers to the punch. They greeted Jeremy and each grabbed a cup of punch before going to stand by a table. Lucy downed her drink and plopped the paper cup on the table, playing with the rim.

Luckily, Caroline and Bonnie approached them, all dressed up and looking great in vintage clothes.

"Having fun?" Lucy asked them, pulling away from the partially destroyed cup.

"No," Caroline said honestly before gesturing to her outfit and hair. "But this took about two hours, so I'm at least staying half of that."

"What's Damon doing here?" Bonnie spoke up, glaring behind Lucy and Elena.

Lucy turned, seeing that Stefan and Damon were chatting a few feet away from them.

"He wanted to come," Elena shrugged. "I promise he'll behave."

Caroline gave her an unimpressed look. "So, what is this, like, a threesome now?" she asked, glaring at Damon. "You and the Salvatore brothers?"

"No, but if I'm gonna be with Stefan, then I have to learn to tolerate Damon," Elena stated with a sigh. "It's not like I can kill him."

"There's a thought," Bonnie hummed, taking a sip of punch.

"Mmm," Caroline agreed, clinking her cup with Bonnie's. "I'll help."

Lucy snickered at her friends before she promised them she was going to be back. She got another cup of punch and when she returned to their table, Elena was gone.

"Where's Elena?" she wondered, leaning on the table next to Bonnie.

"Somewhere with Stefan," Bonnie looked over the crowd. "We're thinking of going to the Grill soon. Wanna come?"

"Um—"

"Ugh," Caroline interrupted before Lucy could answer. "Damon's coming."

Lucy and Bonnie turned around just in time to see Damon walking toward them, a sneaky grin on his face.

"Hi, Bonnie," he greeted slyly. "Wanna dance?"

Bonnie glared at him. "I'm out of here."

Damon hurriedly stopped her from leaving. "Please give me another chance."

Lucy looked on in amusement as Bonnie scoffed, ripped her arm out of Damon's grasp, and walked away. Caroline smirked at Damon and added, "Back off, Damon."

"Ooh," Lucy sang as Caroline walked away from the table. "Is that what rejection feels like?"

Damon rolled his eyes. "Says the girl with no date."

Lucy gasped dramatically. "I thought you were my date?"

"Shut up."

Lucy laughed loudly and turned away from the table to watch the old music video playing on the gym wall. To her surprise, Elena and Stefan were making their way right to her and Damon, having seen Bonnie and Caroline leave.

"Where did they go?" Elena asked.

Damon turned around at Elena's voice and shrugged. "I don't know."

Stefan knew his brother; he had to do something to run Bonnie and Caroline off. "What'd you say to them?"

"Oh, he just—"

"I was perfectly polite," Damon cut off Lucy, softly nudging her side with his super-sharp elbow. Lucy winced and nudged him back.

"Elena…" Damon grunted from the force of Lucy's blow. "Would you like to dance?"

"I would love to," Elena smiled pleasantly and turned to Stefan. "May I have this dance?"

Stefan said nothing but held his arm out, allowing Elena to take it. Elena smirked at Damon as they headed to the dance floor.

Damon looked unaffected by Elena's dig as he turned to Lucy. "I'll be right back," he told her. "I'm gonna do a round, see if I can find this guy. When I get back, you and I are going to dance."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Sure thing, Dracula."

"All right, Twitch," Damon popped out in front of Lucy, making her flinch. "Let's go. We're dancing."

Lucy sighed and set down her cup. "Normally, I'd say no because you're you…but, I like dancing, so…"

Lucy grabbed Damon's outstretched hand and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor. A new song came on, a girly bop that was very popular in the fifties.

"Ah, yeah," Damon smirked, twirling Lucy around before pulling her back to him. He began to sing to the music as they swayed together. "_My boyfriend's back and you're gonna be in trouble_!"

"_Hey, la! Hey, la!"_ Lucy sang along, Damon twirling her around again and then leading her in a march.

Across the gym, Elena and Stefan watched Lucy and Damon dance. Elena was surprised; Lucy looked like she was actually having fun with Damon.

"You really can't take him anywhere, can you?" she giggled, looking over at Stefan.

Stefan looked back at Damon and Lucy, both of them laughing together, and scoffed. "Uh, no. I can't."

Elena laughed once and looked back around the gym. A dark hoodie caught her eye; it looked just like the one the vampire was wearing when he attacked her and Lucy.

"Stefan," she nudged Stefan, getting his attention. "Back corner."

Stefan looked where Elena directed him and stiffened, seeing the black hoodie. He narrowed his eyes and told Elena, "Get Damon and Lucy."

As the guy in the black hoodie turned around and walked out of the gym, Stefan followed him. Elena obeyed Stefan and tried to look for Lucy, finding her without Damon.

"Hey, where's Damon?" Lucy looked away from her phone where Caroline was texting her about drama with Matt and saw Elena.

"I don't know," Lucy shrugged. "He said he had to do something."

"I saw the guy," Elena informed her, causing Lucy to look worried. "We should try to find Damon."

Lucy agreed but before they could even move, Elena's phone went off. She answered it quickly and looked around with wide, panicked eyes. Lucy figured that it was the vampire who called her sister.

"No," Elena said sternly into her phone. She whipped around and Lucy followed her gaze to Jeremy where he was still serving punch. Behind him, on the phone, was the vampire they were looking for. "Don't you dare touch him."

Elena abruptly hung up the phone and grabbed Lucy's arm, practically dragging her out of the gym as they ran.

"Elena, what's happening?" Lucy breathed, trying to keep up as they turned down another hallway. "Is Jeremy all right?"

"Just keep running!"

Lucy did as she was told and kept running, looking back once in a while. On her third look, the vampire was there behind them, calming walking like he wasn't about to kill them. She sped up and went to push through the set of doors in front of her, only to be pushed back; the doors were locked.

"Come on," she spat through gritted teeth, pushing at the door again.

"Through here," Elena caught her attention as she took off running, crossing into the cafeteria.

Lucy followed her, speeding up as the vampire came closer.

Lucy and Elena ran through the cafeteria and tried the other set of doors; unfortunately, they were locked too. The vampire pushed into the room and blurred over to them, grabbing Lucy's shoulders.

Lucy shrieked in fright and pushed Elena away from them before reaching up to grab the vampire's arm. Her palms glowed as the vampire screamed from the pain of the siphon, pushing Lucy away from him and onto the floor.

Lucy scrambled to her feet and ran to Elena, who was breaking a broom in half in hopes of getting a sharp enough piece of wood to stab the vampire with.

The vampire caught up with her and, careful not to touch her skin, grabbed the ends her hair and pulled, tossing her onto a table that promptly broke and fell to the floor. Lucy screamed in pain.

"Elena!"

"I'm trying!" Elena shouted back, panicked as she tried her hardest to break the broom.

Her sister was getting hurt trying to protect her and she couldn't even break a broom handle.

Lucy spotted a few pencils on the floor in front of her. Using the magic she just siphoned from the vampire, she waved her hand. A pencil flew from the floor and embedded itself into the vampire's gut, causing him to grunt in shock.

Not letting up, Lucy waved her hand again, making another pencil fly through the air and pierce his hand through-and-through.

Despite the dire situation, Lucy couldn't help but gag at the sight of blood. She hurriedly crawled away from the vampire as he pulled the pencils out of himself.

A loud creak filled the room as Elena finally snapped the broom handle in half. She marched toward the vampire, sharp end of the handle out, and went to stab him. The vampire caught the handle and smirked at Elena, throwing it across the room. He hissed, showing off his fangs, and lunged at her. Just as he was about to make contact, Stefan appeared and pulled him off of her.

"Hey, dickhead!" Damon greeted the vampire loudly as he picked up the broom handle. "Nobody wants to kill you. We just wanna talk."

The vampire didn't seem to believe Damon because he quickly sped over to Stefan, trying to attack. Damon threw the broom handle to Stefan, who smoothly caught it and stabbed the vampire right in the abdomen.

The vampire gasped wetly, falling to his knees.

Damon walked over to where Elena and Stefan were standing, pausing only to help Lucy to her feet. She could practically feel a large bruise growing on the side she fell on but she ignored it in favor of listening to Stefan and Damon interrogate the vampire.

"Now you feel like talking?" Stefan asked him harshly.

"Fuck you," the vampire spat, glaring at Stefan.

Stefan bared his teeth at the vampire and grabbed the broom handle, plunging it further into the vampire's body. The vampire grunted, dark blood spilling out of his mouth.

"Wrong answer," Stefan growled, twisting the handle brutally. "Why are you doing this?"

The vampire glared at Stefan. "Because it's fun."

Stefan didn't like that answer, either. He gripped the handle again, tilting it to a different angle to pierce more of the man's internal organs.

The vampire groaned but Stefan spoke over him, "What do you want with Elena?"

"She looks like Katherine," the vampire said, his eyes boring onto Elena's figure.

Damon perked up and Lucy, Elena, and Stefan all shared a look.

"You knew Katherine?" Damon asked the man, intrigued.

"Oh," the vampire scoffed. "You thought you were the only ones," he laughed, causing more blood to spill from his lips; Lucy felt her stomach twist. "You don't even remember me."

Damon rolled his eyes and leaned forward, placing his hands on his knees to be level with the vampire. "Tell me how to get in the tomb, hmm?"

"No."

At the vampire's negative answer, Stefan twisted the broom handle again. Lucy winced and looked away.

"The grimoire!" the vampire groaned.

"Where is it?" Damon snapped.

Stefan pierced the vampire's chest again with the stake, causing him to scream in pain. "Check the journal," he choked out. "The journal. Jonathan Gilbert's."

Damon and Stefan shared a look before Stefan asked the vampire, "Who else is working with you?"

"Who else is there?" Damon demanded when the vampire didn't answer.

"No," the vampire shook his head, glaring up at Stefan and Damon. "You're gonna have to kill me."

Damon pursed his lips, annoyed, as Stefan glanced at him. He shook his head, silently giving Stefan the go-ahead to kill the vampire. He wasn't going to give them any more information, anyway. He was better off dead.

Stefan pulled the broom handle from the vampire's chest before stabbing him again, this time right in the heart. The vampire grunted at the blow and fell over, falling onto the floor as he gasped for breath.

Lucy couldn't help but stare with wet eyes as the vampire's body turned a sickly shade of gray and his veins darkened.

Elena gasped, completely in shock. "What do we—how are you gonna find the others now?" she asked desperately, looking at Stefan.

"He had to die," Damon informed Elena, unsympathetic.

Elena shook her head. "But—"

"Elena," Stefan interrupted her, giving her a firm look. "He was invited in."

A creak outside of the cafeteria caught everyone's attention. Lucy and the others looked toward the door and saw a figure walk past the windows.

Stefan nodded at Damon. "Go. I got this."

Damon nodded and walked out of the cafeteria, following the person who walked by to see if he saw anything he shouldn't have.

Lucy opened her bedroom door and was surprised to see Stefan on the other side. He was holding a water bottle and a bottle of pills and he smiled softly when he saw her.

"Hey," Lucy greeted him, letting him into her room. "What's up?"

Stefan looked around the room, having only been there once before during the night and he hadn't paid attention to what it looked like. Her walls were painted light blue except for one wall that had beautiful hand-painted flowers all over it. Multiple picture frames full of Lucy and her loved ones were hung up around her desk and her vanity was clean, rows of nail polish and lipsticks organized by color. The whole room was tidy like that, only her bed was messy which he assumed was because she was in it before he knocked.

"I brought you some pain pills," Stefan said, holding up the over-the-counter bottle. "Elena said you had a nasty fall…are you okay?"

"Yeah, thanks," she grabbed the water and pills from him with a thankful smile. "I think I'll have a bruise but Elena's okay, so that's what matters."

Stefan frowned, not liking that Lucy saw the situation that way. Yes, Elena's life was important, but so was Lucy's. He didn't want her to get hurt at all.

Lucy didn't catch his mood as she swallowed down some pills and placed the cap back on the bottle. "I think I'll have to get some nausea medicine if I'm going to be around so much blood," she joked. "Hopefully I'll get used to it."

Stefan laughed half-heartedly; she shouldn't have to get used to any of this.

Lucy's smiled vanished at his reaction. "What's wrong, Broody?"

"Nothing," he smiled weakly at the nickname she gave him months ago. "I just didn't want you to get hurt. I should—"

"Don't even try to do that 'stay away from me' crap," Lucy rolled her eyes. "It didn't work on Elena so why on earth would it work on me? You're my best pal, you can't get rid of me."

Stefan wanted to argue but he knew she was right. Besides, other than Elena, Lucy was one of the brightest lights of his life. He couldn't imagine not having her as a friend.

So, to show her that he gave in, he snarked back, "What happened to me being your best friend? Have I been demoted?"

Lucy chuckled. "No! It's just exhausting to say that you're one of my best friends, so I'm calling you something else. From now on, Caroline's my best friend and you are my best pal."

"What, are you from the forties or something?" Stefan scoffed. Lucy swatted his arm, causing him to jump away. "Hey!"

"Says the guy born in the 1840s!" Lucy retorted.

"Hey, I look good for my age!"

"Get out! Seriously, I can't stand you right now!"

"Aw, come on, Goofy!"


	13. Grimoire Hunting

**[1x13; Children of the Damned]**

"Why are you waking me up at eight on a weekend?" Lucy groaned into her phone, eyes squinting from the bright light the screen was giving off.

"_Because, Twitch_," Damon drawled, turning signal clicking in the background. _"Stefan promised to help me get Katherine out of that tomb so that means you and Elena are helping too."_

Lucy sighed heavily and rolled onto her back. "That still doesn't answer my question about you waking me up."

"_Well, Stefan and Elena are shaking up in his room and I'm coming to get you so we can have a team meeting,"_ Damon informed her. "_Get dressed. I'll be there in five."_

"No, Damon—and he hung up," Lucy rolled her eyes and reluctantly rolled out of bed, tossing her phone onto her nightstand.

Knowing that Damon would probably drag her out of her room whether she was dressed or not, Lucy quickly pulled on some clothes and pulled her hair into a messy ponytail, not bothering to put any work into her appearance. She quickly brushed her teeth and went downstairs, not surprised to see Damon sitting casually on the couch in the living room.

"Morning," she greeted him with a sigh as he hopped up at her entrance.

"Good morning. Let's go," he said, hurrying her out of the house. Lucy could hardly keep up with his fast pace and she was pretty sure he was going human-speed.

"You're awfully eager," Lucy commented, slipping into Damon's Camaro that strangely smelt like apples and cinnamon. It was a welcoming scent that had her thinking more of fall than the upcoming winter.

"Well," Damon started up the car and pulled away from the curb, speeding down the small street Lucy lived on. "I'm getting Katherine back soon. All is well in Damon's world."

Lucy smiled; despite Damon's actions since he arrived in Mystic Falls—actions that she did not approve of in any way, shape, or form—she was still happy for him. He spent one hundred and forty-five years waiting for Katherine and it was obvious how much he missed her. In a strange—very strange—way, it was kind of romantic.

"I'm happy for you."

Damon gave Lucy a skeptical look; she didn't even like him all that much. Why would she be happy that he was getting Katherine back. "No, you're not."

"I am," Lucy insisted. "Don't give me that look, Damon. Everyone deserves love, okay? Even murderous vampires who want to kill me half the time."

The corners of Damon's lips turned up slightly. "A quarter of the time," he corrected her. Lucy wasn't half bad, especially when she wasn't being all high and mighty. He hated to admit it, but the youngest Gilbert sister was growing on him.

Lucy grinned; never would she have thought a couple months ago that she was one day going to enjoy spending time with Damon Salvatore. He wasn't off the hook for all the things he had done and he could be pretty idiotic at times, but maybe he deserved a second chance.

Damon and Lucy arrived at the Salvatore Boarding House within minutes. As Lucy followed Damon into the house, he pressed a finger up against his lips, silently telling her to keep quiet. She nodded and took light steps as they went up the stairs.

"Where are we going?" Lucy whispered, quietening her voice when Damon sent her a sharp look.

"Stefan's room," Damon practically mouthed.

Lucy grimaced—she didn't particularly want to see whatever state her sister and Stefan were in. Nevertheless, she followed the oldest Salvatore and tip-toed into Stefan's room after he opened the door.

Stefan's room was huge, maybe twice the size of hers. There was a large round table in the middle of the room, a king-sized bed against one of the walls, and a sizable walk-in closet and attached bathroom. The décor was rustic and what Lucy expected out of Stefan, but the mess horrified her. There were numbered journals thrown all over the place, half-burnt candles scattered here and there, and papers piled high and messily.

Lucy avoided looking at the bed where Elena and Stefan were sleeping and wandered over to the large bookshelf that was packed to the brim. There were two deep shelves devoted just to journals, each with a different year printed on the spine. They went all the way back to 1863.

Stefan's whole life were in these journals…it was amazing.

"Rise and shine, sleepyheads!" Damon's voice caught her attention. She looked over to see that Damon had perched himself at the edge of Stefan's bed. Elena and Stefan startled at his voice and quickly pulled the sheet covering themselves higher on their semi-nude bodies.

"Damon!" Elena gasped, her eyes jumping from Damon to Lucy. "Lucy!"

"What are you doing?" Stefan groaned at his brother.

"Oh, stop being smutty," Damon smirked at them.

"Seriously," Stefan snapped. "Get out of here."

"If I see something I haven't seen before, I'll throw a dollar at it."

"Is that a Katherine-and-Elena-being-identical joke or is it you being a man-whore joke?" Lucy asked, crossing her arms over her chest as she walked over to Damon's side.

Stefan rolled his eyes and sat up against his headboard while Elena groaned in annoyance.

"Both," Damon winked at Lucy before turning back to Stefan and Elena. "Now, listen, we have some very important business to discuss."

"And it has to be right now?" Elena glared at Damon.

"He dragged me out of bed on a Saturday morning so we could meet up," Lucy sighed, giving Elena a pointed look. "If I have to deal with him, so do you."

"Well, we have lots to do now that we're all friends and working toward a common goal," Damon explained. "So, in order to open the tomb, we need to find the journal to get the grimoire to undo the spells. First thing's first," Damon gave Lucy and Elena separate but significant looks. "Since you are Elena and Lucy _Gilbert_," he emphasized their last name. "You two are on journal duty."

"Since when am I helping?" Elena grumped.

"Well, Stefan's helping and you've taken up residence in Stefan's bed, ergo…"

Lucy rolled her eyes as Stefan looked at Elena and said, "You don't have to do anything you don't want to."

"Yes, she does," Lucy interjected; if she had to help an ancient vampire break out of a spelled tomb, Elena had to help too. "We'll look tonight. It shouldn't be hard to find."

"Good," Damon gave Lucy a nod of approval.

"How do we know that this journal will hold the location of the grimoire?" Stefan wondered, looking at Damon curiously. "We're really going to take the word of this vampire? He seemed like a bit of a dimwit."

"Or desperate," Lucy added thoughtfully; since the vampire confessed while Stefan was stabbing him in the abdomen with the broom handle, he could have said something random.

Damon shrugged. "In lieu of any other options…"

"Okay," Elena sat up on her elbows. "What exactly is a grimoire, anyway?"

"It's a witch's cookbook," Damon supplied.

Lucy shook her head at Damon and informed Elena, "Every spell that a witch casts is unique unto itself. So, every witch would document their work."

"Yeah," Damon rolled his eyes. "Cookbook."

"What about our mystery vampire?" Stefan asked quickly, noticing that Lucy was getting annoyed with Damon's lack of respect toward her newly-found life. "Dimwit obviously wasn't working alone, so whoever is out there knows who we are."

"And I don't like that disadvantage, so—" Damon stood up and nodded at Lucy, gesturing her to follow him. "Chop, chop."

As Damon and Lucy were walking out of Stefan's room, Damon turned and said, "You know, I really like this foursome team thing. It's got a bit of a kink to it."

"You did not just say that," Lucy groaned, disgusted.

"Shh," he shushed her before pointing at Stefan and Elena. "Don't screw it up."

"Okay," Lucy said as she led Elena and Stefan through the house to the dining room and kitchen where she placed the boxes that held the Gilbert family possessions. "I got all the boxes out of the closet. I didn't see anything at the top, but that doesn't mean that the journal isn't there."

Elena's eyes widened at the boxes sitting in between the kitchen island and dining table. "You got all these out by yourself?"

"Jenna helped before she went to Whitmore," Lucy explained before adding, "I told her it was for an extra-credit project for History, don't worry."

She knew that Elena was worried about Jenna finding out about the existence of vampires and magic. To be honest, Lucy didn't mind if Jenna knew. She wanted to share her species with her aunt because she knew Jenna wouldn't care about her powers.

"Those boxes were Mom's things," Lucy pointed to the stack of three boxes separated from the rest. "I don't think the journal should be in there, but sometimes things get mixed up. I usually keep things organized but Jeremy got into the boxes a couple days ago."

"You spend a lot of time with this stuff, huh?" Stefan asked her, hands stuffed in his pockets. He had to admit that it was cute the way Lucy was passionate about her family history, even if she was adopted. She got a little twinkle in her eye when she was explaining.

"Yeah, it helps with my place on the planning committee," Lucy nodded. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom and then we can get started."

As Lucy walked out of the room, Elena gave Stefan a significant look. "Did you tell her that we're not really going to help Damon?"

Stefan shook his head. "No. Did you?"

"No," Elena sighed and sat down at the table, dragging a box in front of her and opening it. "There's no sense to now…Do you think Damon really believes that we're trying to help him?"

Stefan pressed his lips together thoughtfully and sat down at the island, facing Elena. "I don't think Damon knows what to believe," he admitted. "Trust isn't something that comes naturally to him. I'm surprised that he's dragged you and Lucy into this."

Elena silently agreed, pulling an old photo album out of the box. "You know, I really think that Damon believes that everything he's done, every move that he's made—he's done for love. It's twisted but kind of sad."

"There are other ways to get what you want," Stefan countered, crossing his arms over his chest. "You don't have to kill people. Damon has no regard for human life. He enjoys inflicting pain on others. For 145 years, every single time that I have let my guard down and let Damon back into my life, he's done something to make me regret that," he inhaled deeply. "I'm not going to make that mistake again."

Elena gave him a sympathetic look, wishing that the Salvatore brothers' relationship was more like hers with her siblings. "So what do you think will happen if the tomb gets opened and Damon gets Katherine back?"

"I think that no matter what Damon promises, a lot of people will die," Stefan stated seriously.

Stefan straightened up when he heard Lucy walking down the stairs, steps light and bouncy. He pressed his index finger to his lips, warning Elena that Lucy was coming and to drop the subject.

It was best that they kept Lucy out of their plan.

"Okay, I'm back," Lucy proclaimed as she walked into the room, taking a seat next to Elena. "Did you find anything?"

"Not yet," Elena answered as she picked a photo out of the box. The picture was of a man, dated back to the late 1800s.

"That's Jonathan Gilbert," Stefan, who stood behind Elena to get a look at the picture, informed the girls.

Lucy recognized the name as the man who owned the journal they were looking for. Thinking that the journal would be in the box with the rest of Jonathan Gilbert's things, she dug further through the items. She pulled out a heavy wooden box and opened the clasp.

"What's this?" she wondered. What looked to be a crude muzzle made out of metal was snuggled into the box, looking threatening.

Lucy looked up at Stefan to see if he had any clue and realized that he must have recognized it. His worried-vampire face was on as he stared at the box's contents.

Before she could prod him for more details, Jeremy walked into the room.

"What are you guys doing?" he asked, looking over the many boxes.

"Hey!" Elena greeted him, pulling the box from Lucy's hands and closing it back up. "Just going through some stuff, feeling sentimental."

"Dad had this old family journal from years ago," Lucy informed Jeremy. "We thought we'd dig it up."

"Jonathan Gilbert's journal?" Jeremy jumped up, sitting on a counter.

Lucy raised her eyebrows, surprised. "Yeah," she confirmed. "What do you know about it?"

"I just did a history report on it."

"Oh," Elena seemed just as surprised as Lucy. "So, where is it now?"

"I gave it to Mr. Saltzman," Jeremy stated. "He wanted to see it."

Lucy and Elena immediately looked at Stefan; he had some work to do.

Stefan doubted that anyone would be at the school on a Saturday afternoon, but luck was nearly never on his side. As soon as he entered the building, he could hear a heart beat thumping slowly from the history hallway.

If it was Mr. Saltzman who was there, all he had to do was distract him and speed into the classroom to search for the journal and get out as quickly as possible.

Before he could even kick a locker to make a noise, another noise came from a few feet away. Stefan quickly hid and when Mr. Saltzman came out of his classroom, loudly asking the empty hallway if anyone was there, Stefan ran into his classroom.

As Stefan searched for the journal on the desk, he listened to Mr. Saltzman running around and opening a locket. He couldn't find anything on the desk—there was no journal in sight, which pissed him off.

Who knows where the journal could be now?

Next thing Stefan knew, he was dodging a flying stake. He grabbed the wooden stake midair and glared at the perpetrator, surprised to see Mr. Saltzman holding what looked to be an air-pressure gun, more stakes in a holster.

Who the _fuck_ was this guy?

Mr. Saltzman hurriedly grabbed another stake and shakily loaded it into the gun. Stefan rolled his eyes, annoyed, and flashed behind the teacher, grabbing the gun out of his hands.

"You shouldn't have done that," he scolded the man as he grunted. He pushed Mr. Saltzman away from him, causing him to crash into the desks in the middle of the room.

Mr. Saltzman jumped to his feet, giving Stefan a cautious look.

"Have a seat," Stefan advised him, pointing to the desk he held onto. As Mr. Saltzman slowly lowered himself into the seat, Stefan looked over the gun. He had to admit, he was slightly impressed with the way the man created a gun specifically for wooden stakes. "What is this, compressed air?"

Mr. Saltzman nodded, a bewildered look on his face.

"Did you make it yourself?" Stefan asked, interested. He shook his head, quickly realizing that this wasn't the time to geek out about an air-pressure stake-gun. He moved on, "Who are you?"

There was no way this guy was simply a history teacher.

Mr. Saltzman hesitated and Stefan sighed, "I'm not going to hurt you…unless you try that again," he handed Mr. Saltzman the gun back and hopped onto one of the desks across from him. "Now, who are you?"

"I'm a teacher."

Stefan couldn't help but smile in amusement; he knew without a doubt that the man was lying. Sure, he was a teacher, but he was also something more. "Are we going to have to do this the hard way?"

"I'm also a historian," Mr. Saltzman admitted. "And while researching Virginia, I made a few discoveries about your town."

"So you show up like Van Helsing?" Stefan raised his eyebrows. "Come on. Tell me the truth."

Mr. Saltzman exhaled shakily. "My wife was a parapsychologist. She spent her life researching paranormal activity in this area. It was her work that led me here."

"Where's your wife?"

"Dead," Mr. Saltzman stated, jaw tensed. "A vampire killed her."

Stefan wanted to sympathize with Mr. Saltzman, but he couldn't ignore what he was sent here to do. He needed to get the Gilbert journal before Damon and burn it. "Where's the Gilbert journal?"

"What do you want with it?"

"Where is it?"

"It's on my desk," Mr. Saltzman nodded over at his desk.

"No, it's not," Stefan just searched the whole thing and there was no sign of the journal.

Mr. Saltzman looked at his desk, his eyes widening when he saw that the journal wasn't where he left it. "It was on my desk."

"Do you have a copy of it?" Stefan asked, hoping that the teacher would. Then he didn't even need to find the journal.

"Yes."

"Good. How long have you been aware of me?" Stefan wondered.

"I learned just recently," Mr. Saltzman gave him a pointed look. "What about your brother?"

"You met Damon," Stefan assumed.

Mr. Saltzman scoffed. "Who do you think killed my wife?"

Stefan wasn't surprised that it was Damon that killed Mr. Saltzman's wife, but he had to make sure. "Are you certain it was Damon?"

"I witnessed it," Mr. Saltzman insisted.

Stefan inhaled deeply. "If you're here for revenge, this is going to end very badly for you."

"I just want to find out what happened to my wife."

Stefan furrowed his eyebrows, confused. "I just thought you said that Damon—"

"Yeah," Mr. Saltzman sighed. "I saw him draining the life out of her. He must have heard me coming. He just…disappeared. So did her body. They never found her."

Stefan sighed, this time allowing himself to empathize with Mr. Saltzman. He lost someone and he didn't deserve to die just because he wanted to find out what happened to his wife—who was more likely to be tossed in a random ditch somewhere.

"Damon can never know why you're here," he told the history teacher. "He'll kill you without blinking."

"I can take care of myself," Mr. Saltzman proclaimed. "Besides, your brother isn't the only reason I came to Mystic Falls."

"And that reason is…?"

"I want to find my daughter."

Lucy sat on the couch, lodged between Damon and Jeremy as all three of them stared at the divided television screen where Lucy was in tenth place in Mario Kart. She cheered when the blue shell she had her character throw hit Damon's character, who was in first place.

"Yes, yes, yes!" she hissed, passing three more characters to be in seventh.

"You're no match for me, Twitch," Damon taunted her.

Just as she was about to reply, the doorbell rang. Damon paused the game and got up, Lucy following after him. She vaguely heard Jeremy complain as she and Damon walked behind Elena to answer the door for Stefan.

Stefan looked surprised to see Damon with Lucy and Elena but Lucy thought nothing of it. It was pretty weird that Damon showed up to cook dinner for them—and the fact that he was playing video games was pretty out there as well.

"Well?" Damon asked impatiently.

Stefan gestured for Lucy, Elena, and Damon to join him on the porch and quickly explained that Mr. Saltzman didn't have Jonathan Gilbert's journal. He had spoken to the man and discovered that it had been taken when the teacher was out of his classroom.

"Who took it?" Damon hissed, frustrated.

"I don't know," Stefan sighed.

"You know what, it's that teacher," Damon declared, quickly turning around to face Lucy, Elena, and Stefan. "There's something really off about him."

"No, he doesn't know anything," Stefan replied immediately; he didn't want Damon to find out about the vampire-hunting teacher or the reasons he was in Mystic Falls. "Somebody got to him right before me."

"Who else knew it was there?" Damon wondered.

Stefan looked to his right, through the window where Jeremy had started up a new video game. Damon followed his sight line and started walking to the door, wanting to get some answers out of Jeremy.

Lucy realized what Damon was about to do. "No, Damon," she warned the oldest Salvatore. "Leave him out of it."

"Why, what's the big deal?" Damon said nonchalantly, walking into the house.

"Damon!" Elena scolded as she, Lucy, and Stefan followed him.

"So…" Damon sat on the couch arm next to Jeremy. "I heard you found a really cool journal from back in the day. Who else did you show it to?"

"Huh?" Jeremy was sufficiently distracted.

"Don't ask questions," Damon advised. "Just spill."

Jeremy scoffed. "You're kidding me, right?"

"Jere, did you tell anyone other than Mr. Saltzman about Jonathan Gilbert's journal?" Lucy asked her brother firmly. She just wanted this whole thing over with; vampire drama was tiring.

Jeremy gave Lucy a weird look. "Why is everybody so obsessed with that thing?"

"Who else did you tell?" Elena huffed.

"Just that girl, Anna."

"The hot, weird one?" Damon recalled his conversation with the youngest Gilbert about the girl he was dodging.

"Yeah."

"Wait, who is Anna?" Stefan was confused, as was Lucy and Elena, who had no idea that Jeremy was hanging out with anyone.

"That's what I want to find out," Damon stated as Elena's phone rang. Elena walked out of the room and Damon turned back to Jeremy. "Who do you know her?"

Jeremy shrugged. "I just know her," he said like it was obvious. "She wants me to meet her at the Grill tonight."

"Perfect," Damon smiled tightly. "I'll drive. Lucy, you're with us. Come on."

Lucy nodded and gave Stefan a small smile as she followed Damon and Jeremy out of the house.

Fifteen minutes later saw Lucy and Damon sitting at a hidden table at the Grill waiting for Jeremy's mysterious friend, Anna, to show up. Much time didn't pass before a girl, around Lucy's size, walked into the restaurant and approached Jeremy.

Lucy saw Damon's eyes widen as he watched Jeremy and Anna rack up the pool table to play a game.

"Do you recognize her?" Lucy asked him.

"Yeah," Damon threw down the rest of his bourbon, setting the glass back on the table. "Back in 1864, Katherine had a best friend named Pearl. That girl," he pointed to Anna. "is Pearl's daughter."

Lucy groaned shortly and leaned back in her chair. "So, Anna stole Jonathan Gilbert's journal, presumably to find Emily Bennett's grimoire to open the tomb?"

"Yep," Damon pursed his lips. "Which means that we have to have a little visit with Annabelle."

"Oh, goody."

At first, Lucy didn't know exactly she and Damon were going to be able to break into Anna's motel room, but she knew she didn't want to be arrested for breaking and entering. Luckily, Damon was a vampire and could easily compel his way into a room key. The motel receptionist was obviously not wearing or ingesting vervain, because she complied, handing out the room key like it was candy at a parade.

Lucy and Damon waited an hour, chatting quietly about the vampires he knew of in 1864, for Anna to come back from the Grill. It turned out that Damon didn't know most of the vampires stuck in the tomb, just Katherine and Anna's mother, Pearl.

Finally, the door unlocked and Anna stepped into the dark room. Almost immediately, Damon sped at her, grabbing her around the neck to press her against the wall. Unfortunately, Anna was stronger than Damon and wrapped her hand around his throat, both of them choking against each other's grip.

Lucy stepped forward to help Damon, but he held up his hand at her, stopping her before she could do anything to help him.

"All right," he choked out through Anna's grip. "I give."

Anna and Damon let go of each other at the same time and coughed harshly as their bruised throats healed.

"Damn," Damon groaned hoarsely. "You're strong for a little thing."

"I was wondering how long it would take you to find me," Anna said, taking her bag off and setting it on the table next to Lucy. She gave the Gilbert girl a curious, but not-surprised, look.

"How long have you been here?" Damon asked the older vampire.

"I arrived around half-past comet," Anna turned back around to face Damon. "Watching _you_ screw up every chance you had to open that tomb."

Damon gave her a sarcastic smile. "How did you know about the spell?"

"I didn't say much back then," Anna stated matter-of-factly. "Which means I heard everything."

"So if you've been here the whole time, then why are we just crossing paths right now?"

"I like to use others to do my dirty work."

Damon scoffed in realization. "Like Logan Fell?" Lucy raised her eyebrows in surprise as Damon continued, "Oh, yeah, thanks for that, by the way. The little bastard shot me."

Anna laughed. "Logan was an idiot," she rolled her eyes. "We slipped him some blood when he started getting all poser-slayer with that compass. I needed his family's journal so I couldn't let him die."

"What did you want with the Fell journal?" Lucy spoke up, curious.

Anna narrowed her eyes at Lucy and crossed her arms. "I thought it contained the location of the witch's spell book. I was wrong. According to her journal, Honoria gave the grimoire to Jonathan Gilbert. And, according to this," Anna walked over to her bag and slipped the journal from it. "he gave it to your—" she nodded at Damon. "—father. So, now you're going to help me find it."

Damon gave Anna an incredulous look. "Why would I help you?"

"'Cause you and I both want that tomb opened."

Anna opened the journal to a bookmarked page and handed it to Damon. Lucy stood on her tip-toes to read whatever Damon was looking at, but all she could see was scrunched up cursive that was hard to read in the dim light of the room.

"Hmm," Damon closed the journal and handed it to Lucy, who pressed it protectively to her chest. "Sorry. We work alone."

As Damon ushered her out of the motel room, Lucy wondered if Damon found what he was looking for.

"Do you know where the grimoire is?" she asked as they walked to Damon's car.

"Yep. In my dear, old Dad's grave," Damon said flatly, both of them getting into the Camaro. "So, that's where we're heading."

"Should I call Elena or Stefan?"

"No," Damon sped down the street, heading toward the old cemetery at the edge of Mystic Falls. "This is now a solo mission, Twitch."

"So why am I still here?"

Damon was silent for a moment, wondering to himself why he was including Lucy. The answer came to him quickly; she was the only one that actually wanted him to have Katherine back. Sure, Stefan was helping, but he only did so that Damon would leave once he got Katherine back.

…and he also figured he could use her to break the spell on the tomb if he couldn't get his hands on the Bennett witch.

So Damon settled with, "You're useful."

It was pitch black outside when they entered the cemetery, so Lucy pulled out her cellphone and turned on the flashlight so she could see where they were going. Damon informed her that his father wasn't in the family crypt, so they had to wander the aisles and rows to find him.

Incredibly enough, when Damon pointed in the direction he remembered his father's grave to be, a fire was made. Damon scowled when he saw it and started to stalk over. Lucy followed him for the thousandth time, wondering what made him grumpy.

She saw what had him aggravated when she spotted Stefan and Elena standing by Giuseppe Salvatore's grave. Stefan was actually in the grave, looking at a fragile-looking book that had to be Emily Bennett's grimoire.

Obviously Stefan and Elena had their own little mission; destroy the grimoire before Damon could get to it.

"Well, what do you know?" Damon drawled as he and Lucy approached Stefan and Elena. "This is an interesting turn of events."

Stefan jumped out of this father's grave and faced Damon. "I can't let you bring her back. I'm sorry."

"So am I," Damon scoffed. "For thinking for even a second that I can trust you."

"Oh, you're not capable of trust," Stefan sneered. "The fact that you're here means that you read the journal and you were planning on doing this yourself."

"Of course I was going to do it myself because the only one I can count on is me!" Damon exclaimed. "You made sure of that many years ago, Stefan. But you…" he looked at Elena, disappointed. "You had me fooled."

Elena had the sense to feel guilty; she looked down at the ground, unable to meet Damon's eyes.

"So what are you going to do now?" Damon looked back at Stefan. "Because if you try to destroy that, I'll rip their hearts out."

Lucy stiffened, shocked by Damon's threat. She had nothing to do with this betrayal and even if she did, no one deserved to die over it. She didn't know if Damon was telling the truth, but she didn't want to find out.

She slowly stepped away from him, wanting out of his reach.

"You won't kill them," Stefan stated confidently.

There was a rush of wind before cold hands wound themselves around Lucy's throat. Lucy gasped, frightened, and tried to reach Damon's skin, but he grabbed her covered arms and held them behind her back.

Lucy made eye contact with Elena and Stefan, heart beating wildly in her chest. Elena looked terrified and even Stefan looked panicked.

"I can do one better," Damon snarled. He pulled his arm from around Lucy's throat and bit his wrist before bringing to Lucy's mouth.

Sensing what he was going to do, Lucy shouted, "Damon, stop!"

Damon didn't listen; he shoved his wrist into Lucy's face, allowing his blood to flood her mouth. Lucy choked, stomach squirming and twisting violently, but she had no choice but to swallow the blood.

"Give me the book, Stefan," Damon warned his brother. "Or I'm snapping her neck and you and I will have a new baby vampire to take care of."

Lucy squealed in protest against Damon's wrist. She didn't want to be a vampire. Never would she ever want to be one. She wanted to grow old, have a successful career, and start a family with the man she loved. She definitely didn't want to drink nauseating blood for the rest of her life.

In Lucy's struggle, to her amazement, she began to siphon from Damon's newly-healed wrist. Damon hissed as his skin glowed red and ripped his arm away from Lucy, making sure he was only touching her clothes.

Lucy gasped, inhaling the cool, fresh air. She promptly gagged, still tasting Damon's blood on her tongue.

"Let her go," Stefan stepped in front of a teary-eyed Elena, making sure Damon wouldn't go for her next. "Let her go, Damon."

"Drop it," Damon demanded, nodding at the grimoire in Stefan's hands.

"I'm not going to give this to you until Lucy is standing next to me," Stefan glared at Damon.

"The problem is, I no longer trust that you'll give it back!" Damon yelled, tightening his grip on Lucy's collarbone.

"What you just did ensures that I will," Stefan promised. "Come on, Damon. She had nothing to do with this."

Damon hesitated for a few seconds before shuffling himself and Lucy forward two steps. Stefan dropped the grimoire, making sure that it landed closer to Damon than himself; he wanted Damon to know he was serious and he wasn't playing around with Lucy's humanity.

Damon looked down at Lucy and frowned for a second before letting go of her arms. He allowed her to step away from him and watched as she slowly walked over to Stefan and Elena's sides. As Lucy fell into her older sister's arms, Damon quickly grabbed the grimoire and sped away.

"Are you okay?" Elena asked Lucy frantically, tightening her arms around the younger girl's shaking frame. "Lucy, are you all—"

Lucy didn't let her finish her question as she broke away from Elena's grasp and bent over, throwing up whatever was in her stomach. Elena grimaced and rubbed Lucy's back, biting her lip as she listened to her sobs.

She knew that Lucy shouldn't have been involved. And even though she and Stefan didn't tell Lucy what they were planning, somehow Lucy got hurt anyway. She tried to push the guilt away as Lucy wiped her mouth with her sleeve but it was overwhelming. Lucy being fed Damon's blood? This was her and Stefan's fault.

"Come on," Stefan said quietly, placing a comforting hand on Lucy's upper back. "Let's get you home."

Lucy didn't respond but allowed herself to be led to Elena's car.

She didn't see her life flash before her eyes like most people said they saw with near-death experiences. Maybe it was because if Damon did actually kill her, she'd wake up in transition. Either way, it shook her to be so close to dying.

Lucy hoped that Damon didn't actually intend to kill her, but she knew he did. In the grand scheme of things, Lucy's life didn't mean anything to Damon. It was probably best that she stayed away from him and started to train her powers better. She didn't want to get caught in a situation like that again.

It was a shame that she was just starting to trust Damon, too.

Lucy brushed her teeth with foamy toothpaste, hoping that the taste of blood and vomit would be taken care of. She scrubbed her tongue as Elena rummaged through the drawers next to her, looking for pain reliever for Lucy to take.

Elena groaned and slammed the drawer shut. "The Aspirin must be downstairs."

Lucy spit out her mouthful of toothpaste and rubbed her temples, wincing at the random sharp aches that presented themselves. It had to be a stress headache—she didn't think vampire blood gave humans headaches like this.

"Does your head hurt?" Stefan asked, leaning against the bathroom doorframe. He and Elena hadn't given her a moment of time alone, scared that something would happen to her.

"Yeah," Lucy sighed, putting her toothbrush back into its place. She scooted past Stefan and entered her bedroom, sitting on her bed while Elena and Stefan hovered near her. "You don't have to hover, you know."

"You have vampire blood in your system, Luce," Elena pointed out, eyebrows raised.

"It was a small amount that should be out of your system by tomorrow, but just in case…" Stefan shrugged, not wanting to take any chances.

Lucy rolled her eyes and looked at Stefan, noticing the prominent frown on his face. She understood that the night went horribly wrong and he lost whatever trust Damon was starting to have in him again, but something else was bothering him.

"Are you okay, Broody?"

Stefan pressed his lips together. "Damon was right," he admitted. "This is my fault."

Stefan explained why Damon had hated him for one hundred and forty-five years. Long ago, after their father had informed them about the vampire problem in Mystic Falls, Stefan felt like he could tell his father the truth about Katherine. His father saw right through him and dosed his drink with vervain, eventually catching Katherine when she drank from Stefan. Damon blamed him for her capture even now.

"I put my faith in my father," Stefan sighed. "But Damon put his faith in me and I destroyed that. This _is_ my fault."

"You didn't do anything wrong," Elena assured him with a gentle smile.

"Elena's right," Lucy added with a firm nod. "Damon's actions are his own fault. You can't be blamed for everything."

Stefan gave the Gilbert sisters a small smiled and sighed, "I'll go get some Aspirin for your headache, Luce."

"Thanks, Stefan."

After Stefan left the room, Elena sighed heavily and walked over to Lucy's dresser, opening the drawer full of pajamas.

"What pajamas did you want to wear, Lou?" she asked, rummaging through the soft clothing.

Lucy rolled her eyes and laughed. "You don't have to get my pajamas for me, Lenabug," she stood up to walk over to Elena. "I can do it my—"

Lucy didn't get to finish her statement as Jeremy's vampire friend, Anna, rushed into the room, knocking her and Elena out within seconds. She pulled both of their unconscious bodies into her arms and jumped out the window, knowing that Stefan wouldn't know about Lucy and Elena's disappearance for another minute or so.

Anna didn't have the witch's grimoire but now she had the witch's incentive.


	14. The Tomb

**[1x14; Fool Me Once]**

Stefan clenched his hands into fists as he walked into his library, worry pulsing through his veins when he thought about Elena and Lucy being missing. Since Anna had taken them and Damon had located her the night before, his brother most likely knew where Elena and Lucy would be. He just had to ask him.

If he could get Damon to cooperate, it would be a miracle. He knew it was his fault that his brother didn't trust him, but he hoped Damon would still care enough about Elena or Lucy that he'd help.

"Anna took Elena and Lucy," Stefan declared as he took a seat on the couch next to Damon.

Damon didn't look up from the Bennett grimoire, carefully turning the fragile pages to look for the tomb spell. "Yeah. I got that from your 600 voicemails."

"Damon, all night long, every single street in town, I've been searching," Stefan told him. With a sigh, he asked, "What if your blood hasn't passed out of Lucy's system?"

"Well, at least we know we'll see her again," Damon quipped, keeping his eyes on the curvy and cramped writing on the page in front of him.

"Please," Stefan begged. "What do you know? You were with Anna, you must know where she's living. Just tell me where I can find her."

Damon rolled his eyes, tired of hearing his brother talk. "Nope. You can go, really."

Stefan sighed, frustrated but not all together surprised that Damon refused to help. "You know, all I can remember is hating you. There might have been a time when that was different, but your choices have erased anything good about you," when Damon set down the grimoire and looked at him with a glare, he continued, "But, see, I also know that you have just as much reason to hate me. This all began with me. Katherine got taken away from you because of me…and I'm sorry."

Damon smiled at his brother. "Apology accepted."

"So, please…tell me what you know," Stefan pleaded. "It's Elena and Lucy, Damon. If you know something, tell me."

Rolling his eyes, Damon shut the grimoire and stood up, causing Stefan to stand as well. "I mean this sincerely," he looked into Stefan's eyes. "I hope Elena and Lucy die."

Yes, it was a lie, but Stefan didn't know that. As far as his brother was aware, Damon couldn't care less about the Gilbert sisters.

Lucy woke up to the sound of running water and her sister's voice pleading for her and Bonnie to wake up. Lucy blinked rapidly, her blurry eyesight sharpening, and looked around, noticing that she was leaned against a wall in a cramped bathroom. Elena was kneeling next to her and upon further inspection, Bonnie was laying in the bathtub, unconscious.

"Elena?"

Elena looked over at Lucy, keeping the damp washcloth in her hand against Bonnie's head. "You're awake," she breathed, relieved. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Lucy confirmed, groaning in pain as she sat up. "Is Bonnie okay? What's going on?"

"Hopefully, she'll wake up soon," Elena whispered, helping Lucy sit on the toilet. "Some girl took us from the house last night. Ben McKittrick kidnapped Bonnie on their date."

"Ben McKittrick? As in Joel's old teammate?"

"Yep," Elena sighed in aggravation.

Lucy rolled her eyes and, surprisingly, didn't panic. The girl was mostly likely Anna, Jeremy's friend. Anna was clearly holding them for leverage, either for Bonnie or Stefan. They just to wait this whole situation out.

Bonnie moaned lowly as she woke up, looking at Lucy and Elena in confusion. "Elena? Lucy?"

"You're okay!" Elena breathed, relieved.

Bonnie winced, pain pulsing through her head.

"Take it easy, Bon," Lucy warned her; she wet another washcloth and handed to Elena, hoping that it would ease Bonnie's pain.

As the wet fabric hit her forehead, Bonnie gasped and sat up higher in the bathtub, looking at Lucy and Elena with wide eyes. "Oh, my God!" she hissed. "Ben is a—"

"Shh," Elena shushed her. She pointed at her ear and gestured to the bathroom door. "They can hear."

Lucy reached over to the sink and turned on the faucet, hoping that the noise of the rushing water would make it so Anna and Ben couldn't hear their conversation.

"I was so stupid," Bonnie groaned, feeling shameful.

"He had all of us fooled," Elena comforted her.

"What's going on?" Bonnie wondered, moving past her embarrassment. "Why are we here?"

"It probably has something to do with the tomb and Emily's grimoire," Lucy sighed. Why else would Anna need Bonnie?

"Grimoire?" Bonnie narrowed her eyes, even more confused than she already was.

"Damon said that it could be used to open the tomb," Elena informed her.

"Why didn't I know anything about this?" Bonnie looked around Elena at the door, hoping that the vampires wouldn't come in.

"We were trying to keep you out of it," Elena explained herself, looking over at Lucy, who nodded in support. "I hoped it would never come to this."

Bonnie gave her a questioning look. "Come to what?"

"They need a witch to break the spell and let the vampires out," Elena gave Bonnie the bad news.

Bonnie shook her head. "No way."

Elena gave her a sympathetic look. "I know—"

The bathroom door flung open and the familiar face of Ben McKittrick appeared, smirking. As Lucy and Elena shifted in front of Bonnie protectively, he turned off the water.

"You're wasting your time," Bonnie spoke up. "I'm not going to help you."

Ben snickered and grabbed Lucy's arm, harshly pulling her to her feet and making her grunt in pain from his tight grip. Keeping a firm hand around Lucy, he bent down and wrapped an arm around Elena's waist, hauling her up.

"That's why they're here," he informed Bonnie matter-of-factly. "Motivation for you to behave. You know," he grinned maliciously. "You shouldn't be so desperate. You made it too easy."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up, Ben," she snapped and siphoned magic from him, making his hiss.

Ben ripped his hand away from Lucy and grabbed the back of her shirt, practically dragging her out of the bathroom while still holding Elena.

"She needs to talk to you two," Ben told them, glaring furiously at Lucy. He pushed them into the room with Anna and then slammed the bathroom door shut with him and Bonnie inside.

"Well, well," Anna hummed, shaking her head in amusement. "Hello, Lucy. Nice to see you again," when Lucy glared at her, Anna turned to look at Elena. "Elena Gilbert. You really are Katherine's doppelganger. You must have the Salvatore boys reeling."

Elena scoffed. "Who are you?"

"Our brother's creepy vampire-stalker," Lucy sneered, crossing her arms over her chest.

Anna laughed. "Yeah, your brother may have mentioned me. I mean, we're, like, practically dating," her face smoothed into an unreadable mask, probably to intimidate the girls. "I'm Anna."

Lucy rolled her eyes and sat down on the closest bed, readying herself for what she assumed would be an intimidation speech. From what Ben had said, she knew that her and Elena were just leverage and Lucy would play the part she was given.

Did she want Bonnie to do the spell and open the tomb? No, she didn't, but there was a possibility that they—Anna, Ben, and maybe even Damon—were going to force her to do it anyway, whether it was through violence or emotional manipulation. She didn't want Bonnie to get hurt, so maybe it was best that she undid the spell.

It was a complicated situation on all sides. There was no good way to go about this.

"Bonnie's not going to open the tomb," Elena told Anna, taking a seat next to Lucy.

Anna walked over to the window and moved the curtains aside, staring out the window. "Oh, I think she will."

"Do you really want Katherine out that bad?"

Anna scoffed at Elena's question. "Trust me, no one I know wants to see that girl again," she paused for a moment. "Except maybe Damon, the lovestruck idiot."

"Then what is it?" Elena sighed. Her eyebrows furrowed as a new realization came to her. "Or _who_ is it?"

Lucy raised her eyebrows. Didn't Damon say something about Anna's mother…?

"My mother's in there," Anna's face softened as she confirmed Lucy's suspicions. "Katherine couldn't help herself. She just had to toy around with both of the Salvatore brothers. And when she got caught…so did my mother. I watched Jonathan Gilbert take her away."

Lucy couldn't help but sympathize with Anna. After all, she knew what it was like having her mother taken away from her. Even if Miranda Gilbert wasn't a vampire locked up in a tomb for more than a century, she was still gone.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Anna gave her an unreadable look. "You really mean that, don't you?" she chuckled. "Yeah, I think we'll skip the dead-mom bonding you so you two can start serving a purpose."

Elena narrowed her eyes. "Which is what?"

"Leverage," Anna said simply. She picked Elena's phone up from the table next to her. "This belong to you?"

Elena lunged forward and attempted to take the phone from Anna, but the vampire clicked her tongue and backed away, pressing her fingers against the screen to call someone.

The someone—most likely Stefan—answered and Anna smirked.

"She's fine, for now," Anna said into the phone. "Tell me you have the grimoire and she and her sister will stay fine," she paused for a second to allow Stefan to speak. "Which means your brother has it and I have the witch. So, one of you had better meet me in the very public town square in thirty minutes so we can safely discuss how fun it's going to be to work together."

She pulled the phone away from her ear and tossed it back on the table. Giving Lucy and Elena a warning glance, she walked over to the bathroom and knocked on the door.

"I'm leaving," she told Ben as he opened the door and dragged Bonnie into the room. "Keep them buttoned down. Compulsion _won't_ work, just use violence."

"Right, I got that," Ben sighed, pushing Bonnie onto the other bed. Anna left, slamming the door behind her. "Sit and behave," he warned Bonnie. He took off his jacket and laid it across the back of a chair across from the beds before sitting in the chair.

"So, you're the key to this," he said to Bonnie. "Literally. The one who opens the door. Tell me, how long have you been a witch?"

"Is there anything to drink here?" Elena spoke up, giving Ben an annoyed look.

Ben jumped to his feet, baring his teeth at her; Elena flinched back. "Are you offering?" Elena scooted away from him. "There's water on the nightstand."

Lucy looked to her left and saw the glass; she picked it up and handed it to Elena. Just as Elena took her first sip of the water, Bonnie spoke up.

"Hey," she whispered. "Can I have a sip?"

Elena nodded and reached around Lucy, handing Bonnie the glass. Bonnie promptly threw the contents of the glass at Ben, narrowing her eyes at him and allowing a fire to break out on his arm.

Ben shouted in pain and tried to pat out the fire as Lucy, Bonnie, and Elena rushed to the door. Bonnie opened the door and ran out, followed by Lucy, but Elena let out a shriek as Ben grabbed her around the waist.

"Come back in," Ben growled as Lucy and Bonnie turned around, shocked that Elena was caught. "Shut the door!"

"Don't hurt her," Lucy warned, scared that her sister would be hurt and fed up with these vampires telling her what to do. Screw what she said earlier, she wasn't going to roll over and let them do anything they wanted.

"Don't make me!" Ben shouted.

Lucy glowered at him as she walked back into the room, Bonnie following and shutting the door behind them.

"Lock it."

Bonnie obediently locked the door and shuffled back over to the bed, taking a seat.

Lucy, though, was tired of being bossed around. There was a way to get this over with, without putting Bonnie in danger.

"Listen," she gave Ben a firm look. "Call Anna and tell her that you don't need Bonnie or the grimoire to open the tomb."

Ben raised his eyebrows and took a step toward her. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Lucy snapped. "I can siphon the spell—"

"Lucy, don't!" Bonnie objected.

Lucy ignored her, keeping her eyes on Ben. "I can siphon the spell from the tomb if you let Bonnie and Elena go."

Ben narrowed his eyes at Lucy and pulled his phone out of his jean pocket. "Sit down while I call her," he gestured to the bed.

Lucy sat down next to Elena while Ben walked a few feet away to talk to Anna on the phone.

"Why would you do that, Lucy?" Elena hissed quietly. "We can't let anyone open that tomb."

"They're not going to stop," Lucy pointed out, her voice loud enough so Bonnie could hear. "Anna and even Damon aren't going to stop until they get Katherine and Anna's mom out of the tomb. In the process, they'll hurt us. Is that what you want?"

"I don't want you hurt," Elena insisted.

"And I don't want you or Bonnie hurt, either," Lucy grabbed Elena's hand. "If I can do something to stop all of this, I will."

"She's on her way back," Ben declared to the girls before Elena could say anything else. He looked at Lucy and asked, "So, you can take spells away from things?"

"I don't have magic of my own," Lucy explained reluctantly. "So, I have to siphon magic from objects or people—" she gave him a pointed look. "—to use it."

"So, you can die, right?" Ben gave his own thinly veiled threat. "You don't have eternal life."

Lucy narrowed her eyes at him. "Yes, we can die."

"Ah," Ben hissed, smirking. "That sucks."

The door burst open at that moment, causing light to spill into the dark motel room. Ben cried out in pain as the sun's rays hit his skin, causing it to blister, burn, and smoke. He dived into the spot between the two beds as Stefan and Joel stomped into the room, furious looks on their faces.

"Let's go," Joel urged Lucy, Bonnie, and Elena. "Come on. Get outside."

"Stefan!" Elena shouted.

"Get outside!" Stefan repeated Joel's orders.

Lucy hurried outside with Bonnie and Elena, surprised to see Grams standing in the parking lot. Bonnie ran straight into her grandmother's arms while Lucy wrapped Joel in a hug, relieved that they found them in time and she wouldn't have to siphon the spell from the tomb.

"You came," she smiled, pulling away from Joel's embrace to allow Elena to get a hug.

"Of course, I did," Joel rolled his eyes, squeezing Elena. "My sisters were missing. What was I going to do? Stay at school?"

"Come on," Stefan called as he walked out of the motel room. Elena let go of Joel and rushed into his embrace; he wrapped his arms around her and added, "Let's get out of here."

Lucy sat in Grams' living room, her brand-new grimoire in her lap. Grams had given it to her only moments before, after her, Bonnie, and Elena were plied with food and water. Elena and Stefan had stepped out to discuss what was going to happen while Joel sat next to Lucy, reading over her shoulder, and Bonnie and Grams were cuddled together on the couch.

"How did you know where we were?" Bonnie asked Grams, catching the attention of Lucy. She kept her head down, eyes on her grimoire while eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Many things can fuel a witch's power," Grams told her. "Worry, anger…After Joel and Stefan told me that they had taken you, I had a lot of both. A simple locater spell was easy after that."

"I'm sorry," Bonnie whispered. "About all of this."

"Not as sorry as they're gonna be," Grams said matter-of-factly.

Lucy finally looked up as Stefan and Elena entered the room. They needed to do something if they wanted to finish this and she assumed that they had a plan.

"So, what do we do now?" Elena sighed, sitting on the other side of Lucy.

Okay, so, maybe they didn't have a plan…

"For now, you need to stay here," Stefan advised; this was the only house that Damon hadn't been invited into, so it was the safest here.

"A prisoner?" Grams raised her eyebrows in Stefan's direction. "In my own home? I don't think so."

"Stefan and I can't protect you if you leave the house, Grams," Joel pointed out, shifting forward so Grams could see him.

Grams clicked her tongue and gave Joel a fond but firm look, looking as though she couldn't believe he didn't have more faith in her. "We'll protect ourselves."

It was quiet for a thoughtful moment as everyone tried to think of a different plan. Then, Elena spoke up.

"We need to let him have Katherine back," she declared. When everyone but Lucy gave her looks of disbelief, she added, "Lucy was right. Damon's not going to stop until he gets her. If we help him, maybe that ends it."

Lucy gave her sister a grateful smile, happy that someone was listening to her advice for once in her life.

"No!" Bonnie objected. "He doesn't deserve to get what he wants!"

Lucy sighed. "What other choice do we have?"

Grams shook her head. "Witches being pulled down by vampire problems as much as we tried to do to stay out of it," she turned to Stefan, eyes firm. "I'll open the tomb. You get your brother's girl and destroy the rest with fire. Then this will be all over."

"We still have to get Damon to agree," Stefan pointed out, frustrated.

"He already agreed once," Elena reminded him.

"Yeah and then we double-crossed him," Stefan crossed his arms over his chest. "So now he's angry."

"He's hurt," Elena corrected him. "There's a difference. Lucy, maybe—"

"No," Lucy shook her head, already knowing what her sister was going to ask of her. No way in hell was she going to try to convince Damon to work with them; she was almost turned into a vampire and she didn't even do anything to him. "Besides, he trusts you more than me."

"I betrayed him," Elena shook her head in denial. Lucy gave her a look and she sighed, giving in. "Fine, I'll go talk to him."

"Great!" Joel chirped, trying to lighten up the mood. "Let's go roast some vampires!"

Bundled up in her heaviest peacoat, Lucy still shivered from the frigid air surrounding her. She could faintly hear the sounds of Duke's party going on a couple-hundred feet away, but she paid it no mind. If all went well, no one at the party was at risk and maybe she could steal a cup of beer if they wrapped this up early enough.

"Lucy," Grams caught her attention as Joel and Stefan went to clear a path down to the tomb. "Bonnie and I will need your help with this."

Lucy nodded, sobering. "What do you need me to do?"

"The spell will be too strong to pull down with just Bonnie and I," Grams explained, glancing at Bonnie who was standing beside her, holding a bag of supplies. "We will need you to siphon some of the spell each time I tell you too."

"Why can't I just siphon it all away?" Lucy wondered.

"Because, sweetheart, you can't siphon too much," Grams' face was grim. "Like I said, the spell is powerful. If you get too much magic in your system, it can overwhelm you. You could seriously hurt yourself."

Lucy's eyes widened, taken aback. She had no idea that siphoning too much magic could hurt her. She just figured she'd have more magic to use. It was a good thing Grams found them when she did, then. Lucy could have seriously hurt or even killed herself siphoning the spell from the tomb.

"Thank you for telling me," she said gratefully. "Grams, thank you for everything. Seriously."

Grams smiled and placed a hand on Lucy's arm. "It's no problem, dear. You and Bonnie and great friends," she smiled at Bonnie and looked back at Lucy. "and I wanted to help you. You can do great things with your powers, don't let anyone tell you differently."

Lucy swallowed the lump in her throat, willing herself not to cry. She smiled at Grams, happy that she saw something in Lucy that she didn't know if she could see herself.

"We cleared the debris away," Joel announced as he and Stefan walked over to them, carrying shovels. "Set the torches like you asked. We can get down now."

"What is that?" Bonnie asked, looking at Stefan.

Stefan was standing next to a couple gallons of gas and a blowtorch he gathered so he could destroy the rest of the vampires.

"It's everything I need to destroy them," Stefan told her, handing Grams a flashlight.

"Are you sure Damon will come back with her?" Grams asked, referring to Elena, who went to retrieve Damon and get him to work with them.

A whistle answered her question. Lucy and the others turned toward the sound, seeing Damon and Elena walking toward them. Emily's grimoire was tucked safely away in Damon's hands and Elena looked severely annoyed with the oldest Salvatore.

"Brother, witches," Damon greeted Stefan, Grams, and Bonnie before turning to Lucy and Joel. "Twitch, JoJo."

Joel glared at Damon before turning to Lucy and whispering, "Did you tell him about that?"

"No!"

"Everything okay?" Stefan asked Elena, ignoring the whispering coming from the other Gilbert siblings.

Elena sighed. "I just want to get this over with," she turned to Bonnie and Grams. "Are we ready?"

Bonnie, Lucy, and Grams exchanged a look before Bonnie answered, "I guess so."

Their group descended down the path to the tomb, cleared of debris just like Joel said it was. In the tomb's entrance, four torches were situated in a circle in the center, ready to be lit. Bonnie set down the supplies needed for the spell and handed Grams a lighter.

Grams lit the first of the torches. "Air," she said as it caught on fire. She moved onto the next two, setting each of them ablaze. "Earth. Fire."

"Water," Bonnie added, holding up a plastic bottle of water.

"That's it?" Elena asked, looking at the bottle in confusion as Grams sprinkled the ground with the water within it. "Just water from the tap?"

Grams raised her eyebrows at her. "As opposed to what?"

"I just figured maybe it would have to be blessed or mystical or something."

Lucy snickered at Elena's awkward bumbling and shifted, avoiding Elena's incoming elbow. Joel wasn't so lucky; his grunt interrupted his laughter as Elena's fist came in contact with his bicep.

"What's that?"

Lucy, Elena, and Joel turned to Stefan and Damon. Damon was pulling a blood bag out of his jacket and unwrapping the tube.

"It's for Katherine," Damon stated. "Gotta have something to get her going. Unless one of the girls are offering a vein to tap?" he nodded at Lucy and Elena.

Both Lucy and Elena glowered at him; Stefan sighed, exasperated.

"Admit it," Damon whispered loudly to Stefan. "You can't wait to get rid of me."

Stefan chuckled. "I can't wait to get rid of you."

"Join the club," Joel commented, smirking and winking at Damon when he turned around to glare at him.

"We're ready," Bonnie interrupted, looking away from the grimoire as Grams studied the spell thoroughly.

"Lucy, you'll go first," Grams pointed to the tomb door, pentagram carved into the stone. "When we start chanting, I want you to stop siphoning."

"Yes, ma'am," Lucy nodded, walking over to the door.

Rubbing her chilled hands nervously, she looked over to where Joel, Elena, and Stefan were standing together. Each one of them gave her encouraging looks which warmed her heart.

She could do this. She was strong enough to do this.

Lucy placed both hands on the door, rough stone scraping her soft palms. Her arms started to tingle and her hands glowed red as she started siphoning the spell.

Almost immediately she knew Grams was right about how the spell would have overwhelmed her if she did it by herself. Her muscles ached slightly as she absorbed the magic and her temples throbbed but underneath that, she felt enormous power.

When Bonnie and Grams started chanting, Lucy ripped her hands away from the door. Gasping, out of breath, she leaned against the wall, feeling tired.

Normally, she would have felt great having absorbed magic. She could tell it was a little too much.

"What are they saying?" Damon asked, referring to the words Bonnie and Grams spoke.

Grams and Bonnie held hands in the middle of the circle made of torches, standing over Emily's grimoire. The torches flared every couple of seconds, letting Lucy know that the spell they were using had to be working.

"It sounds like Latin," Stefan guessed, giving Lucy a concerned look as Joel helped her over to him and Elena.

Elena shook her head. "I don't think it's Latin."

Bonnie and Grams continued chanting until there was a loud boom and the tomb door opened. Everyone turned to look at it, amazed that it worked.

"What's happening?" Elena asked, confused.

"It worked!" Bonnie exclaimed.

"Of course, it worked," Grams said confidently.

Damon looked back at Stefan and Joel. "We have some fires to build."

Stefan nodded. "We're gonna go get the stuff. We'll be right back."

As Joel and Stefan set down the path back up to the higher ground, Damon eyed Grams and Bonnie and turned to Elena.

"You ready?" he asked.

"What?"

"You think I'm going to go in there by myself so you can seal me in?" Damon asked, glaring at Grams. He grabbed Elena's arm and roughly pulled her to him.

"Don't take her in," Grams warned him. "I'll bring the walls down."

"You'll bring the walls down if I don't," Damon sneered. "You think I trust you?"

"As much as I trust you."

"Damon, seriously, don't," Lucy sighed, though she knew he'd bring Elena into the tomb with him anyway. He needed leverage so he could get out alive and Elena was the most protected of the group. It was natural that he picked her.

"Enough, all of you!" Elena spoke up, glaring at Lucy, Grams, and Damon. She calmed down and spoke directly to Lucy and Grams. "Look, he needs leverage. He needs to know that you're not going to shut the door when he gets inside. I get it," she turned to Damon. "I'll go."

Damon smirked at Lucy and the Bennett witches; he reached for a torch. "May I?"

Without an answer, he grabbed the torch and pulled Elena into the tomb, each set of footsteps sounding fainter the further away they walked.

Lucy, Grams, and Bonnie waited for Joel and Stefan in silence. Not even five minutes after Damon and Elena walked into the tomb, Anna entered the chamber, intent to rescue her mother.

"Hey," Bonnie objected when she spotted Anna. "You're not going in there."

"Do you think you can stop me?" Anna asked; if she had to fight or kill the witch to get her mother, so be it. Nothing was going to stop her.

"Bonnie…" Grams interfered, giving her granddaughter a warning look.

Bonnie frowned but stepped down, allowing Anna to go into the tomb. Anna let out a sigh of relief and grabbed the flashlight out of Lucy's hands, ignoring Lucy's glare of protest. She disappeared into the darkness of the tomb.

Bonnie whirled around to face Grams. "Why did you let her go in?"

"Because she isn't coming out, baby," Grams told her. "None of them are."

"What?" Lucy spoke up, shocked. "What about Elena…?"

"She'll be okay," Grams assured her.

Lucy nodded, believing that Grams was telling the truth. Still, she didn't feel better that the seal was still up. No matter how much she didn't trust or like Damon, she didn't want him stuck in the tomb for all eternity, either. It would be miserable for him.

Not to mention Stefan would lose his brother.

Joel and Stefan ran back into the chamber, carrying the supplies needed to start the fires.

Stefan looked around. "Where's Elena?"

"Damon took her inside," Lucy told him with a sigh.

"What?" Stefan exclaimed, running over to the tomb door.

"Stefan!" Grams called out, stopping him. "If you go in there, you won't come out."

Stefan furrowed his eyebrows. "What did you do?"

"Opening the door didn't remove the seal," Grams informed him. "It just opened the door."

"What's the seal?" Joel asked, setting down a container of gasoline.

"Some seals keep vampires from entering. This one keeps them from…coming out."

"Elena's human," Stefan realized. "She can leave. Anna and Katherine can't…Damon can't."

Grams nodded.

Lucy could tell that Stefan wasn't happy about his brother's imprisonment in the tomb. Even if Damon made his life miserable, he still loved his brother.

"You weren't even planning on breaking the spell, were you?" Stefan asked the oldest Bennett.

"I told you," Grams stepped away from him to stand next to Bonnie. "I will protect my own. Elena can get out. That's all that matters."

Elena's high-pitched scream came from deep into the tomb. Stefan tensed at the sound and turned around, speeding toward the tomb door.

"Stefan, don't!" Lucy shouted, grabbing onto Joel's bicep with all her strength so he wouldn't run into the tomb. While she was able to stop Joel, Stefan didn't listen to her and vanished.

Lucy stomped over to the door and peered inside, only seeing darkness. Anger and fear bloomed in her chest and she turned to Grams and Bonnie.

"We can't just leave him in there!" she said fiercely.

"He made his choice!" Grams argued.

"No, she's right," Bonnie agreed with Lucy. She bent down and grabbed the grimoire. "Just tell me what to do. I'll do it!"

"We're not strong enough," Grams said. "Even if we were able to bring the seal down, there's no guarantee that we can get it back up again."

"Then I'll bring the seal down myself," Lucy was determined to get Stefan—and even Damon—out of the tomb. She couldn't let her best pal down. "You guys bring the seal back up after they come out."

"You said it yourself," Bonnie added, looking at Grams. "Many things can fuel a witch's power. Help me or I'll do it alone!"

Grams reluctantly agreed. "We'll be chanting while you siphon. They'll be able to get out but we'll be able to put the seal up right away," she warned Lucy.

Lucy nodded and walked over to the tomb door, kneeling right beside it.

Elena came running out of the tomb minutes later, wrist bleeding and breathing heavily.

"Elena," Joel pulled her into a hug. "Stefan…"

"He's right behind me," she assured him. She turned around and looked at the tomb door where Stefan was standing, unable to get out. "Stefan, what are you doing?"

"It's gonna be okay," Bonnie told Elena. "We'll fix it."

"What is it?" Elena had no idea what they were talking about.

"I can't," Stefan said solemnly.

"Can't? Can't what?"

"The spell's still up," Lucy told her sister. "We can't get them out yet."

Elena narrowed her eyes at Stefan. "You went in there not knowing if you could come back out?" when Stefan nodded, she gasped. "Oh, my God."

"I heard you scream," Stefan stated.

"You're going to need to go get Damon," Lucy spoke up, looking up at Stefan from her spot on the ground.

"We can't leave him," Elena reminded him, tagging onto Lucy's statement. "We promised him, both of us."

Stefan nodded. "I know."

"When we break the seal, we won't be able to hold it for long," Grams said seriously.

"You need to hurry," Lucy warned him. Stefan nodded and took off to look for Damon.

Lucy looked back at Grams and Bonnie and nodded before pressing her hands to the ground in front of her. As she first started siphoning, her muscles started aching again; this time, though, it was more painful.

Lucy gritted her teeth from the pain the magic she absorbed was giving her. She vaguely heard chanting from Grams and Bonnie and encouragements from Joel and Elena but she couldn't understand them.

It felt like her bones were on fire; her vision was growing blurry.

"I think it's working!" Elena called over the chanting of Grams and Bonnie, watching as the magic of the seal was pulled into her sister's red hands.

Anna appeared at the door, holding a fragile woman dressed in old, wrinkled and dirty clothes. She helped her mother step out of the tomb, walking past a shaking Lucy.

"I just wanted my mother back," she told Elena apologetically. "Jeremy's fine. He's outside. We won't touch him."

Elena was surprised to hear about Jeremy but paid Anna and her mother no mind as Lucy started to scream in pain. She and Joel rushed to her just as Bonnie gasped and let go of Grams' hands.

"Lucy!"

"Bonnie, Lucy, keep going!" Grams called out, loud enough to be heard over Lucy's yelps and the raging flames from the torches. "They better hurry!"

Elena tearfully turned to the tomb door and yelled, "Stefan, they can't hold it for much longer!"

Joel dropped to the floor next to Lucy, careful not to touch her. Her face was ghastly pale and wet from her tears. "It's okay, Lulu," he said encouragingly. "You're almost done. You're doing great," he turned to Elena, angry that Stefan and Damon were taking so long and causing Lucy so much pain. "Go and get them! Now!"

Elena took off into the tomb.

Lucy groaned loudly, sobbing under the strain all the magic she was siphoning was taking on her. All she saw was white at this point so she just closed her eyes, enduring the sharp burning for as long as she could.

She needed Stefan to get out of the tomb; that was what she was focusing on—Stefan.

"Oh, my God!" Bonnie shrieked, bending over slightly. "I can't!"

"Yes, you can!" Grams insisted, grabbing her again.

Joel looked over at the tomb door as Damon marched out, Elena and Stefan following close after him.

"Stop now, Luce," he urged his sister. "Stop!"

Lucy ripped her hands away from the stone and collapsed just as Grams and Bonnie stopped chanting and the tomb door slammed shut.

"Is he okay?" Elena asked, kneeling next to Jeremy on the forest floor. He was passed out, still knocked out from whatever Ben did to him.

"Is…Jere…all right…?" Lucy slurred tiredly, slumped up against a tree trunk with Stefan holding her upright.

"He's all right," Joel assured his sisters, bending down to pick Jeremy up, throwing him over his shoulder. "Let's head home, okay?"

"One second," Elena said, running away from her siblings to go talk to Damon, who was brooding over the fact that Katherine wasn't in the tomb.

Stefan followed her with his eyes and looked away when she hugged his brother. He looked back at Lucy and swallowed his worry for her; she looked horrible and he was afraid she wasn't going to make it.

"We should get her back to your house," he told Joel.

Joel nodded. "Let's go. Elena can catch up."

"Come on, Goofy," Stefan whispered, picking Lucy up so she laid in his arms. Her head slumped onto his shoulder, her body heat calming his fear slightly.

"I'm tired," Lucy whispered, voice thick. Her eyelids and all her limbs felt heavy, her mind sluggish. She couldn't keep her thoughts straight; she just wanted to sleep.

"No, don't sleep, Luce," Stefan didn't know if magic exhaustion—siphoning exhaustion, or whatever—was like a concussion where the patient wasn't supposed to sleep, but he was afraid she was going to die on him.

And that couldn't happen; she was like this because _he_ ran into that tomb.

As Stefan and Joel started walking through the woods to get back to their vehicles, Joel spoke up, "She keeps magic in her locket, right?"

"Yeah," Stefan confirmed, looking down at Lucy. Her eyes were closed. "Lucy, wake up."

Lucy's eyes shot open.

"Maybe if she puts some of the magic in her locket, she'll feel better?" Joel suggested as they reached his truck.

"It's worth a try," Lucy agreed; she grabbed onto her locket and allowed the magic she siphoned from the tomb to transfer into it.

Immediately she felt better. Her thoughts cleared slightly and she felt warmer, more aware.

"That's better," she sighed, leaning her head back onto Stefan's shoulder. "Can I sleep now? It's not like I have a concussion or something."

Stefan chuckled; same old Lucy. "I guess."

"Good," she snuggled her face into his soft jacket and inhaling his comforting scent. "You smell good."

"That's good to know."

"I'm glad you're safe," Lucy murmured.

Stefan just kissed the top of her head, grateful that she was safe as well.


	15. Biological Parents

**[1x15; A Few Good Men]**

Lucy looked down at the driver's manual on the table, reading each line carefully. The more she studied the booklet, the better she'd scored on her test. The written part of her driver's exam was coming up and she wanted to make sure she'd ace it. It could be because she was a perfectionist sometimes but deep down, she knew it was because she was afraid she'd screw up and get into another accident. Lucy did not want to go through that again.

Most of all, though, she wanted a distraction.

It had been a month since they opened the tomb and Katherine wasn't even inside. Grams died for nothing.

It was hard knowing that Grams died, but Lucy was devastated for Bonnie. Grams raised her since her mom left Mystic Falls and the two were so close that Bonnie was a mess without her. She was staying at an aunt's house for now and Lucy had taken to messaging her every day to see if she was okay.

Lucy had only gotten a couple of messages back from Bonnie so far, but she kept quiet about them. Bonnie hadn't contacted Elena at all for some reason and her sister was having a hard time without her best friend. Bonnie explained in an email that she was avoiding Elena because she didn't want her to have to choose between Bonnie and Stefan.

Lucy understood where Bonnie's newfound hatred of vampires was coming from. Essentially, because of vampires, Grams was dead. She didn't blame Bonnie but she also felt bad that Elena would eventually have to make that choice.

Christmas break started the same day as Lucy's sixteenth birthday. Lucy's birthday was a bittersweet day without her parents and Bonnie, but her family, Caroline, and Stefan helped her through it. Liz made her a homemade coconut cake and Stefan surprisingly stepped up and made the lasagna, explaining that he was a master at cooking Italian food.

As far as presents went, she loved all of the ones she received. Joel and Jenna teamed up together—with the help of the funds leftover from their parents—and bought Lucy a car. Her black Ford Escape sat in the driveway waiting for driver's test. Elena and Jeremy also teamed up and got her an easel and some new paintbrushes, presenting them to her with encouraging smiles; that night, Lucy painted a portrait of Grams, intending to give it to Bonnie for her seventeenth birthday.

Stefan gifted her with a novelty sweatshirt from 'The Office' and, to her surprise, two tickets to see Bon Jovi in Charlottesville—she promptly freaked out and wrapped Stefan in a tight hug, laughing at the groans of annoyance from everyone that Stefan outshined them all. However, it was the present that Liz and Caroline gave her that she was most fond of; a homemade quilt made of t-shirts of important events of her childhood. There were shirts from each school she'd been to, art museums she went to with her parents and Jeremy, a shirt from Whitmore College, one from her dad's practice, one from the dance committee, one from the dance class she took until she was nine…there was even one from the town planning committee she took part in. The quilt made her feel so nostalgic that tears fell from her eyes and she hugged the two Forbes women tightly, thanking them sincerely. There were so many great memories just in that one blanket; it was amazing.

Christmas passed and for the first time in years, the Gilbert family didn't head to their cabin. Usually they'd head up on Christmas Eve and spend the next two days there but it didn't feel right going without their parents. Instead, they stayed home, exchanging gifts, making cookies, and watching cheesy Hallmark movies that made Joel cry—much to the amusement of his younger siblings.

It was melancholy without their parents but for the first time in a long while, Lucy felt like they were okay. They were moving on in a healthy way, not forgetting their parents but successfully living without them.

Lucy's phone beeped with a text message, making her sigh and pick it up. It was Mrs. Lockwood, reminding her that the charity auction was tonight—as if she'd forget—and that she and Caroline had to be at the Grill early to set up the register. She sent back a polite confirmation and went back to her reading.

Only to be interrupted when Jenna and Elena walked into the room.

"Hey, you," Jenna greeted Lucy, nose still pink from the chilly air outside. "I was going to show Elena what I found about her birth mother. I found stuff for you, too. Want to see?"

Lucy laughed. "Is that even a question?"

Jenna chuckled and sat down where her laptop was set up at the end of the table. Elena greeted Lucy and sat in the chair between, ready to find out more information about her birth mother.

"Your dad kept everything from his medical practice—records, logs, old appointment books," Jenna grabbed an appointment book that was sitting next to her laptop and opened it up. "I found an entry from the night you—" she looked at Lucy. "—were brought here. It was just a name—Rich Flemming."

"The man who gave me to Mom and Dad?" Lucy asked, her stomach flipping.

Intrigued, Lucy left her spot and walked to Jenna's other side so she could see the appointment book herself. Her father's slanted handwriting confirmed the information Jenna just gave them.

"Did you find anything on him?" she asked Jenna eagerly.

"No," Jenna shook her head. "But remember when I said that he said Isobel sent him?"

Lucy nodded.

"I did some more digging," Jenna looked at Elena now. "I looked up the records on the day you were born. There was an entry—patient and a birthdate. Isobel Peterson."

"Do you think that's her real name?" Elena asked hopefully.

Jenna sighed. "Pregnant teenage runaway?" she asked rhetorically. "Probably not. First name, maybe. But where'd she get 'Peterson'? Classmate? Best friend?"

"So," Jenna continued, pulling up a search engine on her computer and typing in information. "I Googled it. I searched for all the Petersons in this area born the same year as Isobel. I found three—two men and a woman, Trudie. She lived in Grove Hill, Virginia."

"That's not far from here," Elena stated.

"Well, watch this," Jenna typed Trudie's name and town into the search bar.

Results popped up and Jenna clicked on the first link. An old yearbook page loaded; on the page was a picture of two cheerleaders hugging with the caption, 'Trudie Peterson and Isobel Flemming'.

Lucy looked at the picture, assuming the brunette cheerleader was Elena's birth mother.

"She was a cheerleader," Elena smiled happily.

Jenna smiled and bit her lip. "Trudie still lives there," she quickly wrote Trudie's address on a post-it note, handing it to Elena. "This is her address."

"What about Isobel?" Elena wondered.

"I couldn't find anything about her," Jenna sighed. "Listen. There's something else…Mr. Saltzman, Ric…His wife was from around here and her name was Isobel."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows thoughtfully.

"Isobel's last name was Flemming, right?" she spoke up, causing Jenna and Elena to look at her. "As in 'Rich Flemming', the guy who brought me to Mom and Dad."

Jenna nodded. "Yeah."

"I don't know if I'm assuming, but…" Lucy bit her lip nervously. "…doesn't 'Rich' sound like 'Ric' to you? And if he knew Isobel—"

"Are you saying we might actually be half-sisters?" Elena cut her off. "And that Mr. Saltzman might be your biological father?"

Lucy shrugged. "Maybe. It's a possibility. Jenna?"

Jenna looked at her nieces, both of them turning to look at her for her opinion. "It's a possibility," she confirmed. "I can talk to Ric, I'm meeting up with him later."

Lucy nodded; she wanted to get to the bottom of this.

"Wait, wait," Elena interrupted, shaking her head. "I don't want us to get our hopes up," she gave Lucy a pointed look before turning to Jenna. "And what did you mean that Mr. Saltzman's wife _was_ named Isobel?"

Jenna sighed sadly; the new turn of events that Lucy might be Ric's daughter made the news worse. "She died."

Lucy frowned; she was sad that her potential biological mother was dead but it wasn't heartbreaking. It was disappointing that she might never get to meet her, but she didn't know what she was missing.

"Alaric's wife might have been your mother?" Stefan asked Elena, bewildered.

Elena sighed from where she was rummaging around in her dresser. "That's not even the craziest part," she turned to face him. "Alaric might be Lucy's father."

"What?" Stefan exclaimed. He thought about the reason Alaric gave him for being in Mystic Falls, other than to kill Damon. He wanted to find his daughter. "Oh, my God."

"Yeah," Elena nodded. "It can't be true, right? I mean, the coincidence along is just crazy," she grabbed the post-it with Trudie's address and showed it to Stefan. "I have the address for Isobel's friend, Trudie."

"You and Lucy want to talk to her?"

"I don't know," Elena shook her head. "I-I don't know. If it's true and they are the same person, that means that my birth mother is dead and I don't know if I could handle that. I don't know if _Lucy_ could handle that."

Stefan looked at the floor, feeling guilty. If Alaric's wife _was_ Elena and Lucy's mother, that meant that Damon killed her. Elena and Damon were just starting to get along, he didn't want to screw anything up until he found out the truth.

"Elena did Jenna tell you anything about Alaric's wife?" he asked. "How she died?"

"Just that she was killed and the case was never solved," Elena saw Stefan nod knowingly. "You knew that already?"

"The night at school when he attacked me, he told me some things about her death," Stefan admitted.

"Well—"

"No, no, no," Stefan cut her off, grabbing her hands and intertwining their fingers. "It's not possible. The coincidence is—it's too much."

"I don't think it is," Elena shook her head. "If Mr. Saltzman is Lucy's biological father, that means that his wife is probably our mother."

"I'll look into it," Stefan promised her. "And, listen, if you and Lucy decide to go talk to Isobel's friend, I'll go with you, okay?"

"I don't know what we're gonna do yet."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Elena asked Lucy for the third time as she turned onto Boulder Avenue in Grove Hill.

Lucy sighed, becoming annoyed. "Elena, you were the one that's hesitating," she pointed out, looking at the GPS on her phone. "We could have stayed in Mystic Falls, remember? The house is right there," she pointed white house labeled '312'.

"I know, I know," Elena pulled up to the curb of Trudie Peterson's house. "I'm just nervous, all right?"

"It's okay to be nervous. I'm nervous," Lucy smiled, laying a comforting hand on Elena's arm. "But I'm here with you, okay? You're not alone, we have each other."

Elena smiled, grateful for Lucy's presence. By some miracle, Lucy might be her half-sister, and it was nice to know she wasn't alone in this journal to seek Isobel. Lucy felt the same way; she felt safe with her older sister's presence.

"Thanks, Lucy-Goosey," Elena turned off the car and got out of her seat, purposely ignoring Lucy's groans about her nickname.

The sisters slowly walked up the sidewalk to the house, climbing the brick steps. Elena knocked on the blue door and glanced nervously at Lucy as they waited for Trudie to answer.

The door opened, revealing a woman around thirty years of age with blonde hair and a kind smile.

"Trudie?" Elena asked politely. "Trudie Peterson?"

"Yes," Trudie confirmed with a confused smile.

"Uh, my name is Elena Gilbert and this is my sister, Lucy," she gestured to Lucy, who waved nervously. "We wanted to talk to you about Isobel Flemming."

"Well, I haven't heard that name in years," Trudie stated. "How do you know her?"

"We think, um," Lucy stammered anxiously. "Do you know if she had babies she gave up for adoption?"

Trudie's polite smile slowly fell as she stared at Lucy and Elena in realization. "My God. You're her daughters."

Lucy and Elena looked at each other; now they knew for sure that they were biological sisters. It filled Lucy with relief and she saw the hint of a smile on Elena's face, too.

"I was just gonna make some tea," Trudie offered. "Would you like some?"

Elena nodded, smiling. "Sure."

"Uh, the kitchen's this way," Trudie pointed behind her, into the house. She stepped out of the way and allowed Lucy and Elena to walk through the threshold.

"You have a lovely house," Lucy told Trudie, looking at the foyer in admiration. The house had a nice, homely feel; she could tell it was well loved and appreciated.

"Thank you," Trudie shut the door behind them and led them into the kitchen where a small table was off to the side. "Y'all can sit there. The water should be ready."

"We weren't going to come," Elena explained as she and Lucy shed their jackets and scarves. "But I was driving and I hit this stoplight and it made me think about when I was learning how to drive and then my mom would always warn me about this blind turn on the left-hand side and then I was thinking about my mom and—" she realized she was rambling and took a deep breath. "We had your address."

"Sorry for barging in," Lucy added, secretly amused by Elena's ramble. Usually it was her doing the awkward talking while others watched.

"It's no problem," Trudie assured the girls. "Just a surprise, though. I haven't thought about Isobel in years."

"When was the last time you saw her?" Elena asked as they all sat down around the table.

"About sixteen years ago," Trudie said thoughtfully. "It was winter break of our freshman year of college. She had just given birth," she gave Lucy a knowing look. "We kept in touch for a while but, well, you know, people drift apart."

"Where did she go to college?"

"She got into Duke on a scholarship after she gave birth to you," Trudie stated, looking at Elena. "Smart girl, smart school."

Elena leaned forward at the mention of her birth. "Do you know who my father was?"

Trudie shook her head. "I could never get her to fess up," the water kettle whistled across the room. "Let me just grab that."

After Trudie handed Lucy and Elena their tea, she pulled an old yearbook out. She opened it up and turned to the page that Lucy and Elena saw on Google that morning.

"They came to the games for us," Trudie told them with a fond smile. "The football team hadn't won in years. We were the stars…well, Izzie was, but I was a dam good backup."

Lucy smiled; her biological mother was a cheerleader just like she was. It was kind of cool to have that connection with her.

Elena giggled. "This is great. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Trudie said graciously. "You haven't touched your tea."

"Oh," Lucy mumbled. She grabbed the lukewarm mug and took a sip at the same time as Elena. The sweet tea tasted off but not unpleasant.

"What is this?" Elena asked, noticing the same thing as Lucy. The scent was familiar, like her vervain necklace…

"Oh, it's just some herbal mixture," Trudie said nonchalantly.

"Vervain?"

Lucy stiffened at Elena's claim and looked over at Trudie, curious. How did Trudie know about vampires? People don't just consume vervain for the fun of it.

"You know?" she asked.

"Know what?" Trudie said nervously.

"You didn't invite us in," Elena pointed out. "And you're serving vervain tea. You know."

Trudie swallowed harshly, standing up. "I think you should probably leave."

"Wait," Elena objected. "What are you not telling us?"

"Please leave," Trudie insisted. "Now!"

Lucy stood up and grabbed her jacket, hurriedly putting it on. She quickly walked out of the house, Elena following her, and Trudie slammed the door shut after them.

"What the hell was that?" she asked her sister as they stomped to their car. Her eyes caught something and when she looked, she saw a man standing in the middle of the street. "Who the hell is that?"

Elena looked back, seeing the man for herself. "I don't know. Just get in the car."

"Gladly."

Stefan walked through the town square, spotting Alaric exactly where the man said to meet him. He shoved his hands into his jacket pockets and approached him, ready to find out if Alaric was Lucy's biological father and if his wife was her and Elena's biological mother.

"Thanks for meeting me," Alaric greeted him. "Something's come up."

"Jenna told you about Elena," Stefan assumed.

"Yeah."

"So, it's true," Stefan stated. "Your wife, Isobel, was her birth mother. And you're Lucy's birth father."

Alaric sighed, nodding. Ever since he had left Lucy with the Gilberts as a newborn baby, he'd been waiting to be able to meet her. It had to be the biggest coincidence in the world that Damon Salvatore showed up in Mystic Falls where he left Lucy, but he wasn't going to let an opportunity like this go.

That day he officially met Lucy in the Mystic Grill was the happiest moment he had since Isobel went missing. The daughter he let go for her own good almost sixteen years ago, she was right in front of him.

Lucy had grown up into a bright, beautiful young woman and he couldn't have thanked Grayson and Miranda Gilbert more. She was smart—she skipped a grade, for crying out loud—and looked taken care of. And she had his eyes…and cheekbones.

"Yeah, Lucy's my daughter," Alaric confirmed. "What does she know?"

"About you and your wife?" Stefan asked, confused.

"About everything?" Alaric said. "About you, your brother…"

"She knows what I am," Stefan told Alaric, crossing his arms over his chest. "And she knows that you know about the vampires."

"Does she know about Damon and Isobel? Does Elena?"

"No, and I couldn't tell them," Stefan said firmly. "Not until I was sure."

Alaric sighed. "You said you'd help me."

"I asked Damon without saying too much," Stefan informed him. "He doesn't remember."

"Ask him again," Alaric insisted.

Stefan felt himself growing annoyed; his brother was only hanging on by a thread right now. If Stefan annoyed him too much, who knows what he would do.

"Damon is not stable right now."

"You know, he murdered my wife or at the very least made a meal out of her," Alaric reminded Stefan. "When has he been stable?"

"I'm telling you not to push this."

"Give me a reason not to."

"Your survival. How's that for a reason?" Stefan didn't want this to get screwed up. If Alaric got too agitated and confronted Damon, he would die. And he didn't want that for Lucy—she just found out about him, after all. "I'll handle it but for now, I need you to let it go."

"Is that what you tell Elena and Lucy?" Alaric asked, irritated. "_Let it go_?"

Stefan clenched his jaw and stepped closer to Alaric. "Leave Elena out of this," he warned the man. "And as for Lucy, I suggest waiting for her to approach you."

Alaric sighed and gave Stefan an apologetic look; he knew he took it too far with his last comment. "I'll wait for her to come to me," he agreed. "But I need to know what happened with Isobel. I think you would, too."

Stefan exhaled deeply; Alaric was right. And it was best to find out what Damon did to Isobel, not for Alaric's sake, but for Elena and Lucy's. "I need something more than just your wife's name," he told him. "A picture. Something I could show to Damon."

Alaric nodded and pulled out his wallet, slipping a folded picture of Isobel out of the bill section. He handed it to Stefan, who looked at it and nodded at him before walking away.

Alaric watched him leave, knowing that he was one step closer to meeting his daughter and learning what happened to his wife.

"What?" Caroline exclaimed loudly, causing the rest of the planning committee to look over at them where they were sitting behind the ticket booth. She grimaced and lowered her voice, looking at Lucy with wide eyes. "You're telling me that Mr. Saltzman, our _history teacher_, might be your biological father?"

Lucy nodded.

"Oh, my God, are you okay?" Caroline asked, concerned. "Have you talked to him about it?"

"I'm fine," Lucy assured her. "And I haven't talked to him about it. I don't know what to say. _Hey, you're my biological father and I want to know why you gave me up to my Mom and Dad?"_

Caroline shrugged. "That might be a good start."

Lucy snickered and shook her head; leave it to Caroline to cheer her up about the situation she was in. "I think I just need some time."

"Well, you can take all the time in the world," Caroline told her, wrapping an arm around Lucy's shoulders. "So, change in subject…Matt's mom is back."

"Ugh," Lucy groaned. "Kelly Donovan?"

"Yep and she walked in on me and Matt making out!"

"Oh, Carebear, no!" Lucy moaned, feeling bad for her best friend.

"Yeah, I know!"

Eventually, the fundraiser started, making Lucy and Caroline super busy. Single—and even taken—women from around town swarmed them, buying tickets for the five eligible bachelors up for raffle, two of which included Lucy's biological father and a crazy, serial killer vampire.

They were making a lot of money for the Founder's Day celebration, though, so it was okay…so far.

When the rush was over and everyone was taking their seats to eat and talk about which bachelor they wanted, Elena and Matt showed up at the booth.

"He's already been hit on, like, thirty-five times," Caroline bragged about Matt, sending him a sweet smile. "He's total cougar bait."

"Impressive," Elena commented, eyebrows raised in amusement.

"More like embarrassing," Matt said, making Lucy laugh.

It was then that Matt's mother, Kelly Donovan, walked up to the booth, dressed up for the night. Caroline perked up, ready to impress her boyfriend's mom.

"Hi, Mrs. Donovan!" she greeted her perkily.

Kelly gave Caroline an unimpressed look that made Caroline frown and Lucy's blood boil and then turned to Elena with a big smile. "Elena, honey!"

"Hi, Kelly!" Elena laughed, allowing herself to be pulled into Kelly's hug.

"Long time, no see."

"How are you doing?" Elena asked her.

What a suck-up—it made Lucy rolls her eyes. Same old Elena.

"Oh, same old," Kelly laughed before pouting. "Oh, Matty tells me you broke his heart."

"Mom!" Matt was clearly embarrassed.

Lucy grimaced and looked at Caroline, noticing her best friend's crestfallen face. She grabbed her hand under the table and squeezed it tightly, showing her support.

"I'm just kidding, calm down," Kelly soothed her son. She turned to Elena. "He found his rebound girl."

"_Excuse me_?" Lucy asked, pissed; she couldn't believe that Kelly just said that and Elena nor Matt said anything in Caroline's defense.

"Oh," Kelly misread the situation, thinking that Lucy was asking for money to buy raffle tickets. "Here you go, sweetheart," she handed Lucy a twenty-dollar bill. "However many that'll buy. I just hope I don't get Bachelor #3. I dated him in high school…not impressive in any way."

Lucy glared at the woman and ripped the money out of her hands, setting it down in the money box. Caroline ripped four tickets off the roll and handed them to Kelly.

"Very exciting!" Kelly cheered before making her way straight to the bar.

"Matty, I love you, but your mom is a bitch," Lucy declared, glaring at Kelly's figure walking away from them.

"I know," Matt sighed, looking at Caroline. "Care, I'm so sorry."

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom," Caroline excused herself, looking at Lucy. "Can you…?"

"Of course," Lucy knew that Caroline wanted to collect herself. "Text me if you need me."

Caroline nodded and walked away, ignoring Matt's calls as he followed her. Elena left soon after, telling Lucy they'd meet up when the auction began. Lucy waved her off and promised to find her and Jenna when it came the time.

Lucy found herself looking around the restaurant, watching people interact with each other. She always enjoyed town events, even if some of them were questionable in nature.

"Twitch, I haven't seen you in forever!"

Lucy's attention went to Damon; he stood in front of the booth, a sloppy grin on his face and a drink in his hand. To her chagrin, she actually felt bad for him. He waited one hundred and forty-five years for Katherine, only to find out that she didn't want him. It had to be tough.

"Hi, Damon."

"Did ya get my gift?" he asked. "I sent it with Stefan."

"I did," she remembered the nice dress and designer heels Stefan delivered to her with a short note from Damon—it said nothing but his name. Nevertheless, she loved the outfit. "I really loved it. I'm sorry I haven't had the chance to thank you."

"No problem," Damon waved her off. "I've been busy."

Lucy raised her eyebrows. "How are you? I'm sorry about—"

"Uh, uh, uh," Damon shushed her. "I'm fine. I'm lovely. I'm great. I spent more than a century of my life on someone who didn't care. Why wouldn't I be fantastic?"

"Okay then," If Damon didn't want to talk about Katherine, he didn't have to. "Well, I hope you have a good time tonight."

"Oh, I plan on it, Lucy," Damon downed the rest of his drink and waved at her as he walked away. "See ya!"

"Geeze," she sighed, shaking her head. Poor Damon…she never thought she would ever say that in her life.

"Are you talking about all the older women throwing themselves at the wait staff or the fact that my brother is out-of-his-mind drunk?" Stefan asked, walking up to her.

"Broody, you're here!" Lucy said enthusiastically. She hadn't seen him in a while. She missed him and she wanted to tell him about Alaric and Isobel. "I haven't seen you in forever."

Stefan grinned at her. "I'm sorry you can't live without me, Goofy," he joked. "Let me guess, tickets are selling like hot cakes."

"Yep," Lucy nodded and rolled her eyes. "Mrs. Lockwood was practically drooling over Damon earlier. I'm thinking she's going to rig the raffle."

"It wouldn't surprise me," Stefan conceded. "Uh, Elena told me that you guys went to see Trudie Peterson. How was it?"

Lucy raised her eyebrows. "You didn't get the rundown from Elena?"

"I did but I wanted to hear it from you, too."

Lucy smiled slightly. "Obviously you know she knows about vampires, but other than that, it was okay," she shrugged, thinking about the day's events. "Elena and I are actually half-sisters, which is great to know…did Elena tell you about Mr. Saltzman?"

Stefan nodded and gave her a concerned look. "Are you okay, Luce? I know it's tough to learn something like that."

"I haven't really thought about it much," Lucy admitted truthfully, picking nervously at one of the sticker nametags in front of her. "I mean, he must have come here to meet me, right? How am I supposed to deal with meeting my biological father when I'm still mourning my Dad?"

"Hey," Stefan reached forward, grabbing her fidgeting hands. Lucy looked up, biting her lip. "You take it one step at a time, okay? There's no rush, take all the time you want. I can guarantee Alaric doesn't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

"Have you talked to him?" Lucy asked quietly.

"Yeah," Stefan confirmed, smiling gently at her. "And he's gonna be patient, so don't worry."

"Okay," Lucy smiled, feeling better. If she didn't rush herself and she wasn't going to disappoint Alaric, she could do this. If she had her family and friends by her side, meeting her biological father was going to be a piece of cake. "This is why you're my best pal."

Stefan groaned. "Oh, this _best pal_ shit again."

Lucy gasped, faking shock. "Stefan! I'm a lady, you can swear around me!"

"You're full of shit," Stefan smirked at her. "The other day I heard you when you stubbed your toe and Jenna got onto you."

Lucy laughed loudly. "You're fucking insane!"

"Uh-uh!" Stefan scolded her playfully. "Watch your language, young lady."

Tapping on the microphone interrupted what was sure to be a sass-off between Lucy and Stefan. Lucy gave Stefan a bright smile before excusing herself to find her aunt and sister. She found them at a booth in the middle of the restaurant.

"There you are!" Jenna exclaimed. "How many tickets did you sell?"

Lucy scoffed. "Too many to count!"

Thirty minutes of the auction passed by quickly and now Mrs. Lockwood was almost done introducing Bachelor #3, the man Kelly Donovan said she dated in high school.

"And what do you do, Bachelor #3?" Mrs. Lockwood asked for the crowd.

"Yeah, I'm a plumber," the man stated into the microphone, winking at the ladies in the crowd.

Lucy, Elena, and Jenna laughed with each other as several of the women cheered.

"Well, isn't that wonderful?" Mrs. Lockwood said politely. "We could always use more plumbers…Moving onto Bachelor #4," she walked around the plumber to stand next to Alaric. "_Alaric Saltzman_. Wow, that's quite the mouthful. What do you do, Alaric?"

Lucy looked up at the stage, quietly observing the man who was her biological father. He looked upset as he stood next to a smirking Damon and Lucy was sure he wanted to be anywhere but at the Grill being auctioned off for a date.

"I'm a teacher at Mystic Falls High," Alaric answered reluctantly.

"Oh, beauty and brains, ladies," Mrs. Lockwood quipped to the audience. "This one's a keeper," she turned back to Alaric. "What do you teach?"

"History."

"History. Oh, well, give us a fun fact about Mystic Falls," Mrs. Lockwood suggested. "Something crazy."

"Uh, well…"

Lucy could help but smirk; Alaric really didn't want to be up there.

Mrs. Lockwood laughed to save face for Alaric's awkwardness as she turned to the crowd. "He's probably saving the best stories for his date. And last, but not least…" she moved onto Damon. "_Damon Salvatore_. We don't have much on you."

"Well, I'm tough to fit on a card."

"Do you have any hobbies, like to travel?" Mrs. Lockwood prompted.

"Oh, yeah," Damon nodded. "L.A., New York…A couple of years ago, I was in North Caroline, near the Duke campus, actually," Damon smirked at Alaric. "I think—I think Alaric went to school there, didn't you, Ric?"

Lucy and Elena exchanged confused looks, both wondering what Damon was doing.

"Yeah, 'cause, I-I know your wife did," Damon continued, enjoying Alaric's growing anger. Lucy sat up at the mention of Isobel, listening carefully. "I had a drink with her once. She was—she was a great girl. I ever tell you that? She was—she was delicious."

As Damon winked at Alaric, Lucy gasped in realization. "Oh, my God."

Damon killed Isobel. He had to have, why else was he making such a show about her?

Lucy stood up and shoved her way through the crowd, wiping her face when she felt tears drip from her eyes. It was one thing to learn that Isobel was dead but it was another to learn that a vampire killed her. That Damon killed her.

"Lucy!" she heard Elena call her name when she burst outside. "Lucy, wait!"

Lucy whipped around to face her sister, not surprised to see Stefan behind her. "Did you know that Isobel was killed by a vampire? That Damon killed her?"

"I-I knew that she was killed by a vampire but I didn't know about Damon," Elena confessed, eyes watery. She turned to Stefan, face accusing. "Did you know?"

"I don't know what happened," Stefan explained. "Alaric said that they never found the body."

"Oh, my God!" Elena gasped. "Stefan."

"I know, I'm sorry," Stefan apologized, looking between the sisters. "I wanted to tell you guys, but I just—I wanted to know more."

"I was feeling sorry for him—" Elena started.

"Same," Lucy mumbled angrily.

"—Hoping that this whole Katherine thing would change him," Elena continued, not hearing Lucy's agreement. "I'm so stupid."

"He doesn't know about the connection to you two," Stefan said, defending his brother. "I thought about confronting him but he's already so on edge."

"Why are you defending him?" Lucy spoke up.

Time and time again she was warming up to Damon but each time he let her down. Maybe she couldn't see what Elena and Stefan saw in him, maybe she hadn't had the chance, but she was tired of Damon not taking responsibility for his actions.

"Because Elena's not the only one hoping that he might actually change," Stefan confessed.

Lucy shook her head and wiped her leftover tears; she knew how much Damon had made Stefan suffer for more than a century. At one hand, she hated that he had so much hope with Damon, but on the other, she knew where he was coming from. She could never quit on Elena, Joel, or Jeremy. They were her siblings, her family…Just like Damon was to Stefan.

"Stefan," Elena spoke up, eyes locked on someone behind Stefan. Lucy looked; it was the man they saw standing in the road at Trudie's house. "That man. We saw that man outside of Trudie's."

Stefan observed the man for a couple of seconds before placing his hands on Elena and Lucy's backs, ushering them to the doors of the Grill. "Get back inside," he urged them. "Come on."

As they walked inside, Lucy could hear Mrs. Lockwood announcing the winners of each bachelor but she ignored it. She wanted this night to be over and she wanted to avoid Damon for as long as she could.

Unfortunately, Lucy hardly gets what she wants.

Lucy ran smack dab into Damon's chest, making her flinch away from him.

"Whoa!" Damon laughed. "Easy there. Buy a ticket like everyone else."

Elena saw that Lucy was about to lose her temper, so she grabbed her arm, pushing her back into Stefan. However, looking at Damon, she lost her own.

"Did you enjoy that?" she asked him spitefully. "Rubbing it in to Alaric Saltzman?"

Damon was confused. "What?"

"Just as I was starting to think that there was something redeemable about you—"

"Elena," Stefan warned, holding onto Lucy, who glowered at his brother.

"Am I missing something here?" Damon asked, feeling out of the loop.

"Did I forget to mention earlier when we were talking about mine and Lucy's birth mother?" Elena said, voice hard. "The one that gave us up? Her name was Isobel."

Damon's smile dropped.

"Go ahead," Lucy sneered, ripping her arm out of Stefan's gentle grasp. "Reminisce about how you killed her."

Lucy stomped away, wanting to go outside again. She just felt so angry, she couldn't explain it. Why did she care so much about this? She didn't even know Isobel!

"Come on," Lucy heard Stefan say behind her. "Let's get you guys home."

Lucy turned around, noticing that Elena had followed her out again. "I can't go home!" she raised her voice at Stefan. "I have to stay, which means I have to be in the same room as him!"

"Lucy," Elena said soothingly, grabbing Lucy's hands. "Hey, calm down."

"It's too much," Lucy sighed; so much had happened in one day. She found out about her biological parents and that Damon killed one of them. It was overwhelming. "It's just—"

Lucy cut herself off as she made eye contact with the man her and Elena saw earlier. Stefan saw who she was looking at and grabbed the girls, pushing them behind him.

"I have a message for you," the man said, keeping eye contact with Lucy and Elena.

"What?"

"Who are you?" Stefan demanded over Elena's question.

"Stop looking," the man ignored Stefan, talking directly to Elena and Lucy.

"Stop looking for what?" Elena asked.

Lucy was speechless—who was this man talking about? What were they even looking for?

"She doesn't want to know you," the man said robotically. "She doesn't want to talk to either of you."

Elena gasped. "Isobel?"

"You need to stop looking," the man repeated himself. "Do you understand?"

"She's alive?" Lucy asked, her heart starting to race. "Does that mean she's a—"

"Lucy," Stefan shook her head at her. "He's under compulsion."

"Do you understand?" the man said forcefully.

"Yes," Elena and Lucy said together.

"We do," Elena added by herself.

"Good," the man nodded, satisfied. He looked down the road, spotting a car in the distance. "I'm done now."

The man stepped backward just as a truck came speeding down the road, horn blasting. His body collided and the sound of his bones snapping could probably haunt Lucy's nightmares forever.

Elena screamed, jumping into Stefan's arms and Lucy gagged, turning away from the scene to place her hands on her knees.

"Come on," Stefan told Elena. "Let's get out of here. Come on, Lucy."

"No," Lucy shrugged herself out of Stefan's way as he reached for her. She needed to stay at the Grill. She had a responsibility and she wasn't going to break it. "I'm staying."

"Lucy, come on," Elena raised her voice, looking back at the accident with wide eyes.

"No!"

Lucy ran back into the Grill, passing an angry Alaric on the way. He paused for a moment, seeing how upset she was, but ultimately decided that he needed to take action against Damon Salvatore. It was time to avenge his wife.

"Hey."

Lucy looked up from the framed picture in her hands, seeing Elena walk into her room. She nodded and scooted over, allowing Elena to climb into the bed with her. She rested her head on her sister's shoulder, drawing comfort and giving it.

"This was Halloween a couple years ago," Elena said in realization.

The picture was taken when Lucy was thirteen; it was the last Halloween that her parents were allowing her to treat-or-treat. Her and Jeremy were wearing matching Thing One and Thing Two costumes, squeezed in between their parents who were dressed as Conrad and Sally. Elena and Joel were on either side of their mom and dad—Joel was reluctantly dressed as the Cat in the Hat and Elena was in a gray suit, acting as Dr. Seuss.

Lucy laughed. "Remember how hard Joel threw a fit?" she asked. "He wanted to go to that party, too."

"Mom and Dad wouldn't let him go because you whined about how much you wanted him to dress as the Cat in the Hat," Elena giggled, remembering the holiday fondly. "Jeremy wanted to be the Hulk."

"I'm good at convincing people to do what I want," Lucy stated matter-of-factly.

"That you do," Elena agreed playfully. She sighed, sobering up when she remembered what she came in her to do. "Uh, I found something when that man got hit by the truck."

Lucy sat up, intrigued. Elena was pretty serious and she didn't know why. "What?"

Elena showed her the burner phone she picked up off the street by the man's body. "Isobel was obviously compelling that man," she said. "I checked and there's only one number…"

"You think it's Isobel's number?" Lucy asked, looking at her sister for confirmation.

Elena nodded. "I do."

"Then call it," Lucy said firmly. "If Isobel's a vampire, we deserve to know."

Elena pressed on the number and put the call on speaker phone. The sisters listened to the phone ring for a couple times before someone answered the call.

"_Was there a problem?"_

The voice was clearly a woman; Lucy and Elena exchanged wide-eyed looks.

"_Did you find them_?" the voice continued. "_What's going on?"_

Lucy nudged Elena, nodding at the phone.

"I-Isobel?" Elena stammered.

It was silent for a moment before the dial tone rang.


	16. Damsel in Distress

**[1x17; Let the Right One In]**

"I love storms," Lucy declared with a yawn, stretching her arms and sighing in delight from the feel in her muscles. "I sleep so well."

Elena rolled her eyes and took a bite of the eggs Lucy prepared for breakfast. "Well, I hate them. My window flew open so Jeremy and I had to make sure all the windows in the house were closed."

"Complain, complain," Lucy mocked her sister, chomping down on a piece of toast. "How was your double date last night. Carebear said it didn't start out so great and didn't end so great."

For some reason, Caroline had insisted on Elena and Stefan going on a double date with her and Matt. Lucy knew it was a bad idea from the start—she knew how Matt was with Elena and sometimes Elena liked to reminisce on the good times before their parents died, which included Matt. That didn't mean they didn't love their significant others, but they were nostalgic. So, she wasn't surprised when Caroline called to complain about most of the date.

Not only had Matt and Elena reminisced about their relationship the whole time—like Lucy knew they would—but Matt's mom ended up at the Salvatore Boarding House hooking up with Damon…and they all saw.

Elena scoffed. "You can say that again," she shook her head. "At the Grill, there were vampires that recognized me as Katherine. They attacked Stefan and Damon when Caroline and I went home. Apparently, the vampires are out of the tomb."

Lucy paused, her blood starting to boil. "Excuse me? So, Grams died for no reason at all? They all got out? Every single one of them?"

"Yeah," Elena nodded sadly. "And Damon made a deal with Anna's mother, Pearl. Apparently she's the leader of them."

Lucy palmed her forehead, extremely frustrated. She had slightly forgiven Damon's involvement for turning Isobel into a vampire after Stefan informed her that Isobel sought him out. _Slightly_. That didn't mean he had to brag to Alaric about it.

And he was an idiot. Why on Earth would he make a deal with Pearl?

"I'm going over there, if you want to come," Elena offered.

"Okay," Lucy agreed. "But don't forget I have my driver's test in two hours."

"I didn't forget," Elena assured her. "How'd practice go with Jenna?"

The day before, while on lunch break during school, Jenna picked up Lucy so she could take her written driver's exam. She passed, answering every question correctly. She and Jenna spent the rest of the afternoon with Lucy behind the wheel of her Escape, practicing for the road exam.

"It was better than I expected," Lucy said honestly, glad that she had someone to talk to about it. Caroline didn't understand Lucy's fear but Elena could; she was in the same accident. "There was some mild panicking but Jenna talked me through it."

Elena beamed at her sister, so proud of how far she's come since the accident. "I'm really proud of you, Luce."

"Thank you," Lucy said bashfully, taking their empty plates and rinsing them off, putting them into the dishwasher full of dirty dishes. She threw a soap pod into it and started the machine. "Come on, let's go to Casa de Salvatore."

"As you wish."

"Okay, Wes."

It was still pouring rain when Lucy and Elena arrived at the Salvatore Boarding House. Stefan let them in, giving both of them a quick hug, and led them into the living room where Damon was boarding up a window that Lucy assumed was broken in the scuffle they had with the tomb vampires.

Damon nodded in greeting and finished up hammering the nails into the wall before turning around. "I say we go to Pearl's, bust down the door, and annihilate the idiot that attacked us last night."

"Yeah, and then what?" Stefan quipped. "Turn to the rest of the house of vampires and say '_Oops, sorry?_'"

"I agree with Damon," Lucy spoke up making everyone look at her.

"Wow," Damon was shocked. "Little Miss Twitch is agreeing with me?"

"Shut up, Dracula," Lucy snapped. "I'm sorry, but am I the only one pissed that Grams died and the vampires still got out of that tomb?"

"You're not," Stefan came up to stand beside her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "But there's not much we can do. They outnumber us, they're older than us, and they're stronger than us."

"I have the magic from the seal," Lucy reminded him. "I can help."

"No," Stefan shook his head. "Absolutely not."

"I can't believe you made a deal with Pearl, Damon," Elena spoke up, moving on.

"It was more like a helpful exchange of information," Damon defended himself. "It's not like I had a choice. She's kind of scary. Besides, she's gonna help me get Katherine back."

Elena laughed bitterly. "Of course she is," she turned to Stefan and Lucy. "Damon gets what he wants, as usual. No matter who he hurts in the process."

Damon narrowed his eyes at her. "You don't have to be snarky about it."

"I woke up this morning to learn that all the vampires have been released from the tomb," Elena sneered. "And then I had to tell my sister. I've earned snarky."

Damon sighed and plopped down onto one of the couches. "How long are you gonna blame me for turning your birth mother into a vampire?"

"I'm not blaming you, Damon," Elena snarked. "I've accepted the fact that you're a self-serving psychopath with no redeeming qualities."

"_Ouch_."

"Guys, come on," Lucy groaned. "Why do I have to be the mature one?"

"This isn't very productive," Stefan agreed with Lucy. "We're gonna figure out a way to deal with Pearl and the vampires," he declared, giving his brother and girlfriend firm looks. "Yeah?"

Damon hummed in agreement, standing up to walk out of the room. Before he left, he called out, "Good luck on your test, Twitch."

Lucy jerked her head back in surprise; that wasn't like Damon. "Thanks?"

She turned to Stefan, eyes raised curiously.

"I told him about it," he shrugged. "Maybe he's trying to make amends."

Elena scoffed. "Doubtful."

"Elena…"

"I'm sorry," Elena apologized. "He just makes me so cranky."

"I know," Stefan agreed, pulling her into a hug. "He makes everybody cranky."

"Damon and I are gonna handle everything, I promise."

Lucy twisted her fingers, feeling awkward.

"Well, what about me?" Elena pulled away from the hug to look at Stefan, face-to-face. "I can't just sit here and do nothing."

"You're not going to sit here and do nothing," Stefan replied quickly. "You're going to bring Lucy to her driver's test and you're going to stay safe."

"Staying safe means nothing if you're not safe," Elena argued.

Lucy wanted to leave so badly; she felt so awkward listening to Elena and Stefan have this conversation. It was probably supposed to happen in private but where was she supposed to go? She wasn't too familiar with the house.

"What do you mean, I'm perfectly safe," Stefan stated. "I have Damon, the self-serving psychopath, on my side."

Elena sighed heavily. "Well, that's comforting."

Stefan chuckled and kissed Elena's forehead. "I know," he pulled further way from Elena and looked at his watch. "You guys should probably head out early. The roads are slick and I need to hunt."

Lucy nodded, gulping nervously. Suddenly she wasn't so sure about taking the test.

"Maybe I should cancel," she said quickly, anxiously pacing. "I mean, this isn't really the best conditions for a road test, right? I'm not ready. I can't drive. What if I swerve off the road and drown again? I can't do this. I can't do this!"

Elena didn't know what to do to snap Lucy out of her ramble; she didn't know how to say that she'd be all right. Seeing that Lucy was spiraling, Stefan stepped up to the plate.

"Lucy," his voice was soothing as he grabbed her arms, stopping her from her pacing. Lucy looked at him, her breath hitching. "Breathe slowly and listen to me, okay?"

Lucy nodded, trying out the breathing exercises Jenna recently told her about.

"You're gonna do fine," Stefan said firmly. "You're gonna pass this test with flying colors. You're prepared—you've practiced for hours and I'm pretty sure you can parallel park better than I can. You are Lucy Eleanora Gilbert, you are a badass, and you _are_ gonna ace this, got it?"

Elena gaped at Stefan, wondering where he pulled that speech from. Who knew?

Lucy nodded, taking Stefan's words to heart. She believed him; how could she not? Stefan was there every single time she needed help. He believed in her, she needed to return the favor.

"I'm a badass."

"_Yes, you are."_

"I can ace this."

"Yes, you can," Stefan nodded, a grin forming on his lips. "I'd say good luck, but I don't think you need it, Goofy."

Lucy felt confidence flood her veins; this was a huge step she was taking but she needed to do it. It was the only way she was going to heal.

She turned to Elena. "Let's do this."

Lucy admired her driver's license, actually happy with the photo on display. Most of the time, teenagers complained about their picture—both Elena and Joel did—but even if Lucy didn't look the greatest, she didn't care. She got this plastic card after months of panic attacks and preparation and now it was time to celebrate.

Which was why there were large slices of cheesecake in front of her and Elena while they 'The Office' played on the TV in the background.

"I'm so happy for you, Lulu!" Elena sighed, taking a bite of cheesecake. "Did you tell Joel, Jenna, and Jeremy?"

"I texted in the group message," Lucy said happily. She checked her phone, smiling at the messages she received from her family. "Joel said '_Fuck, yeah!_', Jenna sent a gif of herself screaming, and Jeremy sent an emoji thumbs-up."

"Our family is made of idiots," Elena laughed.

Lucy agreed, "Including us."

"Of course."

Elena's phone went off, ringing for the sixth time in half an hour. She looked at the caller ID and sighed, setting it back on the coffee table.

"Damon still?"

"Yep," Elena huffed.

There was a knock on the door, making Lucy roll her eyes. She was positive that was going to be Damon.

Elena sighed heavily and got up, Lucy following her into the foyer to answer the door.

She was right—it was Damon.

Damon walked straight into the house without a greeting.

"You're ignoring me," he stated the obvious, looking into the living room and dining room.

"The six missed calls?" Elena said sarcastically. "Sorry, my phone is dead."

Damon ignored her sass. "Is Stefan here?"

"No," Lucy spoke up, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"He went out to the woods and didn't come back," Damon pulled out his phone and checked it again. "I can't get him on his phone. I figured he was here with you two."

Officially worried, Elena dialed Stefan's number, sighing when it went straight to voice-mail. "It's going straight to voice-mail," she informed Damon and Lucy. "Where could he be?"

Damon narrowed his eyes. "You're not going to like what I'm thinking."

Lucy shuffled in the backseat of Damon's Camaro, wrapping herself tighter in her peacoat so she wouldn't freeze. Up in the front seat, Elena anxiously looked out the foggy windows, trying to see Damon.

Damon guessed that the tomb vampires took Stefan and brought him to the house where they resided. Lucy and Elena didn't argue; the three of them went to the house and Damon went to talk to Pearl about Stefan's disappearance.

Within minutes, Damon was back in the car.

"What happened?" Elena asked worriedly. "Where is he?"

"They have him," Damon informed the sisters. "I can't get in."

"Why not?" Lucy leaned forward so her head was between them.

"Because the woman that owns the house is compelled to not let me in."

"I can get in," Lucy and Elena said in unison.

"Neither of you are going in there," Damon dismissed, shaking his head.

"We're going!" Elena insisted for the both of them. Safety in numbers, right?

"You're not going in there!" Damon's voice was firm. He already let his brother down and failed to protect him; he wasn't going to let his girlfriend and his best friend to die trying to save him.

"Why are they doing this?" Lucy asked, rubbing her aching temples. She was so worried about Stefan she felt like she couldn't breathe. "What do they want with him?"

"Revenge," Damon answered. "They want revenge."

"We gotta do something!" Elena exclaimed.

"I know."

"We can't let them hurt him," Elena continued, growing panicked. "We gotta get him out of there."

"I know, Elena, I know," Damon said soothingly, gently grabbing her face. "But I don't know how to get him out."

Lucy sighed, trying to think of a plan to get Stefan out of the house safely. They needed more muscle—Damon couldn't take on all the vampires by himself and Lucy was strong enough to help him by _herself_. They needed someone who had experience fighting, someone who knew _how_ to fight vampires.

"Alaric," she breathed, making Damon and Elena look back at her. "We need Alaric. Think about it. Stefan said he could hold his own and that he was the one who killed Logan. He can help."

"I killed him," Damon shook his head before wincing. "Sorry, about Pops, Lucy-Goosey."

"No, Stefan told me that he has a ring that brought him back to life," Lucy remembered what Stefan told her the day before. Alaric went to get revenge for Isobel and Damon killed him. He came back to life within the hour due to a ring Isobel gave him. "If it's a supernatural death, Alaric will come back to life."

"It's worth a shot," Elena said, giving Lucy a look of approval.

"Fine," Damon groaned, annoyed that he was being ganged up on. "Let's go get the weirdo, vampire-hunting history teacher."

"Okay," Damon whispered as he, Lucy, and Elena walked through the hallway in the high school. "Let Lucy do the talking. I'm sure he'll have a soft spot for her."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Come on."

"Shh!" he hissed at her. He paused for a second, hearing footsteps, and gestured for the girls to wait. He stepped out into the hallway, right in front of Alaric. "Well, don't you look alive?"

Alaric stopped walking. "You can't hurt me."

Damon smirked. "Oh, I can hurt you, all right."

"Dammit, Damon," Lucy hissed, walking to his side. Alaric's eyes widened, shocked to see his daughter by the side of the man who killed his wife. "Mr. Saltzman...we need your help."

It was daunting to talk to Alaric for the first time since she found out about him being her biological father but in order to help Stefan, she wasn't going to back down. They need his help and she wasn't afraid to ask for it.

Alaric sighed and ushered them into his classroom where the prying ears of the Civics teacher couldn't overhear them. Lucy, Elena, and Damon quickly explained the situation they were in, starting with the tomb, the tomb vampires, and Stefan's capture. They even told him about Lucy's powers, which shocked him for a couple of minutes.

"Stefan's in the house and Damon's a vampire," Elena finished. "He can't get in. We need you. I would go, but—"

"Your life is valuable," Damon interjected causing Lucy to roll her eyes. Damon nodded at Alaric. "Yours, on the other hand…"

"Stefan told me about your ring," Lucy spoke up, looking at Alaric.

"What about it?" Alaric spoke coolly, intertwining his fingers.

"Let me recap," Damon snarked. "You tried to kill me. I defended myself. You died. Then, according to my brother, your ring brought you back to life…Am I leaving anything out?"

"You're such a dick, Damon," Lucy spat at the oldest Salvatore, shaking her head.

"Yeah, you left out the part where I try to kill you again. Only this time, I don't miss," Alaric stood from his desk, glowering at Damon.

Elena sighed; it was Lucy who was supposed to be asking for help. Not her. "Mr. Saltzman, please," she stepped in front of him, blocking his view of Damon. "It's Stefan."

"I'm sorry, Elena," Alaric shook his head. "But it's not my problem."

"But it's my problem," Lucy said; Alaric turned to face her. "I know you're my biological father and I know it's crazy to ask you of this, but I need help," she inhaled deeply. "_We_ need your help."

"And for extra incentive," Damon added. "The woman in charge of the crowd can help you find your wife."

Alaric gave Lucy one last look before turning to Damon. "You're lying."

"Am I?" Damon walked over to Elena and Lucy. "Why don't you ask her for yourself?" when Alaric took too long to respond, he scoffed. "Coward. Come on, girls."

They didn't take one step out the door before Alaric called, "All right, wait! I'll go."

Lucy sighed in relief but didn't kid herself into thinking Alaric agreed to help because of her. The three of them walked back into the classroom, watching as Alaric pulled something out of the filing cabinet closest to him.

"What's that?" Lucy wondered as he unrolled the bundle he was holding.

"Weapons," Alaric answered simply, showing them the many knives, wooden stakes, and darts encased in the bundle.

"Teacher by day, vampire hunter by night," Damon drawled, secretly impressed. He'd be more impressed if said vampire hunter would stop trying to kill him.

Alaric glared at him. "I have you to thank for that."

"What are these?" Elena asked, pointing to a dart.

"Those are tranquilizer darts filled with vervain," Alaric answered shortly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Just get me in and I'll get Stefan out."

"That's your plan?" Lucy scoffed. "You're just gonna take them all on yourself?"

"Well, I'll be a little stealthier than that, hopefully," Damon shrugged.

"Well, I have a better plan," Lucy said matter-of-factly. "One that is safer for all of us and gives us a better chance of getting Stefan back."

"Oh, yeah?" Damon raised his eyebrows. "Lay it on us, Twitch."

Lucy quickly explained her plan; Alaric and Lucy would knock on the door of the house where the tomb vampires lived, acting like they needed to use the telephone to call a tow truck. They'd convince the owner of the house to invite Damon inside and then Alaric and Damon would take down the vampires while Lucy went to get Stefan. Elena would—

"No chance that Elena's going," Damon interrupted. "Nope. No way."

"You need me," Elena declared, appreciating that her sister included her.

"While you two distract everyone, Elena will meet me downstairs," Lucy defended her sister. "Two people are better than one. We'll get Stefan out."

"You'll get yourself killed," Damon argued with Elena. "You're not going in there."

"I'm going."

Damon shook his head and turned back to Alaric. "So, when you get me in, get out as quickly as you can. I don't need your help. I know how to sneak around where they can't hear me. You'll just be in the way."

"Now's not the time to be a lone ranger, Damon!" Elena objected.

"Fine," he sighed. "Elena, you can drive the getaway car. You're not going in the house."

"You can't stop me," Elena said defiantly. "It's Stefan we're talking about here. You don't understand."

Damon scoffed. "Oh, I understand. I understand. He's the reason you live. His love lifts you up where you belong. I get it."

"Can you just not joke around for two seconds?"

Lucy rolled her eyes; their arguing wasn't going to get any of them anywhere.

"I can't protect you, Elena," Damon stated seriously. "I don't know how many vampires there are in there. That's—" he snapped his fingers. "—how long it takes you get your head ripped off. I have to be able to get in and get out. I can't be distracted with your safety or this will end up a bloodbath that none of us walk away from, including Stefan."

Elena looked down, her eyes blurring with tears. She just wanted to help Stefan. She wanted to be as useful as Lucy.

"I know," Damon continued, voice softer. "I get it. I understand."

Alaric sighed. "If we're gonna go, let's go."

"You're a badass, you're a badass, you're a badass," Lucy chanted to herself, repeating the words Stefan told her earlier in the day. She could do this. She could help get Stefan out of danger.

"Uh, are you gonna be okay?" Alaric asked from beside her as they walked up the driveway of the vampires' house. "Are you up for this?"

Lucy looked at him, seeing that he was looking worried.

"Oh, yeah, don't worry," Lucy assured him, feeling awkward. "We're getting Stefan. I've never been surer of anything."

"All right," Alaric nodded. "So, you and Stefan are close?"

"He's my best pal," Lucy confirmed. At the questioning look Alaric gave her, she clarified, "Caroline's my best friend. Stefan's my best pal."

"…right," maybe his daughter got her weirdness from Isobel.

Lucy inhaled deeply as they climbed up the porch steps. She put on her game-face as Alaric knocked on the door.

"Ah, good, someone's home!" Alaric faked his relief as the door opened, a tall man with dark hair answering their call. "Uh, could we use your phone? Our car broke down a few miles up the road."

"This is the first house we saw," Lucy added in a sweet voice, shivering violently.

"Well, lucky you," the vampire said flatly.

"Yeah," Alaric scoffed good-naturedly. "Lucky us. It's no trouble, is it?"

"Not in the slightest," the man stepped aside, allowing them to come in.

"Great," Alaric stepped inside, Lucy following close behind him. "Hey, man, I really appreciate it. It's rough out there."

The man nodded and looked to the right where another vampire stood. "Billy, show our visitors where the phone is in the kitchen. And get me something to drink."

"Yeah, sure thing," Billy complied.

Lucy looked around the house as she and Alaric followed Billy to the kitchen, noticing a large group of vampires playing pool in one of the rooms. She smiled politely at the people they passed until they entered the kitchen.

"Hey, Miss Gibbons," Billy greeted an older woman who was chopping vegetables at one of the counters. "These people want to use your phone."

"Oh, sure, honey," Miss Gibbons turned to them and Lucy noticed all the bite marks and bruises littering her body. Miss Gibbons pointed at another counter. "It's right there."

"Thanks," Alaric said, giving Lucy a pointed look. He wanted her to watch his back; she nodded.

Billy went to follow Alaric, grabbing the knife from Miss Gibbons, but Lucy acted quickly. She grabbed Billy's arm, siphoning from him and hitting him with an aneurysm. Billy grunted in pain and Alaric turned, stabbing him with a wooden stake he had hidden in his sleeve.

Lucy hurriedly turned on the sink faucet and the food processor to drown out the noise that was sure to happen.

"What's happening?" Miss Gibbons asked, staring at Billy's body with wide eyes.

"I'm really sorry, but you're gonna need to invite a friend of mine inside," Alaric led Miss Gibbons over to the kitchen door, opening it to reveal Damon.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Miss Gibbons recognized Damon from earlier in the day. "He's not allowed in the house."

"I know that," Alaric said impatiently. "But you gotta make an exception."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Get her out of the house," he hissed at Lucy. "Now!"

Lucy nudged Miss Gibbons, pushing her out into the rain. Damon took a hold of her, compelling her.

"_Miss Gibbons tell me the truth," _he said. "Are you married?"

"No," Miss Gibbons answered.

"Parents, children, anyone else who lives on this property?"

"No, it's just me."

"Good," Damon snapped Miss Gibbons neck causing Lucy to gasp softly.

Damon marched into the house only to be stopped by Alaric.

"You were supposed to compel her," he hissed.

"It doesn't work that way."

"She's human."

"And I'm not," Damon snapped. "So, I don't care. Now, get rid of the body and help me! Lucy," Lucy came to attention. "Get to Stefan."

Lucy nodded, determined. "On it."

Damon quietly shut the door and stalked out of the kitchen, light on his feet. Lucy and Alaric went after him, Lucy splitting off on her own to figure out how to get to the basement where Damon was sure they were hiding Stefan.

"Billy, what's the holdup?" Lucy heard the vampire that let her in shout. A couple of seconds later, he shouted again, "Billy, Jacob, get back in here!"

Lucy held her breath and siphoned from her locket as she walked down the hallway, quietly opening each door she came to. She had already checked two doors, annoyed to see that the house had many rooms on the main floor, when she ran into someone.

She narrowed her eyes at the female, giving her an aneurysm and making her cry out.

"Where's the basement?" she asked.

When the female said nothing, she increased her pain.

"Around the corner," the girl cried. "It's a metal door."

Lucy smirked and held out her hand, twisting her wrist. The woman's neck snapped and she fell to the floor.

She couldn't find it in herself to feel bad; they took Stefan, they deserved what they got.

She turned the corner and found the metal door, listening for any sign that Damon and Alaric were caught; hopefully Elena would be meeting her soon.

She unlocked the bolted door and ran down the stairs. She ran straight into a large room where Stefan was hanging from the ceiling, shirtless and bloody, and another man was tied to a chair.

"Stefan!" she breathed, rushing up to him. "Oh, God. Damon and Elena are coming. We're gonna get you out of here."

"Lucy," Stefan groaned, not happy that she was risking her safety for him. "You shouldn't be here…"

"Shh…"

Another door to the basement opened and Elena and Damon rushed through.

"Help me get him down," Lucy told Damon.

"Elena…what…?"

"She was supposed to stay in the car," Damon told his brother.

He walked over to the man tied in the chair and flipped the wooden stake he brought in, ready to kill him.

"No, not him!" Stefan objected weakly.

Damon scoffed and turned to Stefan. "Whatever. Let's get you down."

"There's vervain on the ropes," Stefan told them.

"Elena, pull that," Damon pointed to the knot holding Stefan in the air. "Lucy," he pointed to the vampire tied up. "Get him out of there."

Lucy nodded and went to the vampire. "What's your name?" she asked, trying to distract him as she untied the vervain-soaked ropes.

"Harper," the man said weakly.

"Okay, Harper," Lucy smiled at him. "I'm gonna get you out of here."

There was a grunt behind her as Stefan dropped into Damon's arms.

"All right, let's go," Damon said hurriedly. "Clothes on. Let's go, Lucy!"

Lucy quickened her pace, going to the last knot around Harper's right leg.

"Come on, guys, we have to get out of here!"

Lucy pulled the last of the rope away from Harper and pulled him to his feet before going to support Stefan's other side. "Okay, ready."

"Can you guys get him to the car?" Damon asked her and Elena.

They both nodded. "Yeah."

"All right, go."

"What about you and Alaric?" Lucy asked, worried. "Do you need my help?"

Damon thought for a second. "You'd be helpful."

"All right," Lucy let go of Stefan, making sure Elena had a strong grip on him.

"No, Lucy," Stefan objected.

"Get him out of here," Damon ordered Elena as he and Lucy ran up the stairs.

As they got up to the main floor, the music playing in the living room quieted. Lucy siphoned from her locket just to make sure she wouldn't need to again. She might not have the time while fighting off the group of vampires.

Lucy and Damon quietly met up with Alaric, gesturing wildly to make sure all backs were going to be covered. With all of them in agreement, Alaric aimed his stake-gun and fired into the back of a woman.

The vampire fell to the ground and then, "Spread out. Now!"

Lucy, Damon, and Alaric ducked behind a corner, listening to the leader give instructions.

"You two, back of the house. Check out both rooms," he ordered. "Cellar, now."

Many vampires passed by them but Damon sped out of their hiding place, jumping at the leader—also known as the vampire who let Lucy and Alaric into the house.

While Damon and the leader rolled around the floor, trying to stake each other, two of the vampires came back to help out. Lucy and Alaric jumped out; Alaric aimed his stake-gun at one of them while Lucy grabbed a glass of water on the table nearby and threw it at the other. Taking a page out of Bonnie's book, Lucy made flames erupt from the water on the vampire, making him scream loudly.

When Alaric's vampire dropped dead, Alaric aimed a wooden stake at the vampire on fire. The stake went straight into his heart, killing him.

Another vampire sped into the room in a blur, knocking Damon off the leader. The leader sped out of the house and Alaric went to go help Damon fight off the other guy.

"Go after him!" Alaric shouted to Lucy.

Lucy ran out of the house and into the woods to where Damon's car was parked, assuming that the leader was following Stefan. She heard glass breaking in the distance and sped up, breathing heavily from exertion.

She arrived at Damon's car, noticing that Elena was knocked to the ground and the leader had Stefan in his grasp.

The leader held up a wooden stake and aimed it at Stefan's heart. "And this is for the tomb!"

"I don't think so, dick!" Lucy spat.

She aimed the most powerful aneurysm that she could manage at the leader, making him scream and drop Stefan. Elena ran forward and pulled out the vervain dart she nabbed from Alaric, stabbing the vampire in the back with it.

The leader slumped to the ground under the influence of the vervain.

Lucy and Elena ran over to Stefan, Elena kneeling over him.

"Stefan, no!" Elena shook him, trying to respond. "Stefan, Stefan, come on!"

"Stefan, please!" Lucy begged, hoping that he'd respond. She heard the leader growling in anger as he started to move, the vervain wearing off. "Come on, Stefan!"

Elena looked at her hand where she cut it when she and Stefan fell. The blood was dripping down her wrist, giving her an idea. She pressed her palm against Stefan's mouth, letting her blood touch his lips.

Lucy grimaced, hoping that this wasn't going to bite them in the ass later.

Stefan's eyes popped open when he tasted human blood. Horror spread through his veins when he saw that it was Elena who was giving him her blood.

"Elena, please run," Stefan groaned, knowing that if he had anymore, he'd be unable to stop.

It's what a ripper does.

"My wrist," Elena urged him, holding her wrist out for him to take. "Here, take my wrist. You need more blood."

"Go, Elena. Run!"

Lucy looked back at the leader, noticing that he was moving more. "Elena…"

"Stefan, I trust you," Elena promised Stefan.

Stefan gave in and bit into Elena's wrist, taking in her delicious blood. As Stefan gulped down each mouthful he took in, the leader got to his feet.

Lucy squared herself, using the last of her magic siphoned and held out her hand, bursting the capillaries in his brain. The man fought through the pain and slowly walked toward her, one step at a time.

"Stefan…" Lucy chanced a glance at Stefan, seeing him desperately holding Elena's wrist to his mouth.

The vampire lunged at Lucy, slamming his elbow against her face and roughly knocking her to the ground. Lucy shrieked, pain flashing through her body, and caught the attention of Stefan through his bloodlust.

Stefan let go of Elena's wrist allowing her to fall aside and stood up, ripping the branch from the vampire's hand. He growled furiously as he slammed the leader against a tree and plunged the branch into the man's abdomen.

The vampire choked as Stefan pulled out the branch and forcefully stabbed him in the heart, snarling the whole while. As the vampire desiccated, Stefan continued to stab him over and over, his anger and bloodlust overwhelming him.

Deciding that was enough, Elena stepped forward to stop her boyfriend.

"Stefan!" Elena grabbed his shoulder.

Stefan reared around, his vampire features on full display, and growled in Elena's face. He almost stabbed _her_ with the branch but stopped himself in time. He breathed in deeply, the veins under his eyes disappearing as Elena looked at the vampire's body in horror.

Lucy slumped in relief; it was all over. Stefan was safe.


	17. Uncle John Returns

**[1x18; Under Control]**

"No, I'm missing my keys!" Lucy moaned, moving things around on the table in the foyer as she tried to find her keychain. "Jenna, help!"

Lucy was too busy freaking out about her keys that she didn't even notice that Jenna had them in her hand and was holding them out to her.

"Would you stop stressing out?" Elena sighed, taking the keys from Jenna, grabbing Lucy's hand, and firmly setting the keys in them. Lucy gave her a thankful look. "Jeremy," she called, turning toward the stairs. "We have school! Come on!"

"I have too much to do," Lucy complained, picking up the heavy binder full of planning materials. The Founder's Day Kick-off Party was the next night and the Miss Mystic Falls pageant was the week after that so the Planning Committee was spread pretty thin. Mrs. Lockwood was in drill sergeant mode and Lucy was pretty sure she'd been having nightmares about her. "Okay, I'm ready. Jere, we're walking out the door now!"

As Lucy and Elena turned to the door, Jenna picked up the thermos Elena set down and handed it to her. "Don't forget this!" she said hurriedly.

Elena sighed gratefully. "Thank you!"

Lucy opened the door and stopped in her tracks when she saw who was on the other side of the threshold. Her uncle, John Gilbert, was standing in front of them, his hand in the air to knock.

John slowly lowered his fist and smiled at his nieces.

"Elena, Lucy!" he exclaimed.

"Uncle John!" Elena said, far less enthusiastic.

"Hi," Lucy greeted him simply.

She didn't necessarily hate John but she didn't like him, either. He was the asshole of the family who only showed up maybe twice a year. The last time Lucy heard from him was in a birthday card she received; the last time she saw him was at her parents' funeral. He hadn't stepped a foot into town since then—and he only lived twenty minutes away from Whitmore.

John nodded, grin still in place, and looked behind them, where Jenna was scowling. "Jenna."

"John," Jenna said in contempt. "You made it."

"I said I'd be in by noon," John stepped past Lucy and Elena into the house, shrugging off his jacket.

Jenna pursed her lips, annoyed. "Well, what you say and what you do are typically two very different things."

"Uncle John," Jeremy called out as he came down the stairs, backpack slipped over his left shoulder. "What's up?"

"Hey," John watched Jeremy carefully as he patted his shoulder and walked out the door.

Lucy gave her little brother a sympathetic look; it'd been two weeks since Vicki's body was found and her death was ruled an overdose. She felt so guilty for lying to Matt and Jeremy about the whole situation.

"I had some business in town," John turned back to Lucy, Jenna, and Elena. "I thought that a visit was in order."

"How long are you staying?" Lucy asked awkwardly, exchanging a quick look with Elena.

John wasn't the best guest to have over.

John shrugged. "I don't know yet."

"Okay, well, we're gonna go to school," Elena excused herself and Lucy. "See you later."

Lucy gave Jenna an apologetic look (she knew Jenna was the biggest hater of John) and followed Elena out of the house. Today, she'd be driving them to school—hopefully it would go okay.

After fifteen minutes and many complaints about her slow driving, Lucy, Elena, and Jeremy arrived at school. Lucy carefully parked at the back of the student lot where there weren't any cars to run into and shut off the car, quickly getting out.

"Walk to school next time, then!" she huffed at Jeremy, who rolled his eyes.

"At least I'd get there faster!" he retorted, walking away.

Lucy pouted in the direction of his fading figure and looked at Elena for support. Elena laughed softly and nudged her.

"It wasn't that bad," she said truthfully. "You're just starting out, you'll get better."

"Thank you," Lucy smiled gratefully.

"You might want to work on your parking, though," Elena clicked her tongue, looking at Lucy's crooked car. "I think Stefan was lying to you about your parallel parking skills."

Lucy nodded, agreeing, "No doubt."

The two sisters walked into school together but separated so that Elena could check on Matt and see how he was doing. After Lucy requested that Elena gave him her sympathies, she walked off to her locker, not surprised that Stefan wasn't there.

After Elena fed him her blood two weeks earlier, Stefan had been trying to get through his cravings. He hadn't been around lately and since Lucy was so busing planning Founder's Month, they hadn't really seen each other. There were numerous text messages being exchanged, but it wasn't the same as being face-to-face and seeing his adorable dimpled-smile.

Also, it was horrible trying to unlock her locker without his help.

Lucy correctly spun in her combination after the third try and was pulling her history textbook out when Alaric came up to her.

"Hi, Mr. Saltzman," she greeted him with a small smile. "How are you?"

"Actually, I needed to talk to you," Alaric said quietly. Awkwardly wincing, he added, "And, if you want, you can call me Alaric…I mean, when we're not in class. You don't have to, there's no pressure."

To Lucy, it was no big deal. If he wanted her to call him by his name, she would.

"Sure, Alaric," she said, nodding. She shut her locker and followed him to his classroom. "What'd you need to talk about?"

Alaric grabbed a packet of papers from his desk and handed it to her. She looked the cover page over, noticing that it was the paper Jeremy wrote for extra credit.

"I made a copy of a paper Jeremy wrote for me," he informed her. "I think you should take a look at it."

"'Fact or Fiction: The Truth About Vampires in Mystic Falls'," she read with a sigh. "He didn't tell me about his topic."

Alaric sighed. "He was very clear that he didn't think it was real."

"I hope you're right. Otherwise, Elena would throw a fit," Lucy quickly combed through the paper, not reading it, but marveling at how many pages it was. "She doesn't want him knowing about all this."

"Do you?"

"I'm torn," Lucy admitted, handing the paper back to him. "I don't know if he'd be safer if he knew, but I don't think he's safe not knowing either."

"So, what do you think you should do?"

"I don't know," she sighed. "I don't want to lie to Jeremy. There used to be no secrets between us and now I feel like that's all there is," she frowned. "I don't want to lie to him, he needs to know about what's out there so he can be prepared…but he's young…"

"I can't tell you what to do," Alaric stated, smiling sadly at her. "Maybe give it time so you can weigh the pros and cons."

Lucy inhaled deeply; Alaric was right. She had time to decide about what to tell Jeremy. She didn't need to do something right that second.

"I can't believe I'm finger painting right now," Stefan scoffed, facing Lucy. They were sitting on the plastic-covered floor of Lucy's bedroom, jars of finger paint surrounding them. "I'm pretty sure only kids do this, Lucy."

Lucy shook her head, keeping her eyes on the canvas in front of her. "I read that finger painting can help you express your feelings and soothe stress."

"I'm not stressed," Stefan responded, pouting, as he dipped his index finger into the watery black paint. He smeared it on his canvas in no particular pattern and looked over at Lucy's art.

Unsurprisingly, he thought that it was beautiful just like all the other paintings she had done.

Lucy looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"How come your painting is almost drowning in red?" she pointed out, nodding at his canvas. It was true, the color red dominated his art with only a line of black splitting the canvas in two.

Stefan blankly looked at his canvas, not showing his surprise.

"Thinking about blood?" Lucy asked, softening her voice.

Lucy didn't want to antagonize him, she just wanted to help him. She knew that there must have been a reason for his diet of animal blood and from his reaction with killing the vampire who kidnapped him after drinking Elena's blood, she guessed it was about control.

"You're not a therapist," Stefan grumbled, picking up the roll of paper towels that Lucy appointed him at the beginning of their art session and wiping the paint off his hands.

He didn't want to do this anymore.

Lucy wasn't offended by his annoyance. "I know I'm not," she wiped her hands too. "But I know you and I know that you're struggling."

"I'm a little on edge," Stefan admitted. "but I'll be okay. Nothing to worry about."

"All right," Lucy nodded, accepting his answer reluctantly. "I'm here for you, though. Okay?"

Stefan smiled, his annoyance turning into fondness. "Thanks, Luce," he stood up, careful not to get paint on his jeans. "I'm surprised you had time for this."

"I finished everything that had to be done tonight," Lucy explained, following him into the bathroom so they could wash their hands. "Besides, I missed you."

Lucy started to feel embarrassed by her confession, cheeks warming up. She couldn't believe she said that. However, as Stefan turned on the faucet, he beamed at her.

"I missed you, too," he told her, washing off the paint before adding soap to scrub under his fingernails. Lucy felt her stomach twist pleasantly at his words. "Damon's been annoying lately."

Lucy scoffed. "When isn't Damon annoying?"

"True."

"Oh, guess what," when Stefan was finished, Lucy took his place at the sink. "Apparently, Jeremy wrote his extra credit paper on vampires."

Stefan raised his eyebrows. "Really?"

She nodded. "Do you think he's starting to remember Halloween?"

"Damon took away those memories for good," Stefan assured her. "You don't have to worry about that…why don't you just ask him if he knows?"

"I would," Lucy dried her hands. "But Elena would flip if I told him. And if I ask him about vampires, I just know my big mouth will end up spilling everything."

Stefan hummed thoughtfully, wondering if he should talk to Elena about this. He thought she would want to know if Jeremy was on the brink of figuring out that vampires existed.

"I hate lying to him," Lucy sighed, walking back into her room. "We used to never have secrets and now I haven't even told him I'm adopted or that Alaric is my biological father."

Stefan gave her a sympathetic smile and grabbed her shoulder, squeezing it lightly. "Maybe you _should_ tell him," he suggested. "I'm sorry that you have to lie to him."

Lucy shook her head. "It's not your fault," she smiled sadly. "I'm a siphoner. Eventually, I would have ended up falling into all of this somehow."

"I need your help."

Jeremy looked away from his computer to face Lucy who had barged into his room without knocking. Her hair was halfway pinned, the bottom half of her hair did into curvy waves, and she had one of her dressing gowns on but there was no trace of makeup on her face.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to heading out soon?" he asked.

"Yes!" Lucy exclaimed, mentally running over the list of things she had yet to do; getting dressed and putting on makeup was priority number one. "That's why I need your help. Come on."

Jeremy sighed and followed his sister out of his room and into hers. It looked like a tornado passed through, the room was so uncharacteristically messy. He sighed; how was he supposed to help her with fashion?

"I've gone through my formal and semi-formal dresses and narrowed it down, but I don't know which one to pick," Lucy explained, frustration leaking into her tone. She held up two dresses and showed them to Jeremy. "Which one?"

Honestly, Jeremy couldn't care less. "The pink one."

Lucy nodded and carefully hung up the other choice, deciding to wear that for the Miss Mystic Falls pageant. "Thanks, Jerebear."

"You're welcome."

Jeremy was just about to leave the room when Lucy blurted out, "I'm adopted."

She winced; she couldn't believe that she just sprung that on him. She'd been thinking about what Stefan said the night before and had decided that she was going to tell him soon. Not this soon…and not like that.

"I know," Jeremy turned back around. "Elena told me. She told me about Mr. Saltzman, too."

"What, she did?" Lucy pouted, a little annoyed; that wasn't for Elena to share. She wanted to tell Jeremy on her own. "I was going to tell you, Jeremy. I swear. I've just—I've been busy and I was afraid of what you were going to say."

Jeremy sighed and shoved a dress aside on Lucy's bed, sitting in the cleared spot. "I don't feel any differently about you. You're still my sister."

Lucy felt her eyes sting; she blinked rapidly to ward off her tears. "You're still my brother," she promised. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Jeremy said quickly, not used to proclaiming his feelings so outwardly to his siblings. Two special talks in one day was a little much; thank God Joel was stuck at Whitmore. He stood up and started edging back toward the door. "You should get ready."

"I can take a hint," Lucy laughed. "Go on, I'll see you at the party."

As Jeremy shut her door, Lucy couldn't help but think that the whole conversation went more smoothly than she thought it would. When she imagined it in her head, there was crying and hugging…but she was dramatic and at least there were promises of love.

Lucy quickly got dressed in the dusty-rose, off-the-shoulder dress that Jeremy picked out, slathered some flattering make-up on, and headed out, traveling to the Founder's Day Kick-off party. She arrived on time, twenty minutes before they were letting in guests, and found Mrs. Lockwood like she was told to.

"Lucy, honey, there you are," Mrs. Lockwood greeted her fondly with a kiss on the cheek. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you, Mrs. Lockwood," Lucy said gratefully. "You look amazing. That dress is fantastic."

She wasn't lying; the dress was a good choice for a woman Mrs. Lockwood's age.

Mrs. Lockwood laughed modestly. "You're too sweet," she sobered up, looking at the dainty watch on her wrist. "The doors open soon, so I want you at your station in five minutes."

"Yes, ma'am."

"You'll be in the room with the bar and deejay," Mrs. Lockwood informed her. "You'll be switching off with Lisa Fell after an hour so you can enjoy the rest of the party."

Lucy smiled and nodded. "Sounds good. I'll just go now, then."

"Fantastic," Mrs. Lockwood grinned and handed her a list of approved music. "Give his to the deejay?"

Lucy left Mrs. Lockwood and entered the room where the bar, deejay, and dance floor was set up. It was a large room filled with nice fairy lights that Lucy and the others spent the morning putting up around the hall. The deejay was already at his station, so Lucy walked over and handed him the list.

"Mrs. Lockwood wants only the music listed here to be played," she told him politely. "No requests, no buyouts."

"Got it," the deejay nodded and set the paper down on his table, looking over the list one by one.

Satisfied that the music was taken care of, Lucy walked over to the bar and ordered a shirley temple with extra cherries, waiting for the party to start.

At seven on the dot, the doors were opened and the guests were let in, each one of them greeted by Mayor Lockwood. Mrs. Lockwood flittered about, telling people about the buffet menu and drink selection. Light, wistful music heavily featuring the piano started playing but no one danced.

Lucy wasn't surprised, it wasn't exactly dancing music.

Half an hour after the party started, Lucy still had yet to see any of friends, except for Tyler who snuck a bottle of whiskey from the bar with a sly wink. When Kelly Donovan went over to the deejay, she walked over to, just to make sure the music stayed the same.

"Oh, hey, Lucy," Kelly greeted her, the smell of alcohol wafting from her breath. "I was just asking him to change the stuffy music."

"Sorry, Mrs. Donovan," Lucy said apologetically. "Mrs. Lockwood is pretty strict about the music list."

Kelly scoffed. "Figures."

As Kelly walked away, Lucy rolled her eyes and made her way back to the bar. Surprisingly, Stefan was there, holding a full glass of whiskey and chatting with Elena.

"I need to see some ID," she teased, poking him on the shoulder before turning to Elena. "Hi, Lena. You look great."

Elena was stunning in a modest black dress and Stefan looked very handsome in the black suit he was wearing, which infuriated her. How could he pull off anything? He wasn't even wearing a tie!

"Oh, hey," Stefan grinned lazily, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pressing his lips against her cheek for a sloppy kiss. "You look beautiful."

Lucy flushed, shocked with his actions. She quickly made eye contact with Elena, who's eyes narrowed, and looked away, clearing her throat.

"Uh, thank you," she saw the way his eyes were slightly glazed. "Stefan, are you drunk?"

"Yeah," he nodded, chuckling. "I know it's weird but it's really helping me. The alcohol takes the edge off."

Elena laughed, shrugging off Stefan's affectionate actions with her sister off. "You're totally that drunken high school guy at parties that sneaks booze."

Stefan grinned. "I totally am, yeah."

"As long as you're not skinny dipping in the fountain out front," Lucy quipped, remembering how Lexi told her about his drunken escapades in the Trevi Fountain.

"Oh, ha-ha," Stefan laughed sarcastically, rolling his eyes at her.

"How worried do I need to be?" Elena interjected, subtly looking between Stefan and Lucy. She knew they were close but she was starting to feel left out when she was around them. That wasn't good.

"Oh, no, you don't need to be worried," Stefan said confidently. "It's just until, um, the cravings go away. Listen, I think we should enjoy it while it lasts," he held out his hand to Elena. "Would you like to dance with me?"

Elena raised her eyebrows. "You hate dancing. I usually have to beg you."

"No, no, you have to beg sober me," Stefan corrected her, making Lucy stifle a laugh. "The drunk me, there's no begging necessary."

Elena looked at the dance floor before pointing out, "There's no one dancing."

"That's because they need something better to dance to," Stefan said matter-of-factly.

"No can do, Broody," Lucy spoke up. "Mrs. Lockwood has complete control over the music choices and I'm not getting into trouble because you—"

Stefan just winked at her and walked over to the deejay, compelling him to change the song. A faster song with a nice dance-beat started playing, making people nod their heads and head onto the dance floor.

"—I can't believe he just did that," Lucy grumbled, unknowingly tapping her foot to the beat. As Stefan walked back over to him, a satisfied smirk on his lips, she frowned. "Stefan, I'm going to get—"

Stefan grabbed her arm and twirled her around, making her spin onto the dance floor. Despite her worries about Mrs. Lockwood, she giggled and turned around, bopping in time to the music with Stefan. Together they danced, enjoying the company of one another.

"I'm gonna get in trouble!" she exclaimed, twisting her hips side-to-side.

"Shh!" Stefan grabbed her hand and spun her around, grabbing her hips to synchronize their movements. "Just enjoy the moment!"

Lucy nodded and briefly thought about how much she enjoyed the warmth of his hands on her before shaking the thoughts away and focusing on the music.

Across the room, Elena watched them dance with wide eyes. She didn't notice Damon come up to her until he spoke.

"Have I entered an alternate universe where Stefan is fun?" he asked, sipping on his drink.

Elena kept her eyes on her boyfriend, who was twirling Lucy around with a huge grin on his face, and asked, "Is he going to be okay?"

Damon cocked his head thoughtfully. "Eventually," he confirmed. "One way or another."

A Paramore song played loudly through the hall as Lucy sipped at her glass of cola and picked at her small plate of finger foods. After Stefan went off to dance with Elena, she handed off her duties to Lisa Fell and went swiftly to the buffet. She found herself a bare place to sit and had been there for the past couple of minutes, enjoying the peace of being by herself.

"Lucy!"

Lucy turned to Jeremy as he walked into the room, noticing how stressed and angry he looked. It was a stark contrast to how he was before she left the house and it worried her.

"What's up, Jere?" she asked. "Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not okay," Jeremy sat down on the couch next to her. "No one is trying to figure out what happened to Vicki. They all believe that she OD'd but I think that somebody killed her. Why else would she be buried?"

Lucy bit her lip, her stomach flipping from the weight of her guilt. She had to tell him; he deserved the truth about the situation of Vicki's death. If Elena was going to mad at her, so be it. She shouldn't have had Damon compel away his memories.

So, she told him everything. She kept her voice quiet so no one would overhear and told him how vampires existed and how Damon turned Vicki into a vampire and that was why so was so messed up that one day. She told him how Vicki attacked him, Lucy, and Elena on Halloween so Stefan had to kill her to protect them. And then, with tears in her eyes, she explained how Elena asked Damon to compel his memories of that night away from him.

It wasn't hard to see that Jeremy was very upset but he listened through the whole thing, eyes glistening when he learned how Vicki died. He bristled about being compelled to forget and got up to leave.

"I'm sorry, Jeremy," Lucy whispered, grabbing his hand before he walked away. "I'm so sorry."

Jeremy ripped his hand from her grasp. "I have to leave."

He walked out of the room without another word. Lucy's heart broke for her brother and the fact that he was so angry with her, but she didn't blame him. None of this was his fault and if he needed time to accept everything that happened, she'd give him it. She would want time if she was in his situation.

Sighing, Lucy got up and walked out of the room, her appetite lost. As she threw away her plate, Matt walked up to her with a smile. She forced herself to return the favor, pushing away her emotions about Vicki.

"Hey, Matty," she greeted him, wrapping him up into a one-armed hug. "How are you?"

Matt laughed and squeezed her. "Who knew I've been missing all the fun at the Founder's parties?"

"I enjoy them but they're not always this lively," Lucy admitted, walking with him through the house.

"Is it bad that I'm enjoying myself?" Matt asked guiltily, thinking about Vicki. It didn't feel right to be having fun while Vicki was laying in a grave.

"No," Lucy shook her head and gave him a comforting smile. "It's great that you're having fun. It helps with the healing."

Matt's lips ticked up sadly and Lucy couldn't resist pulling him into another hug. Matt deserved the world and it sucked that he had such a bad time of things.

"I need some air," Matt sighed, squeezing Lucy again and feeling grateful that he had such a great friend in her. He pulled away and smiled at her. "Will you come with me?"

"Of course," Lucy agreed.

"Cool," they both started walking through the house, intending to find the porch. "You haven't seen my mom, have you?"

"No, not in a while."

They walked out onto the porch and Lucy froze, seeing Kelly Donovan and Tyler making out right in front of them. It was so gross; Tyler was a minor, for crying out loud.

"Oh, my God."

Matt spotted his mother and best friend embracing and ran toward them, looking furious. He grabbed Tyler and forcefully pulled him away from Kelly. "What the fuck are you doing, man?"

"Matt!" Kelly scolded him.

Matt wasn't having any of it. "Mom!"

"Woah, dude, calm down," Tyler attempted to soothe Matt, hands raised defensively.

Lucy rushed forward as Matt swung his fist, socking Tyler in the eye. "Matt!"

Tyler swayed from the force of the hit but righted himself, harshly pushing Matt away from him. Matt flinched away, running into Kelly and making her fall into a table covered in champagne glasses. Neither of the boys noticed Kelly's predicament, they started throwing fists, punching each other where ever they could.

"Stop!" Lucy shouted at Matt and Tyler. "Matt, Tyler, stop!"

Tyler nabbed the upper hand and rolled onto Matt, straddling his torso to keep him down. He landed hit after hit to Matt's face, blood dripping everywhere.

"Tyler, you're hurting him!" Lucy yelled angrily. "Tyler, get off of him!"

She stepped forward to try to help Matt but was stopped when Alaric arrived and pulled her out of the way. He grabbed Tyler's arm and attempted to pull him away from Matt, Tyler fighting him the whole time.

"Tyler!" Alaric shouted, finally pulling him off of Matt and pushing him up against the wall. Tyler still fought to get back to Matt but Alaric held firm. "Tyler, stop! What the hell is wrong with you?"

Lucy rushed over to Matt and helped him to his feet as Mayor Lockwood came running onto the porch. He went straight to Tyler and took him from Alaric, ushering him back into the house.

He turned to the people watching and announced, "Everything is fine! Come on everybody, let's get back to the party! Let's go have a good time!"

Lucy shook her head and held onto Matt, bringing him back into the house. "Are you okay?" she asked as she pulled him into a bathroom and observed his injuries. There were several cuts on his face and his nose was gushing blood. "You look horrible."

"Did you see where she went?" Matt asked, spitting blood into the sink; Lucy's stomach jerked violently but she inhaled deeply, trying to get rid of her nausea.

Lucy shook her head and grabbed a towel, wetting it. "Put your head up," she tilted Matt's chin upward and started to dab at his cuts with the towel. "I don't know where your mom went."

"I have to find her."

"Let me clean you up, okay?" Lucy made her voice low and soothing, trying to calm him down. "Just breathe."

After she finished cleaning Matt's injuries, including the ones on his hands, she drove him home. He was drunk and beat up and he didn't need to be behind the wheel of a vehicle. Lucy didn't mind missing the official start of the Founder's Day celebration, it was just some stupid speech that Mayor Lockwood was going to give, anyway.


	18. Stefan's On Edge

**[1x19; Miss Mystic Falls]**

It was official; she needed to read the instructions for her combination lock and not give up until she could dial in her combination correctly. It was getting to be a real chore to try to unlock her locker and at this point, it was pathetic that it took three or more tries to figure it out.

Maybe she could just get an extra-large backpack and lug around her things…

"Need some help with that?"

Lucy bit her lip to hide her smile and turned to Stefan, faking her shock. "So, the dropout returns?"

"Ha, very funny," Stefan reached over and swiftly dialed in her combination, easily opening the locker. "I'm starting to think you just like to have me around to do things for you."

"No, I'm just an idiot," Lucy rolled her eyes and grabbed her things. "Why are you back? Did you miss the boring curriculum forced onto juniors?" she gasped dramatically. "Oh, I know, it's definitely the fish sticks served in the cafeteria."

Stefan shook his head and laughed, pushing her with his shoulder. "You're so annoying," the bell rang, catching their attention. "Are you walking with me to class, or not, you goofy girl?"

"Why, Mr. Salvatore," Lucy fluttered her eyelashes with a giggle. "I would love for you to escort me to class."

"I hate you."

"Sure you do."

Lucy and Stefan walked into Alaric's classroom just before he did and took their seats amongst their classmates.

"Okay," Alaric said, shutting the door behind him. "This week we're gonna set aside our regular curriculum for a lesson in local history as we approach Founder's Day. Apparently the community leaders feel that's more important than World War II, but hey, what do I know?"

The classroom door opened and Lucy perked up when Bonnie walked in. After a month of her absence after Grams' death, Lucy was very happy to see her.

"Sorry I'm late," Bonnie apologized to Alaric, closing the door.

"Looks like we will be at full occupancy today," Alaric commented. "Welcome home, Bonnie."

Bonnie sat in the empty seat in front of Lucy, giving her a small smile; Lucy beamed back. Elena and Stefan gave Bonnie welcoming smiles, as well, but received an awkward look as she turned away from them. Lucy noticed; it looked like Bonnie wasn't over the situation of Grams' death…Lucy didn't blame her.

Lucy walked out of the school office and smiled as the intercom blared and the voice of the principal echoed through the school. She had just dropped off the nominees for Miss Mystic Falls which included her sister and best friend.

Unfortunately, the girls who applied for the court had to be seventeen, so Lucy couldn't sign up. She had next year to apply, though, so she wasn't losing her chance. She wanted to be Miss Mystic Falls ever since her mother told her that she was crowned once. One day, Lucy hoped to hold the title too.

"There you are!" she was practically attacked by Caroline. "I'm a Miss Mystic Falls nominee!"

"I know, Care," Lucy laughed; she missed Caroline when she went to visit her dad a couple hours away. "I gave the nominee list to the principal."

"Oh, my God, I forgot!" Caroline gasped excitedly, both of them walking down the hall. "You're the student ambassador. Does that mean you'll vote for me?"

"I don't get a vote," she reminded her best friend. "And even if I did, I wouldn't vote at all. Not when you and Elena are competing against each other."

"But you'd vote for me, right?"

Lucy winked at her. "Of course."

They found Bonnie and Elena outside in the courtyard, talking together. Caroline beamed at the sight of their best friend and ran toward her, calling her name frantically.

"Bonnie! Bonnie!" Caroline wrapped Bonnie up into a hug as Lucy came to stand next to her sister. "Thank God you're home!" she pulled away and smiled at the witch. "I know we talked everyday but I missed you."

Lucy knew Caroline and Bonnie talked every day and it kind of hurt that Bonnie only messaged her a couple of times, but she understood Bonnie's reasons.

"How are you doing, Bon?" Lucy asked, giving Bonnie a smile.

"Better," Bonnie nodded with a small smile. "Just better. You know, glad to be back and trying to keep myself busy."

"Well, I can help with that," Caroline grinned widely. "Major wardrobe confab needed A.S.A.P.. You and Lucy need to help me pick the perfect dress for the Founder's Court."

"_Oh_!" Bonnie giggled, impressed.

"The Founder's Court?" Elena spoke up, looking at Lucy, Caroline, and Bonnie. "Did I miss something?"

"The Founder's Court. You know, Miss Mystic Falls?" Lucy reminded her, slightly annoyed that her sister didn't listen to the things she told her. "I've been talking about it for more than a month."

Elena gained a look of recognition.

"They just announced it today," Caroline added. "You and I are both on it."

"Oh, my God. We signed up for this so long ago," Elena sighed, shaking her head. "I completely forgot."

Caroline laughed breathlessly and casually asked, "So, are you dropping out, then?"

Elena slowly shook her head and exchanged a sad look with Lucy. "I can't."

"No?"

"Our mom wanted her to enter," Lucy told Caroline softly.

Caroline hummed and nodded in understanding, wrapping an arm around Lucy's shoulders and squeezing tightly.

"Honor your partner," Mrs. Lockwood instructed the girls nominated for Miss Mystic Falls and their escorts. Lined up and facing each other, each nominee curtsied while their partners bowed. "Let's focus. Music, please, Lucy."

The nominees and their escorts had to perform a traditional dance after they were announced at the pageant, so they needed to practice. Mrs. Lockwood was the expert on the counsel, having won Miss Mystic when she was a teenager, so she decided to teach the dance herself. Lucy was invited along just to be her silent support and stereo operator.

Lucy pressed play on the stereo Mrs. Lockwood brought to the gym and sent Caroline, who was practicing with Bonnie, a thumb's up. Dainty music filled the air and Mrs. Lockwood started the dance.

"Right hand around," Mrs. Lockwood commanded. When the nominees followed her instructions, she went on, "Flirt with your eyes."

Everyone walked in a circle with their escorts, serious eye contact being made. Quiet giggling caught Lucy's attention and she wasn't surprised to see that it was Elena and Stefan. Lucy caught Caroline's annoyed eye roll and bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.

"Left hand around…both hands…"

This time the laughter coming from Elena was louder as Stefan grabbed her hand and quickly twirled her around before dipping her. All the nominees and their escorts gave them irritated looks; none of them particularly wanted to be there, but at least they were taking it seriously.

"Oh, no, no, no," Mrs. Lockwood fussed, walking toward Elena and Stefan. "There's no touching during this part. It's about the simple intimacy of the near-touch."

Elena gave Mrs. Lockwood an apologetic look.

"Very nice, Caroline," Mrs. Lockwood complemented in approval. "You too, Amber."

Amber Bradley, a kind senior with a peppy attitude, beamed. "Thank you, Mrs. Lockwood."

"Thank you," Caroline added, looking satisfied that her efforts were being seen.

Another fifteen minutes were spent going through the rest of the dance, this time without any interruptions by Elena and Stefan. When everyone was allowed a ten-minute break, Lucy walked over to Caroline and Bonnie, quietly complementing their hard work.

Caroline grinned and started speaking in a low voice so she wasn't overheard, "The Fell cousins don't have a shot," she told Bonnie and Lucy. "and Amber Bradley is only on the court so the pageant doesn't look like its Founding Families only which, of course, it is," Caroline eyed Elena where she was talking with Stefan in another corner and sighed, "Which leaves Elena and she totally has the sympathy vote. How can I compete with that?"

Lucy rolled her eyes, amused. What a Caroline thing to say, though she wasn't totally wrong. With her work behind-the-scenes, she knew that it was already down to Caroline and Elena for the win.

"Very nice," Bonnie commented. "Very sensitive."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Caroline sighed and gave Bonnie an apologetic smile. "This must sound really unimportant in light of everything."

Lucy reached for Bonnie's arm and rubbed it gently, hoping that it would comfort her. Although she didn't see Bonnie much over the summer, she knew that Bonnie was always available to help her out and she had Elena's back. She wanted to be there for Bonnie in the same way.

Bonnie smiled at Lucy before looking back at Caroline. "It's okay, I get it. You want to win."

"Well, my grandmother was Miss Mystic," Caroline explained her passion. "And both of my aunts. My mom's the only one who didn't get the gene and I want this. I actually deserve this."

Lucy could relate and while she knew Elena wanted to be Miss Mystic because of their mother, as well, she never really put any effort into showing why she was the best choice. Caroline volunteered all over town and was the president of several committees in school.

"Just focus and show the judges that you're their better option," Lucy whispered. She didn't want to get caught by her sister or Mrs. Lockwood by playing favorites. Even if she didn't get a vote, she was still part of the committee planning the pageant.

Caroline giggled and Bonnie cracked a smile.

"Bonnie!" Elena called out, walking over to them with Stefan trailing behind her. The girls broke up their circle so they could face them. "Hey."

"Hey," Stefan smiled politely at Bonnie, sympathy in his eyes. "How are you?"

Bonnie didn't reply to either of them; she avoided eye contact and looked straight at Caroline. It was very awkward.

"I begged Bonnie to fill in for Matt," Caroline explained, breaking the silence. "He had to work today."

Elena nodded, a slightly sour look on her face, and looked back at Bonnie. "Bonnie, do you have a minute?"

"The break's almost over, so…"

"It'll only take a minute," Elena insisted. "Please?"

Reluctantly, Bonnie nodded and allowed Elena to lead her out of the gym. Lucy, Caroline, and Stefan stood awkwardly together for a few seconds before Caroline drifted away, wanting to get herself some water.

"She blames me," Stefan told Lucy, frowning, as he listened to Elena and Bonnie's conversation.

Lucy sighed and patted his arm. "She's just grieving, Stefan, and right now, she's focusing the blame on someone she knows," she explained before confessing, "I did the same thing."

It was true; for a while after the accident, Lucy blamed Elena for everything. She thought that because Elena ditched family night and she and her parents had to fetch her from the party, she was to blame for their parents being dead. As time went by and she started to move on, she realized how silly that was. It wasn't Elena's fault at all.

Stefan looked at her knowingly. He had an idea of what Lucy was talking about and he knew that Damon felt that about him when Katherine was supposedly put in the tomb. "How'd you move on?"

"It just takes time."

Lucy hummed as she waited for Elena and Jenna to come downstairs so they could leave; Elena was drying her hair and Jenna was finishing up her make-up when Lucy left them. She had Elena's dress settled in her arms, careful to keep it from getting wrinkles.

The Miss Mystic Falls pageant was starting in two hours and she was surprisingly calm. There was no more planning for her to do and she wasn't competing, so there was no reason to be nervous. After the ladies in running were announced, her job for the night was done and she was seriously considering sneaking at least one glass of champagne and taking advantage of Alaric's driving.

Speaking of Alaric…

There was a knock on the door behind her; Lucy opened the door, revealing Alaric all dressed up in a nice suit.

"Hey," Lucy greeted him happily. "Come on in," as she shut the door behind him, she added, "I'm glad you're driving us."

"Me too," Alaric agreed with a smile. He reached for Elena's dress. "Here, let me grab that for you."

"Thanks," Lucy gladly handed him over the bag and turned to grab her clutch off the table.

"No problem," Alaric hesitated. "How's Stefan?"

Lucy frowned and turned around, wondering why he was asking. Stefan seemed fine at school the day before—a little more playful than usual but nothing too serious. "What do you mean?"

Alaric thought back to how wrecked Stefan looked when they crossed paths the day before. Stefan even tried to strangle him, which was way out of the ordinary for the youngest Salvatore.

"He seems on edge," he told Lucy, deciding not to give her the details.

"Um, I think he's fine," Lucy said hesitantly; was something going on with Stefan? "Maybe he's just taking some time to bounce back to normal."

Alaric nodded though from the expression on his face, Lucy knew he didn't believe her.

"Alaric!" John called as he walked into the room. "Hey, buddy, what are you doing here?"

"Oh," Alaric glanced at Lucy and then at the stairs, praying that Jenna would come down and rescue him from talking to John. "I'm, uh, the chauffeur."

John raised his eyebrows. "I thought I was driving."

Thankfully, Jenna and Elena took that moment to come downstairs.

"No need," Jenna declared, buttoning her coat over her gray one-shouldered dress and smiling at Alaric. "We're going with Ric."

"Are we ready?" Elena asked Lucy, looking for her dress.

Lucy pointed to where Alaric was holding it. "Yep."

Jenna turned to John as Lucy, Elena, and Alaric left the house. "Jeremy can ride with you."

When Lucy arrived at the pageant, Mrs. Lockwood swept her away, giving her directions. Lucy was to be upstairs with the girls while they got dressed and keep their spirits high, doing whatever was asked of her. Unfortunately, the Fell cousins took advantage of that when Lucy went up into the dressing room. They kept asking her to fetch things for them—including spare eyeliner, a cupcake, and gas pills—which kept her too busy to spend any time with Elena or Caroline.

Then, when it was Amber Bradley's turn to change into her dress, she started panicking. Lucy had to come to the rescue and calm her down just long enough so she could get dressed and meet her escort downstairs.

It was just a case of stage fright but it was severe enough that it had Amber pacing nervously.

"Just breathe, Amber," Lucy encouraged, knowing that when she was having issues controlling her breathing helped her the most. "Slowly and evenly."

Amber inhaled through her nose as she paced, her hands shaking slightly.

"I don't even know why I signed up for this," Amber shook her head.

"Because you deserve to be here," Lucy told her truthfully. Amber was the student council president and she volunteered at a lot of places around town. She was super nice, too, which you couldn't say about a lot of teenagers in Mystic Falls. "You can do this. Just keep breathing."

The door to the dressing room opened and Elena walked in, hair and make-up done beautifully. She faltered at the sight of Amber and Lucy because she was sure the dressing room would be empty; it was her allotted time to get dressed.

"Are you okay, Amber?" Elena asked, noticing how anxious Amber looked.

"I hate being the center of attention," Amber confessed, giggling nervously. "I get panic attacks."

"Do you need some privacy so you can change?"

Amber shook her head at Elena's question. "Actually, I'm gonna go get some air."

As Amber started walking out of the room, Lucy called, "Be back soon!"

Amber nodded and disappeared down the hallway.

Lucy sighed and turned to Elena with a smile. "You look beautiful, Elena."

"I don't even have my dress on yet," Elena chuckled, walking over to grab her dress where it was hanging up on the mirror.

"Well, the blue is going to look great on you."

"I'll say."

Lucy and Elena jumped in shock when they heard Damon's voice. He appeared out of nowhere and stood next to Lucy, a serious look on his face.

"Hey, you can't be back here," Lucy scolded him, rolling her eyes.

"We need to talk," he said firmly, looking between the sisters.

Elena sighed. "It has to be right now?"

Damon ignored her question. "Normally, I would have a completely different outlook on what I'm about to tell you two, but since it could really inconvenience me, I'll squeal…"

Elena was confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Stefan's still drinking human blood," Damon confessed.

After a few seconds of shocked silence, Elena gasped, "What?"

"Yeah," Damon pursed his lips. "A month ago, I would have rejoiced but with the council back on the alert, it is not a good time for Stefan to fly off the handle."

Lucy didn't know what to think but Stefan's playful mood for the past couple of days was starting to make sense. She hadn't seen any other symptoms, but she hadn't really been around him like Elena and Damon had this past week. Had Stefan really given in to the cravings he was resisting the previous weeks?

Elena shook her head. "I know he's been a little edgy," she defended her boyfriend. "but he said that was normal."

"He has a fridge full of stolen blood bank contraband in the house," Damon said bluntly.

Breathing shakily, Elena sat down on the couch. "Oh, my God."

"He has no idea what normal is," Damon continued. "His entire existence isn't normal. Normal to a vampire is drinking human blood but he spent all this time fighting it when he should have been learning to control it…and now it's controlling him instead."

"Can you teach him how to control it, though?" Lucy spoke up, looking at Damon. "I mean, maybe if he has some help…"

"It won't work," Damon shook his head. "At least with me. We've been down that road before."

Lucy frowned; if Stefan couldn't get this under control, what were they going to do?

"I can't believe this," Elena sighed, overwhelmed. "It's Stefan that we're talking about here."

"Stefan on human blood, Elena," Damon corrected her. His brother was almost like a whole different human when he wasn't feeding on animals. "He'll do anything, he'll say anything because he's not gonna want to stop. Trust me."

Elena bit her lip and stood up, pacing around the room as she grew angry at herself. Why did she give Stefan her blood? She knew that he feed only on animals…he even protested against it but she forced him anyway.

"This is all my fault," her voice was firm with anger. "I'm the one who fed him the blood in the first place."

"It's not your fault, Lena," Lucy consoled her. "We could have died if Stefan couldn't protect us."

The door opened, causing Lucy, Damon, and Elena to pause their conversation, and Stefan walked in. He looked around, wondering why his girlfriend, best friend, and brother were talking without him.

Then he grew suspicious; Damon was probably telling them about the blood.

"What's going on here?" he asked slowly.

Lucy looked at Damon, silently urging him to answer his brother.

Damon took the hint and turned to face Stefan. "I was just filling Elena and Lucy in on your extra-curricular activities."

Stefan was quiet for a second before he scoffed. "What are you talking about?"

"We know about the blood, Stefan," Elena spoke up, eyes narrowed.

Lucy winced at the harshness of her sister's tone while Damon looked at the couple awkwardly.

"I'm gonna—I'll be downstairs," he excused himself. "Drinking."

"I'll join you," Lucy said, walking out of the room behind him. As she passed Stefan, she avoided his gaze. She didn't know exactly how to react to this news.

It wasn't like he lied to her, so she wasn't angry at him. In fact, she felt sorry for him. According to Damon, this was something he's been struggling with for years and was trying to forget. To lapse up must have been hard for him.

Lucy wanted to help him, but she didn't know how.

Lucy and Damon walked downstairs together in silence before he spoke up, "Nice outfit."

Lucy smiled slightly, knowing that he recognized the dress he had gotten her for her birthday. It was a halter-top and the white fabric hugged her body tightly and fell just below her knees. The shoes were t-strapped heels. "Thank you."

"So, what do you think about blood-gate?"

"I think that I don't know what to think," Lucy sighed, sneakily grabbing a glass of champagne off of a tray as they passed a waiter. "I know how I feel; I'm not mad, just concerned."

"Hmm," Damon took the champagne from her before she could take a sip; she rolled her eyes at him. "Concerned," he repeated, gulping down the drink. "Why?"

"It's Stefan. If he goes too far with this and he accidently hurts someone, I think he's gonna be feeling really guilty," Lucy stated logically. "The Stefan I know doesn't like to hurt people."

"Like I told Elena, Stefan on human blood is different," Damon reminded her. "He's essentially a blood junkie waiting to get his next hit…doesn't care about anything unless it's getting in his way."

Lucy paused for a second, letting Damon's words sink in. Even if that was true, it didn't sway her. She wanted to help Stefan even if he didn't want it. She wasn't going to let Stefan lose himself to human blood while she was around.

"We're gonna have to help him then."

Damon wasn't surprised by Lucy's statement. She was stubborn and she cared for Stefan. Of course, she was going to help him.

Lucy and Damon split up, with Lucy going to stand with Jenna and Alaric while the nominees were announced for the starting dance with their escorts. They idly talked while everyone gathered to wait for Mayor Lockwood to start the ceremony.

The pageant started with a warm welcome from Mayor Lockwood. After he slyly slipped a line into his speech about reelection, he started to announce the girls who were running for Miss Mystic Falls.

He called Mary Fell's name first, followed by her cousin, Tina. The girls, both in pink dresses, walked down the curved staircase with large smiles and were joined by their escorts before walking outside.

Lucy knew from Caroline that Matt wasn't able to be her escort for the evening because the Grill wouldn't let him out of work—she had to settle for one of Tyler's cousins—but she was surprised that Stefan wasn't in line with the other escorts.

In fact—Lucy looked at the crowd around her—he was nowhere to be seen.

"Miss Caroline Forbes and her escort, Jeffrey Lockwood-Hamilton!" Mayor Lockwood announced Lucy's best friend before she could worry.

Caroline walked down the stairs, a large smile on her face. She looked incredible in the emerald-green strapless dress that she, Lucy, and Bonnie picked out, and she oozed an air of elegance. She took her escort's hand and smiled at the crowd as they walked outside.

Lucy clapped along with the crowd, feeling proud of both Caroline and Elena. Once the cheering died down, Mayor Lockwood called Elena's name.

"Miss Elena Gilbert, escorted by Mister Stefan Salvatore."

Lucy winced as she clapped, knowing that Stefan wasn't there to take Elena's hand. Elena was going to be so embarrassed and it irritated Lucy that Stefan just abandoned Elena right as the pageant started.

Luckily, Damon came to the rescue.

He stepped up and stood where Stefan was supposed to be, taking Elena's hand as she descended down the staircase. He escorted her outside where the rest of the contestants were waiting.

As Elena and Damon passed them, Jenna whispered to Lucy and Alaric, "What is she doing with Damon?"

Lucy shook her head while Alaric replied, "I have no idea."

The contestants lined up for the dance, just like Mrs. Lockwood taught them. The music came on and they started dancing, each one of them using the correct steps in time. Lucy wasn't surprised that Damon knew the dance and she was so relieved that he was helping Elena.

She wasn't going to lie, it warmed her heart a little.

When the dance finished and the sun set, everyone was treated to a quick dinner. This was mainly so the judges could see who had the best manners out of the contestants and when they ate dessert, they chose their winner.

The crowd gathered in front of the contestants to hear about a winner and it was only then that Lucy realized that Amber was missing from the line-up.

…this wasn't good. Stefan was missing and so was Amber? It was probably not a coincidence.

"Before I crown a winner, I'd like to offer a personal thank you to all of these young ladies for their efforts to better our community," Mayor Lockwood spoke to the crowd as he gestured to the Fell cousins, Caroline, and Elena. Lucy and the crowd clapped politely. "So, without further ado, it is my honor to announce our very own Miss Mystic Falls…Miss Caroline Forbes!"

Despite her worry over Stefan, Lucy couldn't contain her pride and happiness for Caroline. She cheered loudly as Caroline and Elena hugged and Mayor Lockwood laid the winner's sash around Caroline's neck.

Caroline truly deserved this.

When the applause began to die and Caroline, Elena, and the Fell cousins were ushered to another room for pictures, Lucy snuck out of the hall.

She was determined to find Stefan; there was no way that both Stefan and Amber were just missing at the same time. And if Stefan was hurting Amber, Lucy had to stop him.

Lucy walked through the parking lot, her heels clicking against the pavement purposefully. She looked around the lot and when she saw no sign of Stefan, she headed to the sparse line of trees up ahead.

A scream and several following shrieks caught her attention; she ran toward the sound and blanched in shock when she saw a struggling Amber encased in Stefan's arms.

"Stefan!" she called, eyes widening in horror.

Lucy ran toward her best friend when he ignored her and grabbed his arm, attempting to pull him away from Amber.

"Stefan, stop!"

Annoyed with the interruption of his meal, Stefan turned to Lucy, growling loudly at her. Lucy flinched back by the appearance of Stefan's face, shocked by the dark veins under his red eyes but continued to try to pull him away from Amber. Blood lust was crawling through Stefan's veins, tormenting him, and when he looked at Lucy, he didn't see her as his best friend; he saw her as a threat.

Stefan snarled and forcefully pushed Lucy away from him, causing her to stumble away. Lucy landed on the ground and groaned from the flash of pain but got up; no way was she going to just give up.

As Stefan bit into Amber's neck again, Lucy siphoned from her locket and cast an aneurysm on Stefan.

Stefan grunted and dropped Amber, holding onto his head. At that moment, Elena, Damon, and—strangely, Bonnie came running into the trees, looking horrified at what Stefan had done.

Lucy realized Stefan from her spell, hoping that Damon or Elena could talk some sense into him.

"Stefan!"

"Stefan, come on, get control of it," Damon encouraged his brother while Elena looked on, disgusted. "It's okay, come on. Breathe through it, man."

Stefan was wound up, looking like a startled animal with blood dripping from his mouth. When Damon slowly approached him, he growled and grabbed his brother, throwing him and allowing him to crash into a tree a few feet away.

Elena gasped loudly while Lucy shouted, "Stefan, stop it!"

Stefan took slow, deliberate steps toward Damon, his face scrunched up into a sneer. When he got within five feet of Damon—who was back to his feet and ready to help again—Stefan groaned in pain and stopped in his tracks.

Lucy looked around, spotting Bonnie. She was glaring at Stefan, not breaking her concentration. She was doing the same thing Lucy had attempted, only stronger. Stefan gripped his head and bent at the waist under the strength of the spell.

When Bonnie stopped the spell, Stefan came to. He dropped his hands and looked at Lucy, Elena, and Damon, obviously horrified with what he had done. His eyes turned glassy with tears, his breath stuttering.

"It's okay, Stefan," Lucy whispered, trying to calm him down. "Everything's fine, right Damon?"

"It's okay," Damon agreed, slowly stepping toward his brother. "Stefan…"

Stefan reared back, panicking now, and sped away from them.

Lucy wiped her chilly face, not realizing that she had been crying until the commotion was over. She looked to Damon, worried, and asked, "Is she alive?"

"She's fine," Damon nodded, hearing the girl's heart beat steadily in her chest. "I'm gonna go get the sheriff."

Damon left and quickly came back with Liz and a couple of her deputies. Amber was awake by then and they quickly wrapped her up into a shock blanket before questioning her about everything.

Lucy stood with Elena, Damon, and Bonnie as Liz finished up her questions, trying not to think about what happened and where Stefan could be now.

Liz approached them and informed them about Amber's situation. "She doesn't remember what happened."

"It's a good thing the girls got here when they did," Damon stated. "She lost a lot of blood."

Liz nodded and turned to look at Lucy, Elena, and Bonnie. "You didn't see anything?"

Lucy and Elena turned to look at Bonnie, concerned that she was going to spill about Stefan. When Bonnie stayed silent, Elena looked back at Liz.

"No," she shook her head. "We just found her and then called Damon."

"Is she gonna be okay?" Bonnie asked quietly.

Liz nodded. "It looks like it, yeah," she confirmed with a sigh. "Why don't you girls get back to the party? Damon and I can take it from here."

"Yeah," Damon agreed.

"Okay."

Lucy, Bonnie, and Elena walked away from Liz and Damon and slowly headed back to the party. Lucy shivered, the cold finally catching up to her, and longed for her jacket, but focused on Bonnie. She looked like she was out of it.

Elena must have thought that, too. "Bonnie, can we talk about this?"

"There's nothing to talk about," Bonnie replied tensely, continuing to walk back to the party.

"Bonnie, please!" Elena begged.

Bonnie abruptly turned around to face them. "I told you I wasn't gonna make you choose but I need to make the choice for myself," she said, referring to the conversation she and Elena had the day before. "Please just leave me alone."

Without another word, Bonnie stomped off to her car, wanting to go home.

Lucy lingered in the doorway of Stefan's room, vervain dart hidden in the pocket of her sweatshirt. It was Elena and Damon who came up with the plan to dose Stefan with vervain and lock him in the cellar but it was Lucy who they nominated to actually do the deed.

She protested at first—she had already hurt Stefan once today and she didn't want to do it again—but eventually she was talked into it. Damon said that it should be her or Elena and Elena confessed that she was too scared to approach Stefan herself, so that left Lucy. She really didn't want to poison him, but she also didn't want him to hurt himself and others anymore. If this was what she had to do, she would step up to the plate.

Stefan hadn't noticed her at first when he was taking off his suit but as he threw his button-down shirt to the floor, he caught Lucy's peach-and-coconut scent.

"You shouldn't be here," he said lowly, slowly turning to face her.

"I know."

Stefan scoffed quietly and shook his head, stumbling toward the round table in the center of his room. "Now you know."

"Know what?" Lucy stepped into the room fully. "That you have trouble controlling yourself around human blood? That you struggle with something like everyone else?"

"No," he huffed, not wanting to hear her excuses for him. "You know that I'm a monster, that I'm a predator."

"You're not a monster," Lucy said fiercely, believing that to her core. He wouldn't be feeling so guilty if he was a monster. He might have been a supernatural being, but he was not a monster.

"If you believe that, you're an idiot," Stefan said harshly.

Lucy rolled her eyes and reminded herself that the blood was making him hostile. "Okay, so human blood makes another side to you come out. It's not who you truly are, Stefan."

"It is who I am," he spat, facing her with eyes full of self-hatred. "Lucy, I wanted to drain every ounce of blood from that girl's body."

"You didn't, though," Lucy pointed out.

"I _wanted_ to."

"You're not going to scare me off, Stefan, don't try."

She cared about Stefan and there was no way she would ever give up on him.

"Why would you care?" Stefan raised his voice. "Why would you come here?"

Because she was practically outvoted…she didn't think that was a good thing to say…

"Because you drank Elena's blood to save us," she said instead. "None of this would have happened if we hadn't—"

"All you did was expose me for what I really am!"

"Stefan, this isn't you!"

"Stop saying that!" Lucy jumped as Stefan shouted and violently cleared the table in front of him. Seeing that he was losing his cool, she stepped closer to him. "Don't come near me."

Lucy shook her head and continued approaching him. She was going to help him whether he liked it or not.

"Stop."

"I'm not gonna give up on you," she told him, finally close enough to touch him. She gently grabbed his wrist. "I believe in you, Stefan."

"Stop!" he ripped himself away from her grasp and harshly pushed her against the nearest wall. Lucy flinched and forced herself to keep calm when he punched the wall beside her head, trying not to siphon from him. That could make a situation go from bad to worse. "Stop!"

Her breaths were shaky, stuttering in her chest as she looked at him with wide eyes. Even though it was the human blood effecting him so much, she couldn't help but be afraid. She realized that she was too stubborn when she refused to believe that Stefan was a whole different person when he fed from humans because he was. This was not the Stefan she knew and cared about.

That didn't mean she wasn't going to give up on him.

Stefan's eyes widened and stung as when he looked at the fear on Lucy's face. This was a girl who wasn't afraid of much and stood up for herself and others, and here she was, looking at him like that. _Him_.

His heart clenched painfully and tears dripped from his eyes. "I'm so sorry," he whimpered, placing his forehead on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Lucy. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," Lucy breathed, her own eyes filling with tears, as he sobbed into her neck.

"I don't know what's happening to me," he cried and Lucy swore her heart broke at his words and how lost he sounded.

"It's okay, Stefan, shh," she consoled him. Careful not to disturb him, she slowly reached into her pocket and pulling out the vervain dart. She wrapped her other arm around him for comfort while situating the dart correctly over his back with the other. "You're gonna be okay, Broody."

Lucy stabbed the dart into Stefan's back, flooding his veins with vervain to make him weak. Stefan slumped almost immediately and Lucy dropped the dart so she could steady him. It was like he weighed a million pounds as she slowly lowered him to the floor.

She sat next to him and dried her tears as Elena and Damon came into the room. Elena looked at Stefan's body in shock but turned to her sister, concerned.

"Are you okay?" she asked gently, noticing how wrecked Lucy looked. "Damon said—"

"I'm fine," Lucy interrupted her. She didn't want to go over the details, she just wanted to forget this happened.

Damon sighed and glanced at Elena. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Elena nodded. "I'm sure."

Lucy shakily stood up and wiped her damp hands on her jeans. "I'm gonna head out, then." She had no desire to see Stefan put into a cell. It already sucked that she had to stab him with vervain.

She just hoped that this would work.


	19. Jonathan Gilbert's Invention

**[1x20 + 1x21; Blood Brothers + Isobel]**

"So, Isobel is supposedly here?" Lucy asked Damon and Alaric from the backseat of Alaric's car, looking out the window to stare at what Grove Hill had to offer. "And you know this because you checked my uncle's phone records?"

Lucy had been in the middle of writing an essay for her English class when Damon called her, telling her that he and Alaric were picking her up for a road trip. It was only when she was situated in Alaric's car that they explained to her that they were checking out a house in Grove Hill where they tracked a number that kept calling John.

"I didn't check them, my college buddy did," Alaric corrected her, turning down the road they were looking for. "And we don't exactly know that it's Isobel."

"Lovely," Lucy sighed, wondering why she agreed to go with them.

"Oh, cheer up, buttercup," Damon turned around and grinned at her. "It's better than babysitting Stefan."

Lucy didn't reply; she didn't want to think about Stefan torturing himself in the cellar of his house. It'd been a week since she drugged him with vervain and even though the human blood was gone from his system—according to Damon—he insisted on being locked up and was refusing to eat. Lucy had been to see him a couple times but the silence between them was deafening and made the guilt she was feeling increase.

"This is the one," Alaric said, parking on the curb in front of a modest, two-story house.

Lucy, Damon, and Alaric got out of the vehicle and walked up the sidewalk leading up to the house.

"The records show this was paid three months in advance," Alaric informed Lucy and Damon.

"This is where it gets tricky," Damon admitted as they came to a stop at the door; he knocked. "I may or may not be able to get in."

"Yeah, how does that work?" Alaric asked, giving Damon a curious look. "You always have to be invited in?"

"By the owner or the person of entitlement," Damon explained. "Short-term rentals and hotels are a bit of a gray area. You kind of gotta play it by ear."

Alaric scoffed as Damon impatiently grabbed the door knob, twisting it so the lock would break.

"Could we not kill anyone tonight, please?" Alaric asked Damon.

"That sounds like a good idea," Lucy agreed.

"You mean you just brought me along for my company?" Damon muttered sarcastically. He broke the lock and swung the door open, allowing Lucy and Alaric to walk into the house.

Lucy looked around, trying to see through the dark. She saw no sign of anyone, though it was tough to see.

"It doesn't look like anyone's home," she commented.

Damon stopped at the threshold and cautiously stuck his foot through; it slipped into the house easily, no barriers detected. "Yeah, I'm good. No permanent resident, apparently."

Lucy hummed and kept walking through the house, stepping into the kitchen. It was much brighter in this room so she was able to see that the house was actually lived in. There were keys on one of the counters and old beer cans piled up in the trash can.

Damon took this time to investigate, too. He opened the fridge and saw that there were about ten blood bags sitting on the shelves. "Uh, guys, we have company."

As soon as Lucy and Alaric turned around at Damon's warning, a man jumped out at Alaric, shoving him up against the wall. Alaric punched the vampire in the abdomen and the vampire lurched away, revealing that Alaric had a wooden stake in his hand. The vampire composed himself and jumped at Alaric again, only to be stopped by Damon.

"Boys, boys, that's enough," he scolded them; Lucy crossed her arms over her chest, relieved that Alaric was all right. Damon got a good look at the vampire as he stood up. "Hey, I know you."

The vampire's face lit up in recognition. "Damon?"

"Your name is Henry," Damon stated. "You were in the tomb."

"Yes, sir," Henry nodded. "What are you doing here?"

Lucy, Damon, and Alaric shared a look before Damon said, "We're looking for John Gilbert."

"Oh," Henry relaxed and walked over to the fridge, pulling out a blood bag. He took off the cap and started pouring the blood into a glass, causing Lucy to look away. "How do you know John Gilbert?"

"He's my uncle," Lucy replied.

"And I've known him for years," Damon added. "He's a good friend. How do you know him?"

"I met him right after I got out of the tomb," Henry threw the empty blood bag into the trash can. "He's been helping me out."

Lucy was intrigued; her uncle was helping a tomb vampire? "Helping you out how?"

"Adapting," Henry set the blood in front of Damon and grabbed another blood bag for himself. "It's a whole new world…cars, computers, …There's so much to learn. He helped me get this place."

"So, do you live here alone or is there someone else here?" Alaric spoke up impatiently.

Henry looked at him weirdly and to resolve any tension that could pop up, Damon interjected, "That's my friend's very…passive-aggressive way of asking if you, uh…do you know a woman named Isobel?"

Henry shook his head. "Uh, no. No, I don't know an Isobel. I know John," he grinned. "He's my only real friend. He really showed me the ropes—how to use a microwave, separate my whites..."

Lucy frowned; Henry seemed like he was a relatively nice guy and she knew that her uncle must have been using him. According to Damon, John was a vampire-hater to his core so there was no way he was helping Henry out of the kindness of his heart.

"What else do you do for him?" Alaric sounded annoyed.

"I help keep an eye on things," Henry revealed casually. "You know, with the others?"

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows. "The others?"

"From the tomb," Henry clarified. "They're still pissed at the Founding Families for trying to burn them alive. I'm cool, but those tomb boys…they want revenge."

Lucy's chest tightened; she was a part of a Founding Family, as was her siblings, Caroline, and Tyler. They were all in danger if the tomb vampires were so desperate for revenge.

"What does John want with them?"

"He's just keeping an eye on them, you know? Trying to make sure they stay out of trouble," Henry stated.

"Well, that's John," Damon scoffed, smiling tensely. "He's such a do-gooder."

A phone ringing broke the silence. Henry pulled out his phone and checked who was calling him, laughing at the coincidence. "That's John now."

Damon stood up quickly. "Oh, hey, let me talk to him," he grabbed the phone from Henry. "All right?"

Henry nodded. "Yeah." When Damon continued to let the phone ring, he narrowed his eyes. "Are you gonna answer that?"

"Am I gonna…answer that?" Damon asked, looking over at Lucy and Alaric.

Alaric shook his head grimly and Lucy frowned.

Henry looked back and forth between Lucy and Alaric and Damon. "What's going on?"

Damon didn't answer and Henry reacted, hissing as his vampires featured came to play. He went to attack Alaric and Lucy but was pulled back by Damon, allowing Alaric to stake him in the back, right to his heart.

Henry groaned as he started desiccating and Damon and Alaric allowed him to flop to the floor.

"_Let's not kill anyone tonight_," Damon mocked Alaric, patting his shoulder. "Your words. Just pointing that out."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Damon."

The three of them split up to look for any sign of Isobel with Damon taking the kitchen, Alaric taking the dining room, and Lucy searching the living room. Lucy didn't find anything of significance, nor did Alaric, because he walked into the living room five minutes after they split up.

"Find anything yet?" Damon asked, waltzing into the living room.

"Nope," Lucy shook her head, sitting on the couch next to Alaric.

"No, I looked everywhere," Alaric sighed, depressed. "The place is clean."

Damon frowned and tossed a beer at Alaric and a can of soda at Lucy. "Well, I found these behind the blood in the fridge," he held a blood bag for himself and took a sip.

Alaric opened the beer and took a large sip of it. "Oh, man, this was a real dead-end."

"I wouldn't beat myself up over it, man," Damon sat down in the armchair next to Lucy and Alaric. "What did you think you were gonna find, huh? Isobel with a cigar and slippers?"

Lucy opened her mouth to tell Damon off, but Alaric actually chuckled.

"Oh, man," he sighed, his amusement falling away. "I gotta stop this. I can't—I can't keep searching for her."

"Really?" Damon asked, surprised. "After only two years? That's actually…moderately healthy."

Lucy snickered under her breath; said the guy who waiting a hundred and forty-five years for Katherine…

"What are you going on?" Alaric asked, thinking the same as Lucy. "146?"

Damon shrugged. "Well, I figure the two hundred mark is probably a good stopping point."

Alaric laughed. "I mean, no answer's enough," he decided. "I keep thinking I wanna know why, when…you know, the precise moment when my wife decided life with me wasn't enough."

"She charmed me, your wife, Isobel," Damon shared, taking a sip of blood. "She talked a good game, man. She was smart. She had this excitement in her eyes. I probably should have known there was something different about her, some tie to Katherine. There had to be some reason I didn't kill her…"

Lucy noticed how agitated Alaric was getting as Damon talked. "Damon," she warned, wanting him to stop for Alaric's sake. "That's enough."

"I don't wanna hear anymore," Alaric scowled, irritated and hurt that his wife was so eager to leave him. "I just don't want to waste any more of my life, searching for answers that I really don't want. I'm through with Isobel…I'm done with all of this."

Lucy hoped that she wasn't included in the things Alaric was done with. Despite only knowing who he was to her for only a month or so, she was starting to care for him.

"Ugh, God," Damon groaned as he and Lucy walked into the Boarding House and saw Elena studying on the couch. "You're still here?"

"Were you expecting anything else?" Elena scooted over as Lucy plopped down next to her.

"Nope," Damon threw himself down next to Lucy, squishing her between him and Elena.

"Get off of me!" Lucy groaned, chuckling a little bit as she tried to push him off of her. "Damon!"

"Shh…be quiet."

"So," Elena spoke up, closing her textbook and looking at her sister and the oldest Salvatore. "How was your errand?"

"Futile," Damon sighed. "Although, I think I witnessed the teacher having an existential crisis."

"You're such an ass," Lucy scoffed, elbowing him in the arm. She turned to Elena and asked, "Has Stefan eaten yet?"

Damon groaned. "Oh, is he still brooding?"

Elena shook her head at Lucy's question but to Damon she said, "I thought you didn't care."

Damon shrugged. "Chalk it up to morbid curiosity."

"I think he's getting there," Elena said thoughtfully. "But he's got a lot of guilt that he has to deal with and it doesn't help that you've spent the last 145 years punishing him for Katherine getting caught."

"This is _my_ fault now?" Damon asked, taken aback.

"No, it's no one's fault, Damon," Elena shook her head. "I'm just saying, you're not exactly innocent. You've made it your life's mission to make him miserable."

Lucy felt Damon stiffen at Elena's words. Damon jumped to his feet, an angry look on his face.

"Let me ask you a question," he sneered at Elena. "In all this important soul-searching and cleansing of the demons of Stefan's past, did you ever manage to get the rest of the story?"

"He said there was more."

Damon scoffed and began to walk away. "Yeah, that's an understatement."

Elena ran after him, grabbing his arm to turn him around to face her. "Damon, tell me what happened."

Damon walked over to the bar and picked up a decanter of bourbon. While he poured himself a drink, he told Lucy and Elena how back in 1864, Stefan came back from killing their father, fully transitioned into a vampire. Drunk on blood, Stefan brought along one of the town girls and forced Damon to drink from her, completing his own transition.

Lucy was shocked; she didn't know about any of this. Stefan hadn't told her that he killed his father and she didn't blame him for keeping it a secret. It sounded like he still carried that guilt—and the guilt over forcing Damon to transition—to this day.

It also made her look at Stefan and Damon's dynamic in a different way. Neither of them were truly bad or good—there were good parts and bad parts in both of them.

"From the moment Stefan had his first taste of human blood, he was a different person," Damon said, gulping down half of his drink. "I suppose I should thank him. It's been a hell of a ride."

"Oh, my God," Elena realized. "He said he wanted to die. That's why he won't feed. Now I understand why, but…"

"His choice," Damon shrugged, pouring himself some more bourbon. "If he's stupid enough to make it, so be it."

Elena gave him a disappointed look. "Don't do that, okay? Don't pretend like you don't care."

She angrily stomped out of the room, making Lucy call after her, "Where are you going?"

Elena didn't answer but she did come back a mere minute later, holding Stefan's daylight ring. She rushed out of the house, not bothering to reply to Lucy's questions about where Stefan was and why she was holding his ring.

Damon calmed her down somewhat, telling her that Elena had most likely gone to stop Stefan from burning himself in the sun. Lucy knew that Elena would succeed and save Stefan so she forced herself to relax.

She so desperately wanted to ask Damon more about what happened the night he and Stefan died but she could tell he wasn't in the mood. He was quiet and didn't bother to say anything sarcastic as they waited for their siblings to come back. All he did was tinkering with something in his hands.

"What's that?" Lucy asked quietly, gesturing to the thing he was playing with.

"Not sure," Damon held it up so Lucy could see it more clearly. It looked like the Gilbert compass but there when he opened it up, there was no pointer. "Pearl gave it to me. Your uncle is looking for it."

"Why?"

"I'll let you know when I find out myself, Twitch," Damon sighed.

Lucy nodded and at that moment, the front door opened and Elena and Stefan walked in. Lucy was so relieved that Elena was able to stop Stefan from killing himself and that Stefan was in one piece.

It was nice to see him feeling better.

"Little boy lost," Damon drawled, looking at his brother.

Stefan didn't reply; he simply stared at Damon with sad eyes. Noticing the tension, Elena spoke up.

"I'll be upstairs," she told Stefan before looking at Lucy and gesturing at the staircase. "Lucy?"

Lucy could take a hint. "Yeah, me too," she nodded and stood up, giving Damon a small smile. "Goodnight, Damon," she grinned at Stefan as she passed him and added, "Good to have you back."

As she followed Elena upstairs, she asked her, "Do you think you could drop me off at home later? Damon was my ride…"

Alcohol was the perfect thing Alaric needed to end his night of searching for his missing wife. After tonight, he was going to let go of her and move on with his life. He had his daughter now, why did he need to hold onto someone who left him?

"Hello, Ric."

Alaric almost choked on his drink when he heard that familiar voice but he managed to swallow correctly. It had been years and now, just as he was going to move on, she decided to show up?

He slowly turned to face her. "Isobel."

She looked just as gorgeous as she did the last time he saw her. Her dark hair that she passed onto Lucy was straight as a pin and pulled into fashionable ponytail and her make-up was much darker than he had seen her wear before. A large, blue pendent sat on her chest and he assumed it was what allowed her to walk in the sun. She still looked like his wife but there was something about her eyes that threw him off.

Isobel laughed lightly. "It's good to see you," she told him with a smile. "You look good. I hear that you're a high school history teacher? How is that?"

Alaric didn't want to answer any questions; he had a few of his own she needed to answer. "Where have you been, Isobel?"

"I don't have any reasons that are gonna comfort you," Isobel shook her head. "I don't have any explanations that are gonna satisfy you. I wanted this."

"Is it that simple?"

"Yeah," Isobel confirmed. "You were supposed to mourn me and move on."

"You were my wife and I loved you," Alaric rasped, not understanding how she thought he'd be able to move on. "How could I not search for you?"

"Because I wasn't lost, Ric," Isobel grabbed the napkin that was in front of her on the bar and pulled out a pen from her purse. She wrote down her phone number on the napkin and slid it over to Alaric. "I understand that you met our daughter and her sister, Elena, and I hear they've been looking for me. I want you to arrange for a meeting with us."

Alaric grabbed the napkin, looking over the numbers she wrote. "You want me," he cleared his throat. "To deliver a message?"

Isobel smiled. "Yeah."

"Screw you," Alaric threw the napkin on the bar and stood up. As he passed Isobel to leave, he added, "You selfish bitch."

He couldn't believe that she was standing right in front of him and was asking him to set up a meeting for her, Lucy, and Elena. That was all she was approaching for after several years of marriage and two more years spent looking for her.

Alaric purposefully walked out of the Grill, fumbling as he tried to pull his car keys out of his pocket. Once he had them in his hands, he clicked the key remote and unlocked his car, opening the driver's door.

He heard a whoosh from behind him and turned around, seeing Isobel standing in front of him casually.

"What do you want from me?" Alaric demanded angrily.

"I told you."

"I'm not going to do anything for _you_."

Isobel sped toward Alaric in a blur, wrapping her hand around his neck and shoving him up against his car. She hissed at him, her vampire features on full display while she squeezed his neck threateningly.

"You better tell Elena and Lucy that I want to meet or I'm gonna start killing the citizens of this town one by one…and I'm gonna start with your history students," she demanded, watching unemotionally as Alaric struggled to breathe under her assault. "Got it?"

Isobel didn't wait for a reply—she threw Alaric a few feet away from her and dropped the napkin that had her number on it for him to find. She didn't care as she heard him gasp for breath as she walked away.

"I'm so excited," Caroline sighed dreamily as she and Lucy walked through the school to the cafeteria where the juniors and seniors had the whole day off to create floats for the Founder's Day parade. "I have the perfect plan for my float and it fits all the criteria you and Mrs. Lockwood gave me."

Lucy smiled, still so proud that Caroline was Miss Mystic Falls. "I'm sure your float is going to be fantastic, Carebear."

"Thank you!" Caroline beamed. She stopped Lucy from walking into the cafeteria and warned her, "Bonnie is helping us, okay? I don't know what's going on with you two and Elena, but we're supposed to be working together for this."

"Care, I don't have a problem with Bonnie," Lucy said truthfully—it was Bonnie that wanted to stay away from Elena and now her. "Don't worry about it. Everything is going to be perfect."

Lucy emphasized her statement by pulling Caroline into a quick, reassuring hug. She winced when Caroline squeezed her tightly but couldn't contain her amused laugh.

"Can we go in now?" she asked, pulling away from Caroline's tight grip. "I'm dying to see your design."

"All right, all right."

The girls walked into the cafeteria and located Bonnie easily at their regular lunch table, a pile of notebooks in front of her. They walked over to the table and set their stuff down, exchanging greetings with Bonnie. It was a little awkward with Lucy and Bonnie but it was nothing that Lucy couldn't handle—Bonnie was one of her closest friends and she wasn't going to give up on a decade-long friendship.

"All right, show me," Bonnie commanded, wanting to see Caroline's plan for the Miss Mystic float.

"Okay, let's reference last year's Miss Mystic float," Caroline opened her laptop and typed for a couple of seconds, clicking on a picture and turning her laptop around so Lucy and Bonnie could see. "This is what they did last year and this is exactly what we don't want to do."

"Gross."

"Ew."

Lucy and Bonnie said in unison, wrinkling their noses at the basic float that was pictured. Nothing stood out about it and Caroline was all about standing out.

"Okay, so, what are we doing?" Bonnie continued.

Caroline smiled. "Southern classic elegance."

"'Gone with the Wind'?" Lucy asked, raising her eyebrows.

It wasn't hard to guess; Caroline had been obsessed with the film ever since they were forced to watch it in middle school. One of her favorite influences was Scarlett O'Hara herself.

"How'd you know?" Caroline pouted.

Bonnie laughed and gave Caroline a deadpan expression. "You channel Scarlett daily."

"So true," Caroline chuckled, making Lucy and Bonnie laugh as well.

Suddenly there was a throat clearing above them. Lucy saw that it was Alaric and he was looking dead serious.

"Hi, Mr. Saltzman," she greeted him cautiously.

"Lucy, we need to talk," he stated seriously. "Come with me."

Lucy nodded, confused with what was going on, and stood up. "Okay," she looked at Caroline and Bonnie. "I'll be back."

"Okay," Caroline gave her a worried look but Lucy smiled, hoping to ease her mind.

Lucy followed Alaric into his classroom where Elena and Stefan were already waiting for them. Whatever Alaric had to tell them must have been important to need to call a little meeting.

"What's going on?" Lucy asked, looking from Stefan and Elena to Alaric.

"Isobel's in town," Alaric delivered the blow, looking straight at Lucy. "And she's asking to meet with you and Elena."

In shock, Lucy leaned against the wall of windows. Why did Isobel reveal herself to Alaric now? Why did she want to meet with her and Elena after compelling that man to tell them to quit looking for her?

Lucy felt warmth on her upper back and looked to her left, seeing that Stefan had placed a steady hand on her and was trying to comfort her. She smiled softly, finding that his presence did help her feel better.

"Why does she want to meet with us?" Elena asked Alaric, eyebrows furrowed.

"I don't know," Alaric shook his head. "But she threatened to start killing people if you don't meet her."

"Great," Lucy snarked, covering up her worry. "Our biological mother is a freaking psychopath."

Elena gave Lucy a stern look but didn't bother to say anything—she was right anyway.

The door opened and Damon walked into the room with a casual swagger.

"Damon, thanks for coming," Alaric welcomed him.

"Sorry, I'm late. My dog ate my, uh…" Damon paused, seeing the frowns on everyone's faces. "What's with all the furrowed brows?"

"I saw Isobel last night," Alaric told him.

"Isobel's here?" Damon asked incredulously. "In town?"

When Alaric nodded, Damon looked right at Elena, his face softening. He shook his head after a few seconds and focused back on Alaric.

"Did you ask her about Uncle John?" he quizzed Alaric. "Are they working together?"

"No."

"No, they're not?"

"No, I didn't ask," Alaric stated.

"What about the invention?"

"Didn't ask."

"Did she know about the tomb vampires?"

"I don't know."

Damon glared at him. "Did words completely escape you?"

"Damon…" Lucy narrowed her eyes at the older Salvatore brother. Why was she the one constantly playing mediator with him and Alaric?

"I was a little too distracted by my dead vampire-wife to ask any questions," Alaric defended himself.

"Well, what'd she want?"

"She wants to see us, Damon," Elena spoke up.

Damon turned to Elena, eyes wide and concerned.

"Alaric is supposed to arrange a meeting," Stefan informed his brother. "We don't know why or what she wants."

"You don't have to see if her you don't want to," Damon told her softly.

Lucy looked between him and Elena, wondering what was happening with them. Damon was all warm and concerned with Elena like he wasn't with anyone else, including his own brother. Elena's gaze was soft, too, like she was relying on him for comfort rather than Stefan.

"We don't really have a choice," Elena said quietly.

"She's threatening to go on a killing spree," Alaric added.

"Oh," Damon blinked. "I take it that's not okay with you guys."

"I want to do it," Elena declared. "I want to meet her. If I don't, I know I'll regret it."

Lucy didn't know what to do; obviously she didn't want Isobel to kill anyone, but she was very nervous about meeting her biological mother. She didn't know if meeting Isobel would disturb the memories she had of her mom or if she was just going to be disappointed with Isobel in general.

But it looked like she didn't have a choice…what Elena says, goes.

"Lucy?" Stefan caught her attention, seeing the dazed look in her eyes. She turned to him, almost subconsciously. "What do you think?"

"It doesn't matter what I think," Lucy said decidedly. "Isobel is going to kill people if we don't meet with her."

"Well, it's settled," Alaric said grimly. "I'll contact Isobel."

Lucy sat next to Elena at a table in full view of the pool tables, listening to the music playing over the speakers and trying not to freak out about meeting Isobel. She sipped at the cappuccino that the waitress just brought over and ignored the way Elena was having a one-sided conversation with Stefan who was playing pool by himself, watching over them in case Isobel tried anything.

Lucy looked up when Elena went silent and a shadow fell over their table. Isobel Flemming stood before them, taking off her jacket and placing it neatly on the back of her chair. She didn't say anything until she was settled in her seat.

"Hello, girls," she greeted them calmly. She focused on Elena first, fascinated by her resemblance to Katherine. "You look just like her. It's eerie."

Lucy raised her eyebrows, surprised, while Elena asked, "You've met Katherine."

"She found me after I turned. Genetic curiosity, I suppose," Isobel stated. "She would be fascinated by you," she turned to Lucy, then. "You have Ric's cheekbones…and his eyes…very weird…"

Confused by Isobel's statement, Lucy cleared her throat and focused on the large lapis lazuli stone hanging around Isobel's neck. "Is that how you walk in the sun?"

Isobel lazily picked up her pendent. "Katherine helped me obtain it," her eyes drifted down Lucy's face to the moonstone locket resting against her breastbone. "Very nice locket."

Lucy looked at her locket, uncomfortable, and then looked at Elena, silently pleading that she would say something. Isobel was freaking her out.

Elena got the hint. "Who's my father?" she asked Isobel curtly.

"Not important," Isobel said flippantly. "He was a teenage waste of space."

"A name would be nice."

"It would, wouldn't it?" Isobel stared firmly at Elena. "You two ask a lot of questions."

Proving her right, Elena asked, "Why did you compel that man to kill himself right after he told us to stop looking for you?"

"Dramatic impact," Isobel shook her head slightly. "I wish it would have been more effective."

Lucy recoiled slightly. Damon was one of the fiercest vampires she had come across, yet even he didn't kill people just for dramatic impact—that she knew of. Her biological mother was here, in front of her, and she didn't even care that she killed someone for no reason.

"Human life means that little to you?" she asked, not bothering to hide her shock.

Isobel smiled pleasantly. "It means nothing to me. It's just part of being what I am."

Lucy didn't buy it; Stefan cared for everyone's humanity, whether they were a supernatural creature or a human. Hell, even Anna cared about Jeremy and Damon cared about Elena.

"No, it's not," Elena argued. "I know other vampires. That's not true."

"You mean your boyfriend over there by the pool table, Stefan Salvatore?" Isobel said calmly. "Why Stefan? Why didn't you go for Damon?" she leaned forward, as if she wanted gossip about Elena's life. "Or are you enjoying them both like Katherine did?"

Lucy's mouth opened slightly, shocked—and a little bit amused—by Isobel's question. Still, to an outsider, was that what Elena's relationships with the Salvatores looked like? Just a repeat of history?

"Why did you want to meet us?" Lucy changed the subject, seeing that Elena was too shocked by Isobel's question. "It can't just be to catch up."

"Because I'm curious about you two," Isobel stated but then hesitated and added, "But the real reason is that I want what your uncle wants. Jonathan Gilbert's invention."

Lucy and Elena exchanged an uncomfortable look.

"How do you know our uncle?" Lucy asked.

"I used to spend a lot of time here when I was younger. John had a crush on me for years," Isobel informed them. "He was the first one that told me about vampires."

"So, what made you want to be one?"

"It's a very long list of reasons, Elena," Isobel answered Elena. "All of which I'm sure you've thought about."

Elena shook her head at Isobel's assumption.

"That was your first lie," Isobel pointed out. "It's inevitable. You're going to get old and Stefan won't. Forever doesn't last very long when you're human."

Surprisingly, Lucy felt her stomach drop that those words. She didn't want to be a vampire but she didn't like the thought of not having Stefan in her life. He had become a permanent fixture since he walked into the school on the first day and she couldn't imagine what this year would have been like without him. She couldn't imagine where _she'd_ be without him.

Why was she even this upset, though? She and Stefan weren't in a relationship—they were just friends. She didn't have the right to be so concerned about her aging and Stefan staying the same.

"I'm sorry, but we don't have what you're looking for," Elena spat, standing up and grabbing Lucy's wrist to pull her to her feet.

Isobel grabbed Lucy's free wrist to stop them from walking away.

"Sit down," she threatened them, lightly squeezing Lucy's wrist. "and tell your boyfriend to walk away."

Lucy glanced at Stefan for a split second, seeing that he was on his way over, and sat right back down, Isobel still holding onto her for leverage against Elena. Elena reluctantly sat down, giving Stefan a significant look, and Isobel let go of Lucy.

"I want the invention," Isobel restated, her voice harder than before.

Lucy exhaled harshly. "We don't have the stupid invention!"

"I know that, but Damon does—" Isobel looked right at Elena. "—and you're going to get it for me."

Elena shook her head. "He's not going to give it to me."

"Then the blood will be on your hands," Isobel said flatly. She gathered her jacket and purse and stood up. As she walked away, she added, "It was nice meeting you, girls."

Lucy felt her face warm up dramatically and her eyes sting, tears forming. She squeezed her eyes shut for a long second and opened them, standing up from the table. She pushed past Stefan and even Bonnie as she walked out of the Grill; she just needed a moment. And she needed—

Joel was standing on the sidewalk outside of the Grill, smiling sadly at her. Lucy let out a huge breath and ran toward him, wrapping him into the tightest hug she could manage. He was exactly who she needed and she was glad he was there, even if she was confused with his presence.

Joel laid his chin on the top of Lucy's head and rubbed her back, trying to comfort her. When Stefan called about Isobel being in town, he wasn't going to stay at Whitmore and party while his sisters met their biological mother. His siblings needed him in Mystic Falls, so that's where he'd be.

The crinkling of fast food wrappers was louder than the music coming from Joel's radio but Lucy didn't really care to listen to the rap music that her brother preferred. All she cared about at the moment was the delicious bagel sandwich clenched firmly in her hands and how sad she would be when she ate all of it.

"How long are you staying?" Lucy asked Joel in between bites.

"I'll leave after Founder's Day," Joel sighed, crumpling up his burger wrapper. "I already had to dodge two conversations with John, I don't want to give him any more opportunities to corner me."

"Do you think he knows about you?" Lucy wondered; if John knew his nephew was a vampire, would he kill him? Did being family only get you so far?

"I wouldn't doubt it," Joel shook his head bitterly. "Especially if he's working with Isobel."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I saw Isobel walking out of the Grill last night and I recognized her," Joel admitted. "Luce, she's the one who turned me."

Lucy choked on the bit of sandwich she bit into and forcefully swallowed. "What?" she wheezed. "Isobel?"

"The one and only."

"If I didn't hate her before, I definitely do now," Lucy scoffed, disgusted that she was related to that monster. She grabbed Joel's arm and gave him a comforting squeeze. "I'm so sorry, Joel."

Joel smiled at her. "Don't worry about it," he sighed. "Being a vampire's not that bad. I've got the blood drinking pretty much under control. I'll never age and I'll be a stud forever."

"You're going to have to watch me, Elena, and Jeremy die one day," Lucy pointed out with a frown.

"And I'll be devastated," Joel conceded, a sad glint in his eyes at the thought of losing his siblings. "But I'll be able to look after your children and your grandchildren and so on. And if I can remember you guys, you'll never really be gone."

Lucy felt her eyes tingle with tears at the sentimentality and honesty in Joel's voice.

"That was really sweet, Joel," her voice trembled emotionally.

Joel grinned at Lucy and then winked. "Don't tell anyone about this," he teased. "My hard reputation will die."

"What hard reputation?" Lucy scoffed. "Joel, you're still known around school as the football player who cried over an injured pigeon and nursed it until it was healthy again."

Joel shrugged. "Chicks dig a sensitive guy."

"You're an asshole!" Lucy laughed. When she calmed down, she asked, "So you really drove an hour and a half just because Stefan called you?"

"You and Elena are my sisters, of course I would come," Joel said seriously. "And Stefan was really worried about you in particular."

"Why?"

Joel shrugged. "I'm not sure…but it's nice to know he's looking out for you, too."

"Yeah…"

Why would Stefan call Joel for her? And why did the thought of him looking out for her make her stomach twist pleasantly?

"Come on," Joel interrupted her thoughts. "Your lunch break only has ten minutes left and Caroline would probably have her mom send out an APB if you're not back in time."

Lucy laughed half-heartedly, still thinking about Stefan. "Yeah, she probably would."

"Did Bonnie say what she wanted because I'm pretty sure Caroline is going to murder me," Lucy whispered to Elena as they walked through the hallway to the chemistry room where Bonnie asked to meet them. "When did you and Bonnie start talking again, anyway?"

"She didn't say what she wanted," Elena sighed. "And she came to the house this morning and we made up."

"Well, that's great," Lucy smiled, happy that the two best friends were back together.

Elena smiled back at her and opened the door to the chemistry room they approached. Bonnie was sitting inside at a lab table, Emily's grimoire opened in front of her.

"Hey, Bon," Lucy smiled tentatively, hoping that Bonnie would be willing to speak to her again, as well.

"Hey, Luce," Bonnie grinned back at her; Lucy sighed in relief. "Thanks for meeting me, you guys. I wanted you to see this."

"That's Emily's grimoire, right?" Lucy guessed, scooting down the table some so Elena could see.

Bonnie nodded. "I've been going through it since Grams died," she pointed to the page that had a couple drawings on it of the Gilbert compass that detected vampires.

"That's the vampire compass," Elena recognized it, too.

"Yep," Bonnie confirmed. "According to Emily, Jonathan Gilbert never actually succeeded in inventing anything. Emily secretly spelled them all with magic. The compass—" she turned the page, where there were sketches of Alaric and John's rings. "—rings, and the mystery device you told me about."

Bonnie turned the page again and this time, the drawing was of the device that Damon got from Pearl, who stole it from Jonathan Gilbert back in 1864. It was the same device that Isobel was asking her and Elena for.

"That's it," Lucy nodded.

"Well, a part of it," Elena corrected her sister. "Damon only has one piece."

"Emily pledged her loyalty to Katherine, but she couldn't stand by and watch innocent people get killed," Bonnie informed them. "This was the only way she could think of to help—to let Jonathan Gilbert believe that he'd actually invented these devices."

Lucy frowned thoughtfully and looked back to the drawing; the device looked kind of like a crude version of a music box. "Does the grimoire say what the device does?"

Bonnie hummed and bent over the grimoire, reading through Emily's messy but beautiful handwriting. When she finished reading, she looked at the sisters with wide eyes.

"Are you sure this is what Isobel wants?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," Elena stated. "Why?"

Bonnie looked at Lucy and Elena seriously. "This is a weapon against vampires."

The parking lot was absolutely filled with juniors and seniors working on the floats for the Founder's Day parade. Music played loudly from a stereo someone had brought and everyone was in a good mood.

Lucy and Elena weren't two of those people in good moods. The fact that Isobel wanted a device that harmed vampires was confusing—why would she want something that could be used against her? At the same time, there was something fishy about the fact that Isobel wanted it…

"Elena! Lucy!" Lucy heard the voice of their younger brother call for them. "Hey!"

Lucy and Elena stopped walking as Jeremy approached them. Lucy was surprised that he was seeking them out; he had hardly said one word to her since she spilled the beans about vampires, Vicki's death, and Damon compelling him.

"Hey, have you seen Stefan?" Elena asked him absentmindedly. "I need to find him."

"No, not lately," Jeremy said quickly, not really caring if he had seen Stefan or not. "Listen, do you guys have a second?"

"Of course, Jere," Lucy gave him a small smile. "What's up? What's going on?"

"Well, it's Anna," Jeremy admitted. "I've left her all these messages but she hasn't gotten back to me, not even a text."

Lucy bit her lip, worried, but Elena gave him a confused look.

"Anna?" she said. "I didn't know you guys were still friends."

"Yeah, we're more than friends."

Lucy was glad that Jeremy was moving on from Vicki, even if it was with Anna. The only thing that she had against Anna was the fact that she was using Jeremy but if Jeremy himself could forgive her, then Lucy could too. Besides, it seemed like Anna really brought the best out of her little brother and that was great.

"Look," Jeremy continued. "Something could be seriously wrong and if you know anything, you guys have to tell me."

"I haven't seen or heard from her, Jere," Lucy promised him sincerely. "Honest."

Jeremy turned to Elena, waiting for her response.

Elena shook her head. "I haven't talked to her, Jere."

"Are you lying to me right now?" Jeremy asked her quietly.

Elena bristled at his accusation. "Why would you say that?"

"'Cause that's what you do, Elena," Jeremy sneered. "You lie. You lie about everything. I know what Anna is and I know that you know because Lucy told me."

Elena turned and glowered at Lucy but Lucy didn't let it affect her. Jeremy needed to know, especially if he was going to be in a romantic relationship with Anna. She didn't know about them when she told him about everything, but she didn't want to lie to him anymore.

"So, tell me," Jeremy glared at Elena, causing Elena to look back at him. "Do you have any idea where she is."

"No," Elena said truthfully. "but Jere—"

Jeremy walked away from Lucy and Elena before Elena could give him a lecture that not only did he not want but didn't have time for.

"Jeremy, wait!" Elena called after him. Jeremy continued to walk away and Elena turned to Lucy. "This is all your fault."

"My fault?" Lucy gasped in disbelief. How was this her fault? She had the courage to tell Jeremy what happened and now she was to blame for everything? "You shouldn't have had Damon compel him about Vicki or hide this from him."

"You lied, too!"

"I lied because you gave me no choice," Lucy hissed and if she had hackles, they'd be raised. "And I came clean. You were never going to tell him!"

"Of course, I wasn't!"

"Elena, Joel is a vampire," Lucy lowered her voice so anyone passing couldn't hear what she was saying. "Jeremy needed to know, plain and simple."

A throat being cleared distracted both of them.

"What?" they snapped in unison, turning to the person who disturbed them.

Lucy flinched back when she saw that it was Isobel.

"Isobel," Elena said nervously. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm your mother," Isobel stated. "I want to be more involved in both of your lives."

Elena glanced at Lucy for a second and then glared at Isobel. "We don't want you in our lives."

"So, you can leave," Lucy added.

Isobel gave Lucy a disappointed look. "I understand that. You guys already have a lot of people that you care about but I've been studying. Let's see if I got this right—" Isobel turned and looked at Bonnie who was walking across the parking lot. "—there's your best friend and Lucy's witchy classmate. Gonna stay away from that one."

"Oh, sad little brother, Jeremy," Isobel continued, looking at Jeremy who was talking to Joel. "And your big brother, Joel—I hope he's transitioning well into the vampire lifestyle."

Lucy glowered at Isobel; knowing that she was the one who turned Joel made her comment even worse.

"And there's Caroline—" Isobel went on, turning in the direction of Caroline's float. She was sitting on one of the structures, gluing down the little paper balls that adorned the rest of it. "—obnoxious Caroline, Lucy's bestie. I got all of my info from her, by the way. She had no idea who I was and she wouldn't stop yapping. Oh," she looked at Matt a few feet away from Caroline. "And there's Matt—friend, ex, yappy's future ex. Lots of connections there."

"Matt's not involved in this," Elena angrily told Isobel.

"He's involved with you, isn't he?" Isobel shot back.

Lucy could feel her temper boiling under her skin. "I think you should leave," she spat at Isobel. "Or I'll make you. Have you ever been siphoned from? I heard it doesn't feel so great?"

Isobel smirked at her. "I'm not leaving and you're not touching me," she said calmly. "See, I have some friends here, too. Look—" she pointed to an older guy in a cowboy hat standing near Matt. "You see that man over there, standing next to Matt by the float? His name is Frank. He's very handsome and he's also quite handy and he noticed that the axle was kind of rusted which is very dangerous. All you have to do is apply a _little_ bit of pressure and—"

Lucy looked on, horrified, as Isobel's minion jumped onto the float, making it break and land on Matt's arm. Matt screamed in pain and Lucy went to run over but Isobel grasped her elbow, grip painfully tight.

"Hey, pick this trailer up!" Matt shouted through his pain. "Come on, guys, lift it up! Help me!"

Tyler came rushing through the crowd, a couple of football players behind him, and grabbed the trailer. All of them worked together to try and lift it off of Matt but they weren't strong enough.

"Lift!" Tyler said urgently. "Come on!"

Stefan and Joel came running through the students who gathered around to look at Matt and slipped between Tyler and another guy. Both of them lifted the trailer with ease, allowing Matt to slip out from underneath it.

As Caroline rushed over to Matt, Lucy turned back to Isobel, tears of fury in her eyes.

"Why are you doing this?" she gritted through her teeth.

"I'm showing you how easy it is to hurt the people you care about," Isobel stated matter-of-factly.

"You're doing this just because of Jonathan Gilbert's invention?" Elena asked angrily.

"Hand it over and the fun will stop."

"Elena and I both told you we don't have the invention!" Lucy exclaimed. "Damon won't give it to us, okay?"

"He'll give it to Elena," Isobel said, looking at her oldest daughter. "I think you underestimate how much Damon cares about you."

"He'll kill you before he gives it up," Elena told Isobel.

"Is that before or after I kill your brother, Jeremy?"

Lucy felt her blood turn to ice as she turned to the spot where she last saw Jeremy and Joel at. Joel was with Matt and Caroline but Jeremy was no where to be seen.

"What the hell?" she breathed anxiously, looking at Elena and Isobel only to see that Isobel was gone. "Where'd she go?"

"I don't know," Elena said before shouting, "Jeremy?"

Lucy joined in, "Jeremy?"

"Where is the device?" Bonnie asked as she, Stefan, Elena, Lucy, and Joel gathered in Alaric's classroom.

"Damon," Stefan answered her. "He's going to be difficult to reason with."

"So we don't try," Joel shrugged; he wasn't going to chance Jeremy's life on Damon's stubbornness. "I'll take him out, you guys get the device. Easy-peasy."

"Damon's stronger than you," Stefan pointed out.

"Well, right now, I have more to lose," Joel glared at the youngest Salvatore. "Which makes me desperate and angry."

"We're not taking Damon out," Elena declared, glaring at Joel. Lucy rolled her eyes. "I'll talk to him."

"He's not just gonna hand it over, especially if it's harmful to vampires," Stefan sighed. "Maybe Joel is right."

"No," Elena said immediately.

Lucy couldn't believe Elena right now. She was bargaining Jeremy's life because she didn't want Damon to have a snapped neck just for a little while. If Stefan—Damon's own brother—agreed with Joel, why wasn't Elena?

Nevertheless, Lucy started to think about different options. There had to be a way to give Isobel what she wanted and not let Stefan, Joel, and Damon get hurt in the process.

"What if it's not harmful to vampires?" Lucy spoke up; everyone looked at her. "Hello? I'm a siphon. I take away the spell and we can give it to Isobel."

"That would work," Stefan gave Lucy a smile of approval that made her chest tighten.

"Bonnie?" Elena looked at her for approval which annoyed Lucy.

Why couldn't her sister believe in her abilities just as much as she believed in Bonnie's?

Bonnie sighed. "If it was another spell, it would work," she grabbed her grimoire and opened it up to the page on the device. "See this symbol?"

Bonnie pointed to the corner of the page where an upside down 'T' was written.

"This means that Emily made it so the spell couldn't be siphoned," Bonnie explained, giving Lucy a sympathetic look.

Lucy didn't understand; how could a spell not be siphoned? It was magic and she siphoned _magic_. It didn't make a lick of sense to her.

"Okay, but is there another way to make it so the device doesn't work?" Joel asked Bonnie.

Bonnie looked at the grimoire and bit her lip after a few seconds. She looked back up at everyone and nodded. "I can reverse the spell."

Everyone eventually agreed that they were going with the plan of Bonnie reversing the spell. Lucy and Joel—and even Stefan—wanted to just snap Damon's neck and take the device while he was knocked out, but Elena still wasn't having it. They were wasting time arguing about it, so they just decided to go along with Elena's plan.

It irked Lucy that they were calling it Elena's plan when it was Lucy and Bonnie who came up with it. Elena was just on her last nerve today, she guessed.

They met up with Damon in the library of the Salvatore Boarding House twenty minutes later. As soon as they presented their plan about the Gilbert device, Damon rejected it vehemently.

"Absolutely not."

"Hear me out," Elena begged.

"I'm not gonna give the device to Isobel so she can give it to John who's gonna turn around and kill me," Damon proclaimed. "I like being a living-dead person."

Lucy gritted her teeth; she was done playing around. "If you don't give us the device so Bonnie can reverse the spell, _I'll_ kill you," she threatened Damon. "I don't care that you're Stefan's brother, got it?"

Damon rolled his eyes. "I'd like to see you try, Twitch."

Lucy immediately reached for her locket, only to be blocked by Stefan. He grabbed her hand and pulled it away from her neck, holding it with both of his hands to keep her still. She sent him a heavy glare but he smiled slightly, knowing that she wouldn't siphon from him on purpose.

Damon sent her a triumphant look that had Joel hissing in warning.

"Anyway," Elena gave Lucy a glare that Lucy sent back heatedly and turned to Damon. "The device would be useless. Bonnie can take its power away."

"I don't trust her."

"I can remove the original spell," Bonnie spoke up from next to Joel.

"John and Isobel will never know," Elena finished.

"No," Damon denied them. "I'll get Jeremy my own way."

"Really?" Joel asked heatedly; Damon hummed. "How are you gonna do that? Isobel's a vampire and Jeremy could be _dead_ the second you walk in the door."

Damon seemed to consider this. He turned to Bonnie and asked, "Are you even up for this? I mean, no offense…you're no Emily Bennett. Emily knew what she was doing."

"I've been practicing."

"It's not piano lessons, honey."

Bonnie stepped closer to Damon, rising to his silent challenge. "What's your favorite book?"

Damon furrowed his eyebrows, bewildered at the change in conversation. "What?"

"Name a book, any book."

"Name a book," Damon repeated with a sigh. "How about 'Call of the Wild', Jack London."

Bonnie turned to face one wall of book shelves and inhaled deeply. An old book sprung out of a row of books and flew across the room, right into Damon's hands.

Damon read the title and confirmed that it was the right book. "Jack London," he threw the book on the floor. "Great parlor trick."

Lucy gave Bonnie an impressed smile, earning herself a smile back.

"We're doing this, Damon," Elena declared. "And we're gonna do it my way."

Lucy rolled her eyes and started to think that she needed a break from her sister; she was annoying her severely. Realizing that her hands were still in Stefan's, she pulled them out of his grip and ignored the confused look he sent her.

"Now give me the device," Elena requested of Damon. "We're wasting time."

Damon looked at Bonnie. "I don't trust you," he said. "I tried to kill you."

"You're right, you can't trust me," Bonnie glared at him.

"But you can trust me," Elena interjected, grabbing Damon's focus.

Elena and Damon stared into each other's eyes for a few seconds, causing both Stefan and Lucy to look between them, bewildered and annoyed. Finally, Damon dug his hand into his pants pocket and pulled out the Gilbert device, handing it to Elena.

"Thank you," Elena said sincerely.

She turned to Bonnie and handed her the device.

The bell tolled as Lucy and Elena stood in the court square, waiting for Isobel and her minions to show up. Joel, Stefan, and Damon were on stand-by if things went south but Lucy didn't think they'd need them. Isobel wanted the device and, as far as she knew, she was getting it.

Bonnie had reserved the spell on the device for them, as asked. There was the whole lights-flickering thing and the fire roared but Bonnie confirmed that the spell was reversed and the device wouldn't do any damage whatsoever.

Lucy trusted her; the device wouldn't be a problem.

"Oh, come on," Lucy hissed, shivering in her jacket. "Where is she?"

A whoosh of air behind her and Elena answered her question. They turned around to face Isobel and Lucy's eyes narrowed when Jeremy wasn't there.

"Where's the device?" Isobel asked.

"Where's our brother?" Lucy said in return.

"This isn't a negotiation," Isobel reminded them. "Where is the invention?"

"_Where is our brother?"_ Lucy repeated, voice hardening.

"Do you really think that I came alone?" Isobel nodded behind them. Lucy and Elena turned around; Isobel's minions appeared, arms crossed over their chests threateningly.

"Do you think that we came alone?" Elena retorted, looking behind Isobel. Isobel glanced behind her, nodding at Joel, Stefan, and Damon as they made themselves known.

Isobel sighed. "For fuck sake, call home."

"What?"

"Call home and ask to speak to your brother," Isobel said.

Lucy pursed her lips and pulled out her cell phone, clicking on Jeremy's contact. The line rang for a second before Jeremy answered.

"_Hello_?"

"Jeremy, are you okay?" Lucy asked quickly, feeling her relief seep into her bones.

"_Yeah, yeah, I'm fine_," Jeremy assured her. "_Uncle John hit his head. It was an accident."_

"_We're all laughing_," Lucy heard Jenna call in the background.

"_But yeah, I'm okay_," Jeremy continued.

Lucy sighed, relieved. What would she do if Jeremy was hurt? "Okay. We'll be home soon, all right?"

"_Yeah_."

Lucy hung up the call and shoved her phone back into her pocket, nodding at Elena and silently telling her that Jeremy was safe at home.

Elena looked at Isobel. "You were never going to hurt him."

"No," Isobel disagreed. "I was going to kill him."

Lucy narrowed her eyes at her, wishing more than ever that she had her own magic.

"Don't look for any redeeming qualities in me," Isobel added. "I don't have any."

"But you took a risk with Damon," Elena snarked. "How did you know that he was gonna give it to me?"

Isobel smirked. "Because he's in love with you."

Lucy pressed her lips together. Now she understood all the looks Damon had been giving her sister. Why then, she wondered, was Elena giving him those looks back?

To break the awkward silence, Lucy pulled the device out of her jacket and held it out to Isobel. Isobel grabbed it and quickly put it in her own pocket, looking satisfied.

"Thank you," Elena spoke up harshly before Isobel could leave.

Isobel looked at her, confused. "For what?"

"For being such a monumental disappointment," Elena spat. "It keeps the memory of our real mother perfectly intact."

Lucy nodded in agreement; she would be glad to see Isobel leave. Even if they weren't related by blood, Miranda Gilbert would always be her real mom.

"Goodbye, Lucy," Isobel said, looking at her youngest daughter. "I hope that you're ready for what's coming for you. Keep an eye on your brother for me."

Lucy pursed her lips and didn't bother to respond. Isobel's vague statements were too confusing to try to sort out. And it infuriated her that Isobel spoke about Joel like that. He wasn't a puppet and he didn't need her to look out for him; he was one of the strongest people she knew.

"Goodbye, Elena," Isobel looked to Elena now. "As long as you have a Salvatore on each arm, you're doomed. Katherine was smart; she got out…but we all know that you're not Katherine."

Having said all that she needed to say, Isobel walked away with her minions.

Lucy wasn't upset to say that she was relieved to see Isobel go. She hoped she'd never have to see her again.


	20. The Council Attacks

**[1x22; Founder's Day]**

"Ouch, this dress hurts!"

Lucy rolled her eyes as Elena whined about her dress for what had to be the fifth time. She had agreed to help Jenna tied up Elena's corset for the vintage dress she had to wear for the Founder's Day Miss Mystic float but she was tired of hearing her sister complain.

Most of her annoyance came from the fact that Lucy didn't get to dress up like she was from the eighteen-hundreds.

"Suck it up, baby," Jenna said, grinning at Lucy as she tied a sage-green sash around Elena's waist.

Elena huffed and fluffed her hair that Lucy styled into bouncy curls and clasped the necklace that Stefan gave her around her neck. Once she deemed herself ready, she turned around and looked at Lucy and Jenna.

"Ready?"

"I was born ready," Lucy replied with a small smile. Her and Elena had been on the outs for the past couple of days since Jeremy revealed to Elena that he read her journal but they were slowly making up. That is, if Elena didn't manage to annoy her to death. "It's my first Founder's Day on the planning committee."

"I'm sure everything will be amazing," Jenna grinned, slinging an arm around Lucy's shoulders.

Lucy smiled. "Let's hope so."

Twenty minutes later, Lucy was shadowing Mrs. Lockwood. They walked around the school yard, trying to get the parade participants in their correct lineup. It was beginning to be a challenge with how peppy and excited everyone was.

"No, no, no, no!" Mrs. Lockwood scolded a couple of band members. "It's all wrong. The marching band should be in front of the Historic Society."

Lucy looked up from her clipboard and saw that Matt was talking to one of his teammates. "Matty," she called, waving at him. "You have to get on your float!"

Matt laughed and saluted her. "Yes, Ma'am!"

"Boys," Mrs. Lockwood moved on, speaking to some of the volunteers dressed in gold t-shirts. "I asked you to put some chairs on the Founder's float."

Lucy noticed Stefan standing just off of the sidewalk, dressed in his age-appropriate costume. He looked very handsome—as ever—and Lucy could feel her heartbeat speed up. She could only imagine what he was like before he was changed in 1864 but she didn't think it was much—Stefan had told her that everyone's traits were heightened when they become vampires.

Lucy waved at Stefan as she passed him, earning a large smile in return. Her cheeks flushed and she turned away, focusing on a group of her cheerleading teammates.

"Girls," she got their attention. "It's time to get on your float!"

Mrs. Lockwood gave her the go-ahead to find her friends after all the floats were in set order and ready to go. Lucy eagerly left her and set out to find Caroline and Bonnie, excited to see the former's outfit for her float.

It didn't take long to find Caroline; she was dressed in a big, yellow gown that actually flattered her. She squealed as she approached her best friend and laughed when Caroline shrieked back, pulling each other into a hug at the same time.

"Look at you!" Lucy awed, feeling the scratchy fabric on Caroline's waist. "You look absolutely beautiful!"

Caroline beamed, her dimples on full display. "Thanks, Luce! Come on, let's take a picture," she gestured to Bonnie, who gave Lucy an unsure smile.

"Sure," Lucy agreed before greeting Bonnie. "Hey, Bon!"

"Hi," Bonnie held the camera up to her eye and allowed Lucy and Caroline to situate themselves into an appropriate pose. "Say cheese!"

"Cheese!" Lucy and Caroline chorused, giving big smiles to the camera.

As Lucy pulled away from Caroline's embrace she spotted Matt walking up to them. Even though he wasn't on the float like she told him to be, she smiled and turned to Caroline. "Take one with Matt!"

"Oh, yes!" Caroline cheered, taking in the costume she set up for her boyfriend. Matt looked great in the vintage clothing. "It'll be so cute. Matt, come on."

Matt grinned and wrapped an arm around Caroline while Lucy went to Bonnie's side. Bonnie held up the camera and repeated, "Say cheese!"

"Wait!" Caroline objected. "Hide your cast, it's not era appropriate."

Matt rolled his eyes. "Seriously?"

"Yes!"

"Okay, fine."

Lucy giggled as Matt did as Caroline asked, situating himself so his cast was behind Caroline's back. She was glad Caroline had someone that cared so much about her. For so long, her best friend thought that there wasn't a guy that could keep up with her perfectionist self but it looks like Matt was there all along.

Bonnie quickly took the picture and Caroline declared, "I want one with Bonnie, now."

"Here, I can take it."

All four of them turned to Tyler as he offered to take the picture. Matt scowled at his best friend—who was dressed as a confederate soldier—and stomped away, telling Caroline that he'd be on the float. They clearly hadn't made up since Tyler made out with Matt's mom and then beat Matt up.

Tyler sighed. "I said I was sorry."

Caroline gave him a look of disbelief. "You made out with his mother and then you beat him to a pulp," she said matter-of-factly. "You're gonna have to do a little bit better than sorry."

To make her point, Caroline stomped away, too.

Lucy clicked her tongue, not feeling sympathetic for Tyler, and turned to Bonnie. "I'm gonna go find Joel. Do you wanna meet up for the parade?"

Bonnie nodded, smiling slightly. "Sure. See you later."

"Did ya hear about John Gilbert?" Damon asked, walking up to Lucy and Joel as they waited for the parade to start.

Joel gave him an annoyed look. "What about John?"

"Did he threaten to kill you again?" Lucy asked. "Shame."

"No," Damon scowled at her. "John is Elena's biological father."

Lucy was shocked; their asshole of an uncle was Elena's biological father and he didn't bother to tell Elena or anyone else? Well, now it made sense that her Grandma and Grandpa Gilbert never treated Elena any differently—obviously they knew that John was her father.

When Lucy found out she was adopted, she didn't really feel left out because she knew that Elena was like her. Now, though, she felt like she didn't belong—she wasn't a Gilbert at all. Not like her siblings, anyway.

"You're serious?" Joel raised his eyebrows.

"Very," Damon nodded. "I mean, think about it. Isobel and John dated when they were teenagers and then Isobel all of a sudden showed up at your dad's clinic with a baby on the way?"

"It could be a coincidence," Joel shrugged. Lucy hummed, though she didn't agree; what Damon said made sense to her.

"Doubtful."

The parade started then and Damon decided to stay next to the Gilbert siblings to watch it, much to Lucy and Joel's chagrin. The parade was great, in Lucy's opinion, everyone was going smoothly and the floats were creative and decorated nicely.

She was proud of what her friends and classmates had accomplished.

"Let's give a big hand to the Mystic Falls High School Marching Band!" Mrs. Lockwood announced through the microphone so everyone in the crowd could hear.

Lucy cheered loudly as the band slowly marched past them; their marching band was actually better than their football team and had one numerous state titles and awards. Lucy always enjoyed their performances and loved to collaborate with their direction on routines that the cheerleaders could perform.

"And, for a little local history, Mr. Saltzman's students have recreated Virginia's Battle of Willow Creek!"

Lucy cheered again and waved at her brother, dressed in the same costume as Tyler. She and Joel laughed as Jeremy pretended to be shot by Tyler, amused by his dramatics.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," Mrs. Lockwood said into the microphone. "Please welcome our stunning Miss Mystic Falls court and their handsome escorts!"

Lucy enthusiastically waved at Elena, Stefan, Caroline, and Matt. The float looked amazing and Caroline's vision was brought to life beautifully. She couldn't be more excited that it turned out amazing.

"This is Caroline Forbes, Miss Mystic Falls!" Mrs. Lockwood announced. "Aren't they beautiful?"

"Woo!" Lucy cheered for her friends. She wrapped an arm around Bonnie as she walked over to her. "Bon, you found us!"

Bonnie laughed and wrapped an arm around Lucy's waist before waving at Elena, Caroline, and Matt.

Her smile faded, however, when she saw Damon standing near them. Damon grinned at her, causing her to stiffen.

"What do you want?" she snapped at him.

Damon shrugged casually. "Just watching the parade."

Bonnie rolled her eyes and whispered to Lucy, "I'll see you later."

"All right," Lucy nodded.

When Bonnie left, Damon followed her. The crowd around Lucy cheered again as Mrs. Lockwood announced the football team but Lucy was too worried about Bonnie to join in on the fun.

The afternoon was waning and the sun was beginning to set, but Lucy was excited for night to come. She loved fireworks and there were only two times a year that she got to see them; the Fourth of July and Founder's Day. All day she had been looking forward to the show and she was bursting with excitement—though that could have been the whole bag of cotton candy she chowed on.

Even if being a small-town girl was a bad thing in most peoples' eyes, Lucy didn't care to admit she was one. She loved Mystic Falls and she loved celebrating the town and its achievements. She loved that she was starting to become part of the traditions and she was making her own mark—she wasn't just the youngest daughter of the late Grayson and Miranda Gilbert. She wasn't the little sister of football star, Joel Gilbert, and teen beauty, Elena Gilbert. She was getting out of their shadows and becoming Lucy Gilbert, talented volunteer with a smart mouth and kind heart.

And that excited her because even though she and Jeremy were close in age, she and Elena had the same friends, and she and Joel had the same sense of humor—Lucy was her own person.

And as her own person, Lucy could have as many bags of cotton candy as she wanted.

She handed her money to the vendor and picked out a bag of blue cotton candy, ripping it open like a child. She had grabbed a handful and stuffed it in her mouth when Stefan walked up to her.

"How many bags have you eaten now, four?" he asked, an amused smile on his face.

Lucy swallowed the sugary delight and chuckled. "This is my second, thank you."

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"You should be," Lucy retorted with a smile. "What have you been up to?"

"Nothing really, but I'm starting to regret not getting my face painted," Stefan gestured to Lucy's cheek, where a large daisy was painted by a girl scout that she thought was adorable. "You look cute."

Lucy could feel her cheeks warm up under his praise. "I can paint your face, if you want."

"All right."

Once Stefan agreed, Lucy all but dragged him over to the face-painting station. Everyone was allowed to volunteer and paint their face or their friend's face, so it was an open table. The table was half-filled, mostly with little girls and their parents, but Lucy and Stefan found seats at the end.

Lucy grabbed a pallet of paint and a paintbrush before turning to Stefan. "Okay, Broody, what do you want?"

"Hmm," Stefan hummed thoughtfully. "I want you to paint a…sun."

"A sun?" Lucy smiled. "With sunglasses?"

"It's inaccurate, but yes," he decided to indulge her and her weird habit of putting sunglasses on her sketches of the sun. She truly could be a child sometimes.

Lucy smiled and happily dipped her paintbrush into the bright yellow paint and scooted her chair closer to Stefan's. She pressed the brush against Stefan's smooth cheek and started to paint, careful not to make any mistakes.

"We haven't really talked lately," Stefan spoke up while she was concentrating.

Luckily, the movement of his mouth didn't have much of an effect on her work.

"Well, we've both been busy," Lucy said quietly. "…and I might have felt bad about shoving that vervain dart in your back."

It was true; though she didn't regret poisoning him because it helped him get back into control, it didn't mean she didn't feel guilty.

"You don't have to feel bad," Stefan assured her. "You helped me and I'm grateful."

"I know it helped but it doesn't make me feel better," Lucy admitted, feeling her eyes start to sting. She inhaled deeply and continued, "I never wanted to hurt you."

Stefan gently grabbed her wrist that was painting and held it still while he looked at her seriously. "It's okay to feel guilty but please understand that I'm not mad at you, nor do I blame you at all," he rubbed his thumb against her wrist. "I missed you, Lucy."

All at once, a realization hit her and she felt so stupid that she didn't realize it sooner. She liked Stefan! Not in a friendly way—though he was her best pal, that hasn't changed—but in a romantic way.

And that was not good.

Stefan was Elena's boyfriend. He was the love of her sister's life. As in, never gonna happen. Stefan didn't care for her more than a best friend would and he would never feel the way about her that he felt for Elena.

It didn't make Lucy feel good but at least she knew her and Stefan were never going to get together romantically. It would be easy to nip this crush right in the bud.

"I missed you, too," Lucy said before she made things awkward by not answering him. She moved her wrist—Stefan took the hint and let go of her—and finished up the yellow part of the sun. "Okay, now I have to do the glasses."

"I still can't believe that you—"

"Oh, don't start this again," Lucy interrupted him with a laugh, knowing that he was trying to start a debate that they already had—whether drawings of the sun should have sunglasses. "You know I'll win."

"You're so annoying."

"_You're so annoying_," Lucy mocked him and started on the sunglasses.

In no time at all, Stefan's face was sufficiently painted and Lucy was kind of jealous that he had that awesome sun on his face instead of hers. She handed Stefan one of the mirrors on the table and watched happily as he approved.

"I look great!" he declared, putting down the mirror. "Maybe I'll finally be as hot as Damon."

"Okay, one," Lucy held up a finger. "Damon should not be someone you're striving to look like. And, two, you always look better than Damon."

Lucy couldn't believe she said that but consoled herself; friends could tell each other they looked hot, right?

Right?

Stefan smirked and wrapped an arm around Lucy's shoulders as they walked away from the face-painting table. "I knew I was the hottest brother…wait, wait, wait. Who should I strive to be hot like, then?"

"Hmm," Lucy mockingly pressed a finger against her chin. "I'm thinking…Chris Evans?"

"Who?"

"Oh, come on!" Lucy gasped. "He's the Human Torch!"

"Ah," Stefan remembered Lucy talking about those movies one time while they were exchanging their pop culture references. He was a DC guy and she was strictly Marvel. "Those movies sucked."

Lucy glared at him. "Say another word. I dare you."

"All right, all right," Stefan chuckled and put his hands up defensively.

Lucy laughed along with him until she caught something from the corner of her eye. Up ahead, Damon was gripping Jeremy's arm and making him stay in place. Jeremy looked anything but uncomfortable and it made Lucy's blood boil.

"I'm gonna kill your brother," she muttered to Stefan before marching over to Damon and Jeremy.

"…you'll be unconscious before you even get a word out," Lucy heard Damon threaten Jeremy.

"Let him go or I will burn you alive," Lucy sneered at Damon, walking up to Jeremy's side.

Damon scoffed but Stefan appeared next to him.

"Let him go, Damon," Stefan said firmly; he knew that Lucy was fully serious and wouldn't hesitate to siphon from her locket and set Damon on fire in the middle of the court square.

Damon let Jeremy go and Lucy hastily pulled Jeremy further away from Damon.

"You all right?" Stefan asked Jeremy.

Jeremy nodded. "Yeah."

Having heard what Damon was speaking to Jeremy about before he and Lucy interrupted him, he tried to clear things up. "What my brother is trying to say is don't blame Elena for this," he gave Jeremy an earnest look. "Damon turned Vicki and I killed her. She was a threat to you and she was a threat to both of your sisters."

Jeremy looked at Stefan in shock and Lucy grabbed his hand, trying to comfort him.

"I'm sorry that it happened," Stefan went on. "I wish that it hadn't."

Jeremy clenched his jaw and took his hand out of Lucy's. "You shouldn't have made me forget."

Lucy gave her brother a sad look as he walked away but honestly, she couldn't blame him. His anger was more than justified and she would give him all the time in the world if he asked for it. No way was she going to rush him.

"Good cop, bad cop," Damon smirked. "I like it."

Stefan quickly turned to his brother as Lucy glowered at him. "What are you doing?"

"He was being a punk."

"Let's get one thing straight because you're really beginning to annoy me," Lucy sneered. "My brother is _none_ of your business. I don't _care_ that you have feelings for Elena and I don't _care_ if you're trying to get in her good graces. Touch my brother again and I am serious when I say that you'll regret it."

Lucy turned around and walked away before Damon could get a word in because she knew he'd be snarky and she would lose her temper in response.

And she was right; as soon as Lucy was out of hearing range, Damon scoffed.

"Who does the little Twitch think she is?"

"_Lucy_ is right," Stefan emphasized Lucy's name, annoyed with Damon calling her that. "Elena's relationship with her brother is none of your business so stay out of it."

"Oh, so there's only one do-gooder hero role available," Damon rolled his eyes. "My bad, I'm sorry."

"Get over yourself," Stefan pursed his lips. "I have a feeling that Lucy was completely serious about her threat and we both know that you're not doing this for the right reasons."

"Okay, I can't take you seriously with your face painted," Damon laughed dryly, poking at Stefan's painted cheek; Stefan swatted his hand away. "And your jealousy act is coming up again. What are the right reasons, Stefan? Enlighten me, please."

"Well, see, Damon, it's only real when it comes from your desire to do the right thing for nothing in return and I know that is an entirely foreign concept to you," Stefan explained, using some snark. "I completely understand that you wouldn't get it."

He patted his brother's chest and then walked away, intent on finding Elena.

Lucy, Joel, and Alaric all stood together, waiting for the fireworks to start. While they waited, Joel and Alaric chatted about how Joel's new classes for the semester were going and how Alaric got started in teaching history. Lucy was delighted that her older brother got along with Alaric without any awkwardness. Everyone else in her family knew Alaric—hell, Jenna was dating him—and they all approved.

It meant the world to her that her biological father was so open to making relationships with her family.

Her happiness went away when Damon came rushing up to them.

"Ric!" he hissed. "Joel."

"Yeah?" Alaric gave him a look, wondering why Damon was speaking to him in public.

"You keep those nifty little vampire weapons in your car?" Damon asked.

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"Because this square is crawling with tomb vampires and I think we might need a stake or two," Damon explained. He turned to Joel and Lucy and said, "Keep a look out. Use your magic if you have to."

While Alaric jogged to his car, Lucy nodded, understanding that this was no time for sarcasm or wit. This was a deeply serious situation that could result in life or death.

"They're after the Founding Families," Damon added, causing Lucy to pale. "Keep that in mind."

"Got it," Joel said for the both of them.

"I'm going to get Stefan and Elena," Damon told them before running away.

"Come on," Joel grabbed Lucy's hand and started walking out of the square. "Let's get you inside."

"Joel, if I can help, I want to help," Lucy protested, though she walked along with him.

"I don't want you to get hurt," Joel said firmly. "Come on, let's go."

Lucy followed Joel onto the sidewalk that led to the Grill and could faintly hear Mayor Lockwood doing his speech and announcing the start of the fireworks. The applause from the crowd was loud and then the boom of the first firework exploding in the sky could be heard from around town.

Just as Lucy and Joel passed the Grill's back alleyway, Joel collapsed. Lucy reared back as he pressed his hands against his head and groaned in pain. Looking around, she saw several other people in her line of vision do the same, police deputies walking up toward them.

She grabbed Joel's collar and dragged him into the alley, hoping that no one had spotted him. She knelt down in front of him, watching as his face screwed up in blue and red light from the fireworks.

"Joel, what's happening?" she asked urgently.

"My head," Joel moaned, eyes tightly shut from the intense pounding in his head and loud squealing in his ears that hurt so badly. "My head."

"Oh, my God," Lucy breathed, realizing that something was affecting him that wasn't doing anything to her. Joel was a vampire, which meant that Bonnie hadn't reversed the spell on the Gilbert invention.

Joel groaned again and Lucy shushed him.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she chanted, knowing that nothing was going to help until the device turned off. "Shh, Joel. If they hear you, they'll take you. I'm so sorry."

Two minutes later—in which they were almost caught if Lucy hadn't shoved her hand against Joel's mouth—Joel let out a sigh of relief as his eardrums healed and the pounding in his head stopped.

"Bonnie," he wheezed. "She didn't…"

"She didn't reverse the spell," Lucy finished. "Come on, we have to find the others."

Using Joel's enhanced senses, they went off in search of Elena. It didn't take long to find her and, luckily, Stefan and Alaric were with her.

"Elena!" Lucy called as they approached the group.

"There you are," Elena sighed in relief, seeing that Joel was okay. "You're okay."

"Joel and Stefan are the lucky ones," Alaric spoke up. "I saw at least five vampires go down. They're taking them to your family's building."

"It's the Gilbert device," Lucy stated, crossing her arms over her chest.

Elena immediately shook her head. "No."

"It has to be," Stefan agreed with Lucy.

"But how did he get it to work?" Elena asked. "Bonnie spelled it."

"Maybe she didn't," Joel shrugged, frowning.

"She did, we saw her do it," Elena protested.

"Then why did it work?" Lucy snapped at her. "Face it, Elena, Bonnie didn't reverse the spell and Joel and Stefan were almost killed."

"Lucy," Elena glowered at her sister. "Bonnie wouldn't—"

"She's right," Stefan defended Lucy. "Think about it. We asked Bonnie to deactivate a device that could protect people against vampires."

"So we could protect you and Joel," Elena nodded, not seeing how Bonnie could betray them.

"And Damon," Stefan pointed out. "_Vampires_."

Elena's face slowly changed as she started to see Lucy and Stefan's point of view.

"Where is Damon?" Stefan asked, looking for his brother.

Alaric shook his head. "I don't know. I haven't seen him since this started."

"Can you grab Jeremy and take him home?" Joel asked Alaric. None of them wanted Jeremy around all this trouble, especially if something was going down in their father's clinic.

"Of course," Alaric left them to find Jeremy.

Elena looked at Stefan, Lucy, and Joel. "Let's go."

The four of them started walking toward Grayson's clinic, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. The firework show was still going on but Lucy could tell it was nearing the grand finale. It seemed so silly that she was excited to watch the fireworks earlier that afternoon.

As they got closer to the clinic, Joel and Stefan could hear the screams of the vampires captured and the roar of flames.

"I can hear them," Stefan informed Elena and Lucy.

"The building's on fire," Joel added furiously. Not only had John tried to kill him but he was ruining his dad's clinic. The clinic that Joel had an attachment to from spending afternoons with his father and filling out crossword puzzles in his office.

"What?" Lucy gasped in shock.

Joel didn't answer her as he started running toward the clinic. Lucy, Elena, and Stefan followed him, slowly coming to a stop when they saw Joel confronting John.

"You're one of them," John said, as though it was an obvious answer to why he tried to kill his oldest nephew.

Lucy had a feeling that they missed the first part of their conversation.

"I don't care what you think of me," Joel sneered at him. "I honestly couldn't care less about you, John."

John scoffed and that's when Lucy and Elena decided to approach them.

"Where is Damon?" Elena asked forcefully.

"With the rest of them," John said calmly. "Where he should be. It's over for Damon."

Elena shook her head in disgust. "You're crazy."

"Why?" John asked. "Because I'm doing what should have been done a hundred and forty-five years ago? This is the right thing, Elena."

Stefan shifted; he wanted so desperately to get to his brother and save him.

"Go ahead," John looked at him. "You won't make it out. It'll save me the trouble of killing you myself."

Stefan turned to the Gilbert siblings. "You guys know the building well. Is there another entrance in?"

"The utility door," Joel told him. "There's one around the side."

Stefan started walking to the building and Lucy and Joel immediately started following him, not even noticing when John held Elena back. The three of them ran to the side of the building with the utility door. Just as Stefan easily tore off the chain locking the door, Bonnie ran up to them.

"Hey, you can't go in there!" she protested.

Stefan ignored her and opened the door but Bonnie caught his arm.

"The fire will take you out!" she warned him, to Lucy's surprise.

Maybe Bonnie was feeling guilty about Stefan and Joel's involvement…

Stefan didn't care, though. Damon was in there and he wasn't going to let his brother die. "He's my brother, Bonnie."

As Stefan ran into the building, Lucy helplessly turned to Bonnie.

"Do you know a spell to reduce the fire?" she asked her. She knew it was a stretch to ask Bonnie of all people to help her in this situation, but what little she read of the grimoire Grams had given her didn't have any spell that she could use.

"Lucy…"

"Bonnie!" Lucy exclaimed, becoming frustrated. "If you don't want to do the spell, fine, but tell me it so I can!"

Elena chose that time to come running up to them, trying to run straight into the building. Joel instantly grabbed her and forcefully pulled her away from the door. "You can't go in there!"

Elena turned her gaze to Bonnie, who held out her hand for Lucy to take. "Bonnie, what are you doing?"

Lucy instantly grabbed Bonnie's hand, knowing that Bonnie would help her. She grabbed her locket and—careful not to take any of Bonnie's magic—siphoned some magic out of it.

"I'm sorry I lied to you," Bonnie apologized before turning to Lucy. "Follow my lead."

Lucy nodded and once Bonnie started chanting, she recited her words. Lucy focused on the fire raging in her father's clinic and Stefan. With Bonnie's help, she could practically see what was happening—the fire died down surrounding the stairs and Stefan raced down them, grabbing Damon and speeding back out. Lucy and Bonnie chanted again once Stefan and Damon were out of harm's way, making the fire grow back so the rest of the tomb vampires would die.

Lucy and Bonnie let go of each other and Lucy looked at the door expectantly, waiting for Stefan and Damon to come out.

"Bonnie, Lucy…what is it?" Elena asked anxiously. "Are they gonna be okay?"

Stefan and Damon burst out of the clinic, smoke billowing out behind them. Elena rushed toward them to hold Stefan up and despite her anger toward him, Lucy went to Damon's side, supporting some of his weight. Even though she didn't like Damon very much and had threatened his life a couple times, she was glad he wasn't dead.

Lucy couldn't help but sigh in relief; everyone was okay.

Lucy paused in the middle of braiding her hair, hearing loud screaming from downstairs. A few seconds went by and there wasn't any more screaming. Thinking it was a fluke, she started up again, humming slightly as she twisted tendrils of her hair.

Another scream caught her attention and she was starting to get worried. She left her bedroom and ran downstairs, searching for anything out of the ordinary.

"Elena?" she called, looking into the living room to find it empty. "Are you home?"

Lucy turned around to go into the kitchen when she ran smack dab into Elena.

"_Come on, Lucia!" a childish yet feminine voice called out from a little ways ahead of her. "You will never catch me if you run too slow!"_

"_I am running as quickly as I can, Kit!" Lucia yelled, giggling as she ran after her older sister. "Please, wait, sister!"_

_Lucia could hear her sister's laughter but could not see her curly brown locks that were slightly darker than her own. _

"_Kit!" she called again. _

_Lucia abruptly tripped on one of the roots of the trees she was running by, falling into the dirt underneath her feet. She screeched in pain as her head made contact with the root and rolled over, getting her dress all dirty. _

_Her mother would be furious with her; the dress took their nanny a month to make. _

"_Lucia!" her sister shouted, hearing her younger sister's screams. When her sister spotted her, she gasped. "Oh, my goodness, Lucia, are you hurt?"_

_Lucia simply winced and sat up, touching her throbbing forehead. Crimson blood drenched her fingertips, causing her to look at her sister in horror. _

"_It is fine," her sister said soothingly, trying not to make Lucia panic. "We will let Nanny patch you up."_

"_Father will kill me," Lucia whimpered. _

_Katerina shook her head, a gentle smile directed in her sister's direction. "I will not let any harm come to you."_

Lucy gasped loudly as she came out of whatever vision she had. It was so strange; it felt real, like she had lived the dream herself. And the girl, the older sister, she looked like Elena.

Was she finally losing it?

"Did you hear shouting?" she asked her sister, shaking her head to clear it of the vision.

"No," Elena shook her head with a small smile. "But can you check to see if Jeremy is up?"

Lucy nodded. "Sure," she headed to the stairs and started to climb them. "I couldn't have sworn I heard shouting."

"Just your imagination," she heard Elena say behind her.

Lucy decided she was right; maybe she was overtired from doing magic with Bonnie. That could be the reason she had the weird dream-slash-vision…

"Jeremy?" she called, climbing the rest of the stairs. "Are you up?"


	21. Katherine

**[2x01; The Return]**

Lucy spent a full minute knocking on Jeremy's door with no response before she just let herself in. Jeremy wasn't at his computer like he normally was at this time of night; instead, he was in his bed sleeping. It unnerved Lucy—Jeremy was normally a light sleep and would have answered his door when she knocked the first or second time.

"Jeremy?" she called, slowly walking further into his room. There was no response; he didn't move a muscle. "Jeremy!"

Lucy ran over to Jeremy's bed and took a hold of his shoulders, shaking them urgently. "Jeremy, wake up!" she pleaded, tears springing to her eyes. "Jeremy, please!"

"Jeremy? Lucy?" she heard Elena call from downstairs.

"Elena!" Lucy shouted back, still trying to wake Jeremy up. "Help!"

"Lucy! Jeremy!"

Lucy could hear Elena running up the stairs and when she looked over, Elena was entering the room with a large, bloody knife in her hand. She could ask her sister about the knife later, Jeremy was more important.

"He won't wake up," she told Elena before turning back to Jeremy's unconscious form. "Jeremy, wake up!"

Elena rushed to Jeremy's other side and began shaking him, too. "Jeremy, please!"

Jeremy gasped loudly as his eyes opened; he sat up, brushing his sisters' off of him, and looked around.

"Jeremy, are you okay?" Lucy asked cautiously; what the hell just happened? Did they need to bring him to the hospital?

"Am I a vampire?" Jeremy asked tiredly, his eyes drooping as he looked at his arms.

Elena stiffened. "What do you mean, Jeremy?"

"Why would you think you're a vampire?" Lucy added suspiciously.

"Anna gave me her blood and I took some pills," Jeremy admitted.

Lucy gasped, completely shocked that Jeremy would commit suicide and willingly become a vampire. "You did what?"

Elena shook her head, looking worried. "I'm gonna call Stefan and Joel. An ambulance is coming for John and—"

"What's wrong with John?" Lucy interrupted Elena, looking at her curiously. "Is that why you had a bloody knife? Did you stab him?"

"I didn't stab him, some tomb vampire must have," Elena glared at Lucy. She got off of Jeremy's bed and pulled her phone from her jeans. "Just stay here and I'll call Stefan."

When Elena left the room, Lucy turned to Jeremy. "Why do you want to be a vampire, Jere?"

"Anna's dead," Jeremy said heavily. "And—and Damon told me that vampires have a switch they can flip…they don't have to feel anything."

Lucy was quiet for a moment as she tried to understand everything that Jeremy said. She was sad that Anna was dead, as Jeremy really liked her, and she was irritated that Damon would tell Jeremy about a vampire's humanity switch. Mostly she was concerned with Jeremy and how he was feeling.

"Jeremy, I'm sorry about Anna," she grabbed one of his hands and squeezed it gently. "But if you need help, I will help you, okay? You don't need to be a vampire to feel better."

Jeremy frowned and ripped his hand away from Lucy; he didn't want to feel better, he didn't want to feel _anything_.

Lucy heard the sirens of the ambulance as it got closer and then Elena greeting the paramedics. It was ten minutes after Elena left to call Stefan and Joel that she and Stefan walked into Jeremy's room.

"What happened?" Stefan asked, taking in the situation. John was stabbed and something was wrong with Jeremy? This night couldn't get any worse.

"He said that Anna gave him her blood and then he took these pills—" Lucy handed Stefan the bottle that she found in the bathroom while Elena was downstairs. "and now…I mean, he looks fine but so do you."

Stefan threw the pill bottle to the floor and crouched down in front of Jeremy, taking his face in his hands. "Come here," he ordered Jeremy, trying to look at his eyes. "Look at me."

"I'm fine, okay?" Jeremy tried to pull away from Stefan but the vampire gripped his chin to hold him in place. "I feel exactly the same."

"Should I call a paramedic up here?" Elena asked anxiously. "What should I do?"

"No," Stefan carefully studied Jeremy's face for any indicators that he was in transition. "He's fine."

As Stefan stood up and stepped away from Jeremy, Jeremy sighed in disappointment. "You mean I'm not a vampire?" Stefan shook his head. "Damn it!"

Jeremy's disappointment caught Elena's attention through her relief. She looked first and saw that she didn't look surprised at Jeremy's proclamation and then she looked at Jeremy, bewildered.

"Don't say that," she scolded him. "Jeremy, why would you want that?"

Jeremy glared at her and stood up, Lucy cautiously doing the same in case she needed to intervene. "Did you hear about Anna, what happened to her tonight? She's dead."

"Jeremy, come here. Sit down," Stefan forced Jeremy to sit back down and forced the youngest Gilbert to look at him, despite his struggle to get away. "I am very sorry about Anna but it's very important that you listen to me right now. With every passing moment, Anna's blood is leaving your system. If you try to kill yourself right now, you could really die."

Seeing that Jeremy wasn't paying attention to his warnings, Stefan slapped his left cheek to get him to pay attention. Jeremy flinched and looked back at him. "Hey, do you understand me?"

"Stefan!" Lucy hissed, not liking that he hit her brother.

"Yeah, I understand," Jeremy said slowly, irritation filling his expression.

"Good," Stefan nodded and let go of Jeremy.

"What about the pills he took?" Elena wondered.

"He didn't take enough to die, so Anna's blood actually healed him of that," Stefan explained, putting his hands on his hips as he kept a close eye on Jeremy.

"Where's Joel?" Lucy spoke up; if her brother knew what was going on, why wasn't he here?

"He had been taking care of the insurance report with Jenna but he was at the hospital when I called him," Elena told her.

"Hospital?" Lucy furrowed her eyebrows; John was jus taken to the hospital.

"Tyler, Matt, and Caroline were in an accident," Stefan said, looking at Lucy with sympathetic eyes.

"What?"

Were they okay? What kind of accident were they in? What happened? Was anyone hurt? Was Caroline okay?

All these questions kept bubbling up in her head and she couldn't focus on any one of them. All she knew that she had to do was get to the hospital and see what was going on.

"I'm going to the hospital," she declared and turned to leave the room before stopping in surprise when a deputy walked up to the doorway.

"Miss Gilbert?" he called, asking for Elena.

"I'll be right there," Elena assured the man.

"You should go with Lucy to the hospital," Stefan suggested to Elena. "I'll stay here with Jeremy."

"No, I don't need a babysitter," Jeremy protested.

"Yes, you do," Elena told him firmly. She looked to Lucy and added, "Let's go."

Lucy ran through the hospital hallways, leaving Elena behind as her sister wanted to take her sweet time at a slow walking pace. Lucy didn't have the patience to go that pace, she needed to find Caroline and Matt.

The hospital was crowded for the time of night, but Lucy paid no mind to the various nurses and doctors spread out around her as she turned down another hall. She inhaled deeply, relieved to see Matt standing with Bonnie.

"Matt!" she called, running up to them. "Matt, how's Caroline? Are you okay?"

"She's not good, Lucy," Matt shook his head sadly.

"What happened?" Bonnie asked, her eyes wide with worry that matched Lucy's.

"We were driving and Tyler heard this noise and he got—"

"A noise?" Bonnie interjected, making Lucy look at her with an expression of realization.

"—he got this migraine or something and he lost control of the car," Matt continued. "and I thought that Caroline was fine and then—and then she wasn't, so…"

As tears welled up in Lucy's eyes, she pulled Matt into a comforting hug. They were all so worried about Caroline; what would happen if she didn't make it?

Lucy couldn't live without Caroline—the blonde was her closest friend in the world and Lucy considered her as a sister. She loved her so much and she couldn't lose her like she lost her parents.

She tightened her grip on Matt for a second before pulling away from him and wiping her eyes.

"I'm gonna go ask the nurse about Caroline's condition," she told Matt and turned to Bonnie. "You wanna come?"

Bonnie hesitantly nodded. "Sure."

Lucy and Bonnie left Matt and quietly walked down the hallway to the nurses' station.

Bonnie finally broke the silence. "I know you hate me for not reversing the spell—"

"I don't hate you, Bon," Lucy shook her head, setting the record straight. "I understand that you wanted some sort of revenge for Grams but my brother was almost caught."

"I'm sorry," Bonnie said honestly. "I never meant for Joel to get caught in the crossfire…and now Caroline's in bad shape because Tyler heard the device and this is all my fault!"

"It's not your fault," Lucy consoled Bonnie, pulling her into a hug. "How were you even supposed to know that the device would effect Tyler? He's not a vampire."

Bonnie sniffed and let go of Lucy, asking, "So why did Tyler hear it?"

Lucy shook her head. "I don't know. Come on, let's ask about Caroline."

The two of them went up to the nurses' station and asked one of the nurses about Caroline. According to Caroline's chart, she had internal bleeding and was currently in surgery. Her condition was looking bleak, though, so the nurse warned Lucy and Bonnie not to get their hopes up.

Lucy felt like she couldn't breathe, her chest ached so badly.

"Bonnie, Lucy!" Elena called, walking up to them with Joel at her side.

Joel immediately pulled Lucy into his side, trying to comfort her. "How's Caroline?"

"They said her condition's bleak," Bonnie told Elena in a small voice, bringing her into a hug.

"They don't know if she's going to make it," Lucy added, choked up.

Elena gasped softly. "What?" she looked at Bonnie hopefully. "Is there something that you can do? Like, a spell or something?"

"She doesn't know how," Damon proclaimed, sauntering over to their group. He smirked at Bonnie. "Do you?"

"No, I don't," Bonnie admitted.

"No, you don't, because it took Emily years to learn a spell like that," Damon taunted her.

"Well, I can take down a vampire," Bonnie retorted. "That spell was easy to learn."

"Guys," Lucy sighed, not wanting to hear their argument when Caroline was possibly dying. "Please…"

Damon rolled his eyes and turned to Elena. "I can give Caroline some blood."

"No, no way," Elena shook her head immediately.

"No, no, just enough to heal her," Damon explained. "She will be safe in the hospital and it will be out of her system in a day. She'll be better, Elena."

"It's too risky," Elena disagreed. "I can't agree to that."

"It's not just up to you," Joel spoke up. He looked at Lucy and Bonnie. "Girls?"

Lucy didn't hesitate. "Give her blood."

"Yeah, do it," Bonnie agreed. At Elena's shocked look, she said, "This is Caroline. We can't let her die."

"If I do this, me and you—" Damon pointed at himself and then at Bonnie. "—call a truce?"

"No," Bonnie denied. "Because I want Joel to do it."

The surprise was clear on Joel's face, but he nodded in agreement. "As soon as she's out of surgery…"

"Good," Lucy sighed in relief. As long as Caroline made it through the surgery, she'd ingest Joel's blood and heal up. She'd be fine. "Let's go find Liz."

Half an hour later, Lucy and Joel were walking into the house with Damon on their trail. Damon insisted on coming with them to the house for some reason that he decided not to share and unfortunately, Elena allowed him to come.

Lucy didn't expect to walk in on Stefan laying on the ground, fixing what looked like a broken arm.

What the hell was going on?

"Stefan?" Elena narrowed her eyes in confusion.

Stefan stood up, looking at Elena in shock.

"What happened?" Joel wondered, looking around the room; picture frames were knocked off the wall and the couches were out of place.

"Katherine happened," Damon growled before Stefan could answer.

Lucy, Elena, and Joel shared their disbelief at the fact that Katherine had apparently showed up and acted like Elena. They couldn't believe that she had just came out of nowhere.

"It's true," Stefan confirmed. "Katherine attacked me."

"Wait, wait," Lucy shook her head, trying to organize her thoughts. "I ran into Elena when I heard shouting downstairs. She told me to check on Jeremy…that was Katherine?"

"It wasn't me," Elena told her, horrified.

"That's not good," Stefan said worriedly. At the same time, he was confused. Why did Katherine not antagonize Lucy?

As Joel assumed that Katherine was the one who attacked John and not a tomb vampire, Lucy found herself distracted.

She had no idea what the vision she had was, but she knew that she had it when she ran into Katherine. The younger girl—Lucia—was running after what Lucy now realized was Katherine. Was that an actual memory of Katherine's? And if so, why was Lucy seeing it?

Elena went upstairs to tell Jeremy what was going on about Katherine and Lucy, Joel, and the Salvatore brothers migrated to the kitchen where John's blood was mopped up and everything smelled like bleach.

"Did she say what she wanted?" Damon asked Stefan as he paced the length of the island.

"No."

Damon scoffed. "The woman certainly knows how to make an entrance."

Stefan looked at him thoughtfully. "She said she fooled one of us at least," he recalled his confrontation with Katherine. "What does that—what does that mean?"

"She pretended to be Elena, too, when I showed up earlier tonight," Damon explained.

Lucy's attention shifted when Elena walked into the room. "Did you tell Jeremy?" she asked her sister.

"Yeah," Elena sighed, taking a seat at the dining table. "I can't lie to him anymore."

"Are you all right?" Stefan asked Elena, walking over to her.

"No, I'm not all right," Elena groaned. "I thought that with all the tomb vampires gone, things were going to get better."

"I know," Stefan agreed softly. "We all did."

Lucy sighed and looked around the room, seeing that Damon was staring at the couple in jealousy and Joel was looking uncomfortable. She needed to change the subject and get the group's focus back on the problem; Katherine.

"Katherine was in this house, that means she's been invited in," she reminded everyone. "What should we do?"

"Move," Damon said simply.

Elena frowned at him. "Very helpful, Damon," she said sarcastically. "Thank you."

"If Katherine wants you dead, there's zero you can do about it. You would be dead," Damon shrugged. "But you're not, so clearly, she had other plans."

"Yeah and we need to find out what those other plans are," Joel spoke up.

"And try not to provoke her in the process," Stefan added. He narrowed his eyes at Damon. "What happened tonight when you thought she was Elena?"

Damon winced, knowing what his brother's reaction was going to be. "…to risk another frown line encroaching on a very crowded forehead…" he paused. "…we kissed."

Lucy raised her eyebrows and exchanged a surprised look with Joel, who shook his head.

"And you thought it was me?" Elena asked, shocked.

Stefan clenched his jaw. "What do you mean you kissed?"

"Well, you know, when two lips pucker and then—" Damon acted out a kiss, pursing his lips together.

Stefan wasn't amused—he sped over to Damon in a blur but Damon ran, ending up right next to Elena.

"Don't be obvious, Stefan," Damon scolded him mockingly.

Stefan stomped over to his brother but Elena stood up, getting between him and Damon. "Stefan, wait," she said pleadingly. "He kissed Katherine, not me," she looked at Damon. "I wouldn't do that."

"All right, guys," Lucy rolled her eyes, becoming annoyed. They needed to focus on Katherine. "We don't have time to listen to your love-triangle drama," she ignored Elena's furious look and continued, "Hello? Remember Katherine?"

Stefan glared at Damon and promised, "Later."

"John must know something," Joel theorized. "There has to be a reason why Katherine tried to kill him."

"She's Katherine," Damon scoffed. "She loves to play games and you're fooling yourself if you think you're going to find out what she's up to before she wants you to know."

"No, actually, Joel's right," Stefan interjected. "John could know something through Isobel," he looked at Elena. "Your mother, she was in touch with Katherine, so maybe we can go to the hospital and talk to John."

"I've got a better idea," Damon said cockily.

Elena looked at him, annoyed. "What's that?"

"I'm just gonna ignore the bitch," Damon said casually; he left his place by the wall and started to head out. "See ya."

"Is that smart?"

"If Katherine thinks she's being ignored, it will lure her out," Damon answered Elena. "She'll make a move."

Stefan rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and then what?"

Damon shrugged. "Stake her, rip her head off, something poetic. We'll see…"

The next day, while Elena and Stefan were interrogating John, Lucy and Joel went to the hospital to see how Caroline was doing. Joel stopped by the hospital late the night before after Caroline was out of surgery and fed her some blood, so Lucy expected that she was doing better.

After visiting Caroline, they would be going to the Lockwood Estate to give their respects to Tyler and Mrs. Lockwood. Mayor Lockwood was affected by the Gilbert device just like Tyler was, only he wasn't so lucky. The deputies working with John thought he was a vampire, so they vervained him and brought him to the clinic. Damon said that the vervain didn't work on him but one of the tomb vampires snapped his neck when they realized he was a member of a Founding Family.

"Hey, Matty," Lucy greeted the blond, handing him a soda and some food from the Grill. "How are you doing?"

"Good. Thanks for this, by the way," Matt grinned at Lucy and then at Joel. "Thanks for stopping by last night, man."

"No problem," Joel smiled politely. "How's Caroline?"

"Come see," Matt gestured for the siblings to follow him to Caroline's room. "Bonnie came by already but I think Care's still watching Project Runway or Jersey Shore. I can't remember which one."

"I'm on Project Runway now," Caroline told him as they walked into the room, having heard him from outside. She smiled at Lucy and Joel. "Hey!"

"Care," Lucy sighed in relief, almost pushing Matt out of the way so she could hug Caroline. She placed a kiss on the crown of her head, and squeezed her, so happy that she was okay. "I'm so glad you're all right."

"Careful," Caroline squeaked, making Lucy pull away immediately. "I'm still sore."

"Oh, my God, I'm so sorry," Lucy rambled. "Are you okay? Do you need me to call a nurse?"

"No, Luce," Caroline giggled. "I'm okay. The doctor said I'm healing quickly."

Lucy smiled at her best friend; she couldn't even describe the relief that Caroline was okay. She was so happy that she had to keep her tears at bay.

"Never scare me like that again," Lucy scolded her lightly. "I love you, Care. I don't know what'd I do without you."

"Aw," Caroline grinned happily. "I love you, too, Luce."

Lucy and Joel spent an hour with Caroline and Matt before they had to get going to Mayor Lockwood's wake. Mrs. Lockwood had really taken Lucy under her wing after her parents died and Lucy wanted to show her the support she gave her.

Lucy gave Mrs. Lockwood and Tyler her respects and promised Mrs. Lockwood that if she needed anything, Lucy would be there to help. While Mayor Lockwood was a dick most of the time, Lucy knew that Mrs. Lockwood truly loved him and was concerned with how Tyler was going to handle only having her to turn to. Lucy tried to assure her that he'd be okay but she wasn't that sure herself.

Lucy and Tyler weren't close friends and she knew that Tyler didn't like his dad very much, but losing a parent hurt you deep inside, no matter the relationship you had with them. Lucy knew that first hand.

After taking her leave from Mrs. Lockwood, Lucy and Joel said their goodbyes for the meantime. Joel had to head back to school and he had already missed a few days because of everything that had happened lately. Once Joel was gone, she began to look for Elena, Bonnie, or Stefan, knowing that Jenna and Jeremy were already on their way home.

Luckily, she found Elena out on the front porch.

"There you are," Lucy sighed in relief, walking over to her sister. "I'm heading home. You want a ride?"

Elena smirked at her. "I'm not Elena, but I'd love a ride, _Lucy_."

Lucy stumbled back from Katherine, scolding herself for not knowing that this wasn't her sister. Katherine's hair was styled in curls and she dressed drastically differently than Elena.

"Katherine."

"_Am I doing this correctly, Katerina?" Lucia asked her older sister, holding up the scarf she was sewing. "Mama told me to ask you. She said you were almost better than her!"_

_Katherine twisted slightly, looking down at the messy work that Lucia was creating. However, she couldn't hurt her sister's feelings. "It's wonderful," she smiled. "Just make certain that the stich there is looped with the one there."_

_Lucia beamed. "I will."_

_The sisters worked in silence for a couple of moments before Lucia spoke again. _

"_Kit," she swallowed nervously. "I did it again."_

"_Did what?" Katherine asked absentmindedly, focusing on the dress she was patching up. _

"_I took magic from one of Papa's friends," Lucia whispered, wide-eyed. "I did not mean to, I swear it."_

_Katherine stiffened and turned to Lucia, concerned with their father's reaction. "Did Papa see you?"_

"_Yes," Lucia admitted, her eyes starting to water. "A-And he asked his friend not to speak of what happened. Then he brought me to my room and he—"_

_Katherine inhaled deeply, upset that her sister was being punished for something she had no control over. She knew how horrible their father's beatings could be—there was no way that twelve-year-old Lucia wasn't in pain. _

"_I am sorry, Lou," Katherine clasped Lucia's hands with her own. "I will ask Mama to teach you control. Please do not touch Papa's friends again. Promise me."_

"_I promise, Katerina."_

"Hello? Earth to Lucy," Katherine waved her hand in front of Lucy's face.

Lucy looked at her with wide eyes; Katherine looked older now that in the vision she just had, but it still had to be her.

"What did you do to me?" she asked her sister's look-alike. Katherine cocked her head, curious. "I saw something…you were there and you were talking to someone. Her name was Lucia."

Katherine's eyes glinted knowingly. "Lucia was my sister—well, _is_ my sister," she corrected herself. "I came here to see her. She lives in Mystic Falls."

Lucy shook her head; she would know if a girl named Lucia lived in Mystic Falls. "I've never met her."

"Of course, you have, Lucy," Katherine smiled and to Lucy she looked genuine. "because _you_ are Lucia."

Katherine didn't have the decency to explain to Lucy what she meant; she disappeared without another word. She left Lucy in a daze of confusion that had her head reeling.

Katherine said that she was Lucia but that was impossible. She had just turned sixteen, she wasn't however old Katherine was. She was born at the end of 1993, not centuries ago. And her name was _Lucy_ not Lucia, though she had to admit they were basically the same names.

It was impossible that she was Katherine's sister but why was she having these visions. They were like memories and if what Katherine said was true, they _were_…And didn't Isobel say something about something coming for Lucy? Was that something Katherine?

What the hell was happening?

Lucy didn't know how she got to her house because the last she remembered was talking to Katherine at the Lockwood Estate. She must have been so deep in her thoughts that she didn't even realize she was driving home, which was dangerous.

She glanced back at her car and was relieved to see it all in one piece, parked at the curb in front of her house. She opened the door and went straight upstairs, her mind still occupied.

Until she heard loud sobbing come from Elena's room.

Lucy ran into Elena's room and let out a scream when she saw Jeremy's body on the floor, Elena crying over him.

"What the fuck happened?" she practically shouted at Elena, running over to her little brother. Sobs ripped through her as she grabbed Jeremy's face and felt his neck for a pulse.

There was no heartbeat at all and his neck was severely twisted, obviously broken.

"Elena, what happened?" she sobbed, looking at her sister's blurry figure.

"Damon—he—he—" Elena couldn't finish because she was crying so heavily but Lucy got the gist. Damon killed her brother.

She swallowed down her rage and focused on Jeremy; she could deal with Damon later. Right now, Jeremy deserved all her attention.

"We should move him, right?" Lucy whispered. She wanted him to be comfortable until she could call Joel and then Jenna and then John. She had to call the sheriff and the funeral home that held their parents' funeral and then the cemetery so he could be buried on the Gilbert plot…

"Lucy," Elena gently grabbed her shoulders, snatching Lucy out of her grief-driven planning. "Jeremy…he has a ring on."

"What?" Lucy looked at Jeremy's left hand and saw a ring that was identical to Alaric's adorning one of Jeremy's fingers. "A Gilbert ring. Did John…?" she looked at Elena, not finishing her question.

"I guess."

"So, he's gonna wake up, right?" Lucy asked her sister, almost desperately.

Elena nodded, relieved tears slipping down her face. "Yeah, he is."

Lucy felt her heart clench as she let out another sob, this time in relief. Jeremy would come back. He would.

Lucy slumped into Elena's embrace and situated Jeremy so his head would rest on her lap. She allowed herself to draw comfort from her sister, closing her eyes and feeling better knowing that Elena was there for her.

Lucy didn't want to open her eyes until Jeremy woke up but when Stefan arrived, she had to see him. He stood at the door of Elena's room, shocked to silence as he looked at Jeremy's body. He couldn't believe what his brother had done.

"He saw the ring," Stefan said eventually. "That's why he did it. He knew."

Elena shook her head, blood boiling at the thought of Damon, and rubbed Lucy's back when she stiffened. "He didn't see the ring."

"It's Katherine," Stefan sighed, anger bubbling at the thought of the older vampire and what she caused. "She got under his skin. She undid everything that was good about him."

"There's nothing good about him, Stefan," Elena's voice was sharp and certain. "Not anymore."

Lucy looked away from Stefan and brushed the hair out of Jeremy's face, disappointed that Stefan was defending Damon even now.

"He's decided what he wants," Elena continued shakily. "He doesn't want to feel, he wants to be hated. It's just easier that way…he got his wish. I hate him, Stefan."

"I know," Stefan said consolingly. He crouched down behind Elena and Lucy, bringing them into a comforting hug.

Lucy shifted away from him; this was Stefan and normally she'd take his comfort but he was just defending Damon, who snapped her brother's neck. Stefan looked at her, hurt, but didn't push her.

Jeremy died and was expected to come back to life—it was a lot for anyone and he knew she'd need time to adjust.

Jeremy jolted in Lucy's lap and gasped loudly, his eyes flying open. He panted for breath as he looked around, frightened.

"Jere!" Lucy breathed, happy that he was awake.

Stefan gently grabbed Jeremy's face and looked for signs that he was all right; he knew that Anna's blood was most likely out of his system but he needed to make sure.

"Stefan, is he okay?" Elena asked urgently.

"He's okay," Stefan confirmed, backing away so Lucy and Elena could embrace Jeremy.

"He killed me," Jeremy panicked, shaking in his sisters' arms. "Damon killed me."

"It's okay, you're okay," Lucy chanted into his hair, holding onto her siblings tightly. "You're all right. You're okay."

Any thought of what Katherine revealed was gone from her mind.


	22. Caroline's Carnival

**[2x02; Brave New World]**

"Katherine looked just like you, Elena," Bonnie said, retelling her run-in with Katherine the day before at Mayor Lockwood's funeral. "It was freakish."

Lucy kept her eyes on her clipboard, going over the list of things she had to do. She was co-planning the school carnival with Caroline and with the blonde in the hospital, Elena stepped up to help. Lucy hoped her sister would do well, but this was Elena—she wasn't the greatest at planning events.

Elena sighed. "She is my ancestor."

"I moved the student booth into the cafeteria," Lucy informed Elena and Bonnie. "And Katherine is my ancestor, too, and we hardly look alike."

"Yeah, she didn't just resemble you like a family member would," Bonnie agreed with Lucy. "She was you—except, you know, a vampire."

Lucy smiled and grabbed a large bag of prizes and walked over to the closest booth, Elena and Bonnie following with their own bags. She handed the student worker the prizes and moved onto the next booth, grabbing Elena's bag and handing it to the student behind the counter.

"I don't—I don't know," Elena shrugged, handing Bonnie's bag of prizes to Lucy to hand out. "I can't explain it, okay? It's creepy. It's all I got."

"Well, how do you know she's not still out there pretending to be you?" Bonnie wondered, raising her eyebrows.

"I don't but I could sit here and be tortured by not knowing or I could get these prizes to the ring toss like Lucy asked."

Lucy grinned at Elena, happy that her sister had actually been listening to her instructions.

"Have you talked to Damon since he killed Jeremy—or tried to kill Jeremy?" Bonnie continued her interrogation.

Elena went still and Lucy stiffened at the mention of the oldest Salvatore brother.

"Don't mention him," Lucy glared down at her clipboard.

"I haven't talked to him and I won't," Elena reluctantly answered her best friend. "and I don't want to talk about D—" she glanced at Lucy and winced, altering her words. "—_him_ or anything else that's vampire related, okay?"

As they walked to another booth, Bonnie gave Elena a bag of prizes who gave them to Lucy. Lucy plopped them on the booth and continued on.

"I'm human," Elena went on. "I have to do human stuff, otherwise I'm going to go crazy."

"Okay, I'm sorry," Bonnie apologized. "I'll focus."

"Good," Lucy said simply, smiling at Elena and Bonnie as she checked off the last booth from her checklist. "We have to make Caroline proud or she'll kill all of us."

Bonnie laughed. "I don't know how you guys do all of this."

"Well, we're not human, obviously," Lucy winked at her.

Elena chuckled. "Obviously.

In the school, avoiding having to do the tasks that Lucy had messaged him in the morning, Stefan stood at Jeremy's locker. He handed Jeremy a vial of liquid vervain that he could ingest just in case his bracelet was gone.

"It's the same as the bracelet Lucy gave you," Stefan informed him.

Jeremy sniffed the vial. "So, it protects me from compulsion."

"Vervain is toxic to vampires."

"You mean like poison?" Jeremy said, taken aback that Stefan was giving him this information.

"Yeah, it's very poisonous," Stefan nodded. "It keeps them out of your head."

"I mean, why vervain?"

"I don't know," Stefan shrugged. "Certain natural herbs and roots and other elements are just harmful to vampires."

"Like a stake to the heart?"

"Right, but it has to be wood."

"You're pretty confident in yourself telling me all the different ways I could kill you," Jeremy pointed out, slightly amused.

Stefan chuckled. "Jeremy, if I thought you wanted to kill me, we would be having a much different conversation."

"Yeah," Jeremy's smile turned into a frown. "Damon is the one that deserves it."

Stefan wanted to agree with him but he couldn't. Jeremy couldn't be encouraged to go after Damon—Damon would kill him in a heartbeat just like the night before. It was bad enough that Stefan had to make sure Lucy wasn't going to try anything with his brother but now he had to watch Jeremy as well.

"I want you to forget about Damon, all right?" he advised Jeremy. "He's a hundred times stronger than you and right now, he's not stable. You gotta try to move forward."

"I was killed by a vampire and brought back to life by a magic ring," Jeremy chuckled bitterly. "How do you move forward from there?"

"Right," Stefan conceded. He paused for a split second as he smelt Lucy's peaches-and-coconut scent and heard her springy gait. "Well, today we have a nice little distraction courtesy of the boss lady, Lucy."

He smiled casually and turned to Lucy just as she came to a stop beside them. "Hello, Lucy."

"Hey," Lucy smiled quickly at Stefan then turned to Jeremy. "Do you—"

"Yeah, yeah, I set up the goldfish toss," Jeremy cut her off, knowing how she got sometimes when it came to planning events. "All three hundred goldfish. It's gonna be epic."

He slammed his locker shut and walked off.

"Thank you!" Lucy called after him and sighed sadly when he ignored her.

"He's gonna be all right," Stefan noticed the sad look on Lucy's face and couldn't help but try to cheer her up. "He's just been through a little bit of an ordeal."

"Yeah, I guess you could call coming back to life after having your neck snapped an ordeal," Lucy snapped. Immediately, she sighed, knowing that Stefan had nothing to do with Damon killing Jeremy. "I'm sorry, Stefan."

"It's okay, Luce," Stefan said, knowing that she wasn't mad at him. "I'm sorry that Damon—"

"Uh, uh," Lucy shook her head. "Don't say his name."

"Uh, I meant, _George_," Stefan humored her. "Anyway, I'm sorry about what happened to Jeremy."

Lucy shook her head. "It's not your fault," she checked her clip board, noticing that there were still a few things that had to be done. "Hey, did you set up the arm-wrestling station yet?"

Stefan winced. "Uh, no, not yet."

"Okay, well, can you get it done soon?" Lucy sighed. "The sooner this carnival can start, the sooner I can eat my weight in cotton candy."

Stefan laughed. "Your sweet tooth is showing."

"Well, I'm stressed," Lucy grinned, rolling her eyes at him. "Elena's looking for you, by the way. When I left her, she was by the dunk tank."

"Gotcha," Stefan wrapped an arm around Lucy's shoulders and squeezed her for a second. "You're doing great, Goofy. Don't be stressed."

Lucy chuckled, her heart fluttering. As Stefan walked away from her, she said, "Yeah, that'll make my stress go away."

"Hey," Lucy waved as Bonnie walked up to her later that night. The carnival was in full swing but Lucy's job was never fully finished. She had given Elena the go ahead to just hang out with Stefan instead of helping her and now she was subjected to walking around, clipboard in hands, and making sure everything was running smoothly.

She had yet to get herself some cotton candy.

"Hey, where's Elena?" Bonnie wondered.

"Having fun with Stefan somewhere," Lucy said absently, checking her clipboard for what seemed to be the millionth time that day. "What's up?"

"The ring toss is out of Bart and Homer dolls and Team Jacob t-shirts," Bonnie informed her.

"Okay," Lucy sighed. "I can grab some from the science club. We lost a speaker in the karaoke booth so I have to take care of that."

"Hey," Bonnie grabbed Lucy's arm, making her pause. "Take a second and look around, Luce. Everything's fine, this is a huge success."

Lucy smiled and looked around her, charmed by the colorful lights of the rides, noises coming from the games, and smells that wafted off the delicious yet ridiculously unhealthy carnival food.

"You're right," Lucy playfully nudged Bonnie. "This is my best feat yet."

"I'll say."

The girls laughed together before one of the carnival workers walked by them. Knowing that the worker could possibly help them with their problems, she called for him.

"Hey, you're Carter, right?" she recognized him from the orientation meeting she and Caroline had with the carnival workers. "You're with the carnival?"

Carter nodded, walking over to her and Bonnie. "That'd be me."

"Okay, great—"

"Wow," Carter awed when he caught sight of Bonnie. "What do you need beautiful?"

Lucy would have been annoyed with being ignored but the way Bonnie giggled at Carter's compliment was just too cute.

Bonnie pulled herself together and smiled confidently at Carter. "What do you know about karaoke speakers?"

"Why don't you show me the problem?"

"Yeah, Bonnie," Lucy grinned knowingly at Bonnie. "Can you show him the problem?"

Bonnie sent Lucy an amused look and then smiled at Carter. "Okay, come on."

Lucy grinned happily as Bonnie and Carter walked away and started off the other way, intended to grab some Team Jacob t-shirts from the science club's booth.

Somehow the night that Lucy was previously enjoying was turning into a mess. Shortly after she dropped off the t-shirts at the ring toss, Elena and Damon pulled her aside to tell her that Caroline had transitioned into a vampire.

Her best friend, Caroline, who could hardly throw a punch, was now a vampire and had kicked Damon's ass in an empty hallway.

Her confusion with the situation aside, Lucy was so worried about Caroline. Not only had she died, but now she was a vampire who had to drink blood for the rest of her life and would never grow old. The blood-drinking wasn't the worst part of it; Lucy knew how much Caroline dreamed of finding her true love, having a family with them, and growing old together. Now that dream couldn't happen the way Caroline wanted it to.

And if Caroline happened to hurt someone, it would destroy her. Caroline could be a bossy bitch sometimes, but she didn't want to harm anyone.

"How did this happen?" Stefan asked as he, Lucy, Elena, and Damon gathered in Alaric's classroom.

"Well, Joel fed her blood and Katherine obviously killed her," Damon said flatly. "'A' plus 'B' equals…"

"But why?" Elena asked.

"Because Katherine is a manipulative, nasty, little slut," Damon stated matter-of-factly.

"And she said game on?" Stefan recalled part of Damon's story that Lucy had forgotten in her worry for Caroline. "What does that even mean?

"It means she's playing dirty and she wants us to know."

"But why Caroline?" Lucy spoke up, biting her lip.

"I don't know," Damon admitted.

"Caroline must be completely out of her mind right now," Stefan said worriedly. "She has no idea what's happening to her."

"Oh, I think she does," Damon drawled. "All of my compulsion from the past started wearing off the minute she was in transition."

"We have to find her," Lucy said firmly, looking at Elena and Stefan, who both nodded.

"Yep," Damon nodded. "And kill her."

Lucy bristled at his statement and stood up from the desk she was sitting on. "You're not gonna kill Caroline."

"She knows who we are," Damon rolled his eyes. "She's officially a liability and we've got to get rid of her."

Lucy turned to Stefan desperately, hoping that he'd be able to talk some sense into his brother.

Stefan nodded at her and looked at Damon with a firm stare. "Damon, absolutely not."

"Need I remind you of a tragic little story named Vicki Donovan?" Damon chided, clicking his tongue. "Yeah, Caroline, of all people, will not make it as a vampire. Her mother is a vampire hunter. Guy's come on, we all know how this story's gonna end, just flip to the last chapter and—"

"It's not an option, Damon," Elena interrupted him.

Finally, she spoke up. Lucy thought that she was taking a bit too long when it came to the subject of Caroline's life.

"No?" Damon turned to Stefan. "Your silence is deafening, Stefan. Wait, wasn't there a school carnival the night you staked Vicki? Huh, talk about a town where history repeats itself. You know I'm right."

"Not happening, end of story," Lucy said firmly. She knew that she was the last person in their little group that they listened to, but she was not going to let Damon kill Caroline. Over her dead body would he even touch her.

"We're not gonna kill her," Stefan added as Lucy started walking out of the room.

"It's the only way," Damon called after Elena, Stefan, and Lucy.

Lucy marched down the empty hallway, determined to find Caroline if she was still at the carnival. She knew her best friend better than anyone in that room and she needed to find her before Damon did.

"Lucy!"

"Lucy, wait up!" Elena and Stefan called after her.

She slowed her pace but kept walking; they caught up to her.

"You agreed with Damon, didn't you?" she asked them, eyes narrowed.

"No, of course not!" Elena shook her head.

Lucy turned to Stefan. "Stefan?"

Stefan grunted, his temper flaring, and as the three of them passed by a food truck, he forcefully punched one of the walls.

"Stefan."

"Damon's right," Stefan confessed, making Lucy stiffen in disbelief. "Not about what we should do, but about what's going to happen. Katherine all but signed Caroline's death sentence."

"You don't know Caroline like I do, okay?" Lucy desperately shook her head; she believed that Caroline could live and be as normal as she could be as a vampire. "She'll be able to learn. She'll adapt."

Stefan cocked his head slight, considering what Lucy was saying. Could Caroline learn how to be a vampire and not destroy everything in the process?

Elena sighed heavily. "She's doing this to me, isn't she?"

Lucy gave her an astounded look, wondering how her sister could possibly take something that was happening to _Caroline_ and making it about her.

"No, she's doing it to me," Stefan disagreed.

"Actually, she did it to Caroline," Lucy's temper seared as she glared at both of them. "Katherine killed Caroline and she may have done it to taunt you guys, but it doesn't really affect you, does it? Caroline is the one going through this mess right now and I'm not going to spend another second hearing you guys whine about this while Damon might be out there killing my best friend."

She turned away and stomped off, fuming. She ignored the calls of her name and pulled out her phone, dialing Caroline's number. There was no answer, causing Lucy's veins to flood with icy dread.

"Lucy, stop, I didn't mean it like that," Stefan said, catching up to her.

"I don't have time for this right now," Lucy waved him off. "Caroline's not answering her phone and—what?"

Lucy saw that Stefan had stopped walking; his worried vampire look was on display and he was looking around, nostrils flared.

"What is it, Stefan?" Elena asked. "Do you hear her?"

"What's going on, Stefan?" Lucy added anxiously.

"I smell blood," Stefan said stiffly. "Come on."

Lucy and Elena followed Stefan as he quickly led them through the carnival toward the bathrooms by the football field where the trailers for all the carnival equipment were parked. They found Caroline just as Damon pulled her into a hug and aimed a wooden stake over the back of her heart.

Stefan was a blur as he ran toward Damon and ripped the stake out of his hand. As Lucy and Elena ran to Caroline, Stefan pushed his brother away, throwing him to the pavement.

"Caroline!" Lucy breathed, pulling Caroline into a hug.

Caroline hugged her back but as Elena went to join them, she shrieked and jumped away from her. "Get away from me!" she cried, believing Elena to be Katherine. "You killed me!"

"No, no, no," Elena tried to clear things up. "That wasn't me, Caroline. You know that. That was Katherine."

"No, then why does she look like you?" Caroline's voice was hoarse from how scared her was. "And why? Why did she do this to me?"

Lucy grabbed Caroline's hand, trying to soothe her. She knew that she wouldn't be the best person to help Caroline with her vampirism, but she knew who would actually take the time to help her. "Stefan, we gotta get her inside."

Keeping his eyes on Damon in case he attacked, Stefan held out his hand as he slowly backed up toward Caroline and Lucy. "It's all right, Caroline. Come with me."

"She will die," Damon warned them. "It's only a matter of time."

"Yeah, maybe so, but it's not gonna happen tonight," Stefan rebuffed him.

"Oh, yeah, it is," Damon disagreed. He picked up the discarded stake and ran toward Caroline, ready to plunge it into her heart.

Lucy, Stefan, and Elena moved at once. Lucy and Stefan grabbed Caroline and turned her away as Elena stepped in front of them, facing Damon. She gasped as Damon stopped his attack right above her heart.

"Damon, she's my friend," Elena pleaded, eyes wide.

Damon slowly put down the stake. "Whatever happens, it's on you," he pointed at Elena.

"Okay," Lucy pulled on Caroline's hand, attempting to lead her into the bathroom. "Let's get you cleaned up, okay?"

Caroline started to follow her when Bonnie came out of nowhere and gasped at the blood coating Caroline's face.

"Caroline?"

"It's okay," Stefan encouraged the blonde when she looked down, ashamed. "Come on."

"You're not," Bonnie shook her head in denial. "It can't be."

She strutted forward and firmly grabbed Caroline's arm. Lucy knew that Bonnie was checking to see if she'd feel the same cold and dead feeling she had whenever she touched a vampire for the first time.

"Bonnie?" Caroline's voice was small and it broke Lucy's heart.

Bonnie shook her head and pulled away from Caroline. Caroline let out a sob as Bonnie looked over at the dead body of the guy Caroline drained and cried out in disbelief.

Lucy thought that Bonnie was just shocked that Caroline was a vampire—she'd get over it. She gave Stefan a significant look and he nodded back at her.

"Come on, Caroline," Stefan gently urged, helping Lucy pull her into the bathroom. "It's okay."

Caroline sobbed, heartbroken, as Lucy and Stefan guided her into the girls' bathroom. Lucy went straight to the sink and started taking out paper towels, wetting them and handing them to Stefan so he could wipe off Caroline's face.

"She hates me!" Caroline cried as Stefan cleaned her face. "Bonnie hates me."

"No, no, she's just in shock," Lucy gave Bonnie the benefit of doubt as she attempted to comfort Caroline. She grabbed the dirty towel from Stefan and handed him a fresh one. "We all are."

"And what about Matt?" Caroline's breathing picked up and Lucy knew she was on the verge of a panic attack. "What—what am I gonna do about—"

"Shh," Stefan consoled her, exchanging out another towel with Lucy. "One thing at a time. Let's just get this blood cleaned off. Come on."

Lucy handed Caroline a towel now, allowing her to wipe off her hands.

"I'm a murderer," Caroline was devastated. Lucy clicked her tongue and went to Caroline's other side, wiping off the blood that Stefan missed. "I'm a monster."

"Listen to me," Stefan told Caroline, completely serious. "Your emotions are heightened right now. It's part of the transformation. It's completely normal. I promise you, all right?"

Despite Stefan's soothing words, Caroline wasn't calming down. The veins under her eyes rippled when she looked in the mirror and the red of her eyes horrified her.

Caroline grunted in despair and turned around, her back to the mirror. Lucy backed off; however much she wanted to help Caroline, she knew she couldn't right now. Stefan was the one who would be able to help her—this was out of Lucy's league.

"Why does this keep happening to my face?" Caroline cried desperately, covering her face with her bloody hands. "I'm hideous!"

"Look at me, Caroline. Caroline, look at me," Stefan commanded, pulling Caroline's hand away from her face. "Look at me. Look at my face! Shh, shh, look!"

Stefan allowed his under-eye veins to creep up when Caroline looked at him. Seeing that Stefan went through the same thing she was, Caroline's breathing slowed.

"You see that?" Stefan asked; Caroline nodded. "When you feel the blood rush in, you tell yourself that you're gonna get through it, that you're strong enough."

Caroline shook her head.

"Yes," Stefan nodded his. "No matter how good it feels to give yourself over to it, you fight it off. You bury it. Watch me, watch me."

Caroline looked at Stefan through her tears and watched as his veins disappeared.

"It's the only way you're gonna survive this thing," Stefan stated. "Try it. Shh, try it."

Lucy watched, biting her lip, as Caroline inhaled and exhaled deeply, over and over again. Her veins slowly disappeared the more she relaxed with Stefan's encouragement.

"That's good," Stefan complemented her, slowly stroking her hair. When Caroline opened her eyes, he gave her a comforting smile.

"Why did Katherine do this to me?" she whimpered.

Stefan frowned and slowly shook his head. "I don't know, I wish I did."

Caroline grimaced and went to turn away but Stefan caught her.

"Hey, hey," he made her look at him. "I promise you, I will not let anything happen to you. Come here," he pulled her into a hug, letting her head rest on his chest.

Lucy couldn't help but tear up at what just happened. She felt so sad for Caroline as she watched her best friend struggle with herself but Stefan saved her. The way he comforted Caroline was the sweetest thing Lucy had ever witnessed in her life.

All the anger and disappointment she felt at him from earlier disappeared. Stefan had this weird ability to make everything better.

Lucy wiped her eyes and caught Stefan's soft gaze, smiling gratefully at him. She would forever be thankful that he was here in this moment.


	23. Hunting Lessons and Full Moons

**[2x03; Bad Moon Rising]**

"Thanks for coming, Ric," Damon greeted Alaric as he opened the door and allowed him into the Boarding House. "Can I get you something to drink? Coffee? Bourbon? Bourbon in your coffee?"

Lucy rolled her eyes in annoyance at Damon but smiled at Alaric as he came into the living room. It was weird to say, but she actually missed her biological father while he was out of town for teacher development training.

"Lucy mentioned that you needed my help," Alaric commented, sitting in the seat Damon gestured to next to Lucy.

"Yeah," Stefan nodded, sitting on the couch across from them and next to Elena. "We were hoping you could help shed some light on the Lockwood family."

Alaric looked at Damon and then at Lucy, confused. "Why would I know anything about the Lockwoods?"

"Well, you wouldn't, but your dead—" Damon hesitated and smirked. "—not-dead vampire wife might."

"Isobel's research from when you guys were at Duke together," Elena spoke up when Alaric sighed heavily.

"You said that she had spent years researching this town," Stefan reminded him.

"Isobel's research here—Mystic Falls—was rooted in folklore and legend," Alaric explained. "At the time, I thought most of it was fiction."

"Like that amazing vampire story," Damon grinned.

"Aside from vampires, what else?" Lucy wondered, looking at Alaric for answers.

Alaric pressed his lips together. "The lycanthrope."

Lucy's eyes widened and she leaned forward in interest as Stefan, Elena, and Damon exchanged looks. "As in werewolves?"

"No way, impossible," Damon denied stubbornly. "Way too Lon Chaney."

Stefan looked at him. "Is it?"

Damon scoffed. "I've been on this planet for one hundred and sixty-some odd years," he stated. "and I've never come across one. If werewolves exist, where the hell are they?"

"Well, why do you suspect the Lockwoods?" Alaric wondered, not caught up on the more recent events happening in Mystic Falls.

"Because vervain didn't affect the mayor on Founder's Day but the Gilbert device did," Damon shared his reasoning. "And it effected his son, Tyler."

"And at the school carnival, his uncle, Mason, exhibited inhuman behavior when he fought one of the carnival workers," Stefan added. "It suggests some sort of supernatural entity."

"We were hoping that Isobel's research could help us figure out what it is," Elena told Alaric.

"Well, all of her things are still at Duke," Alaric cleared his throat. "I mean, her office is still there. She's technically still missing."

"So, can we get access to it?" Damon asked. Alaric rolled his neck, uncomfortable. "Ric, we need to know what we're dealing with. If this Wolfman thing is true, I've seen enough movies to know it's not good. It means that Mason Lockwood is a real-life Lon Chaney and that little Tyler punk may just very well be Lon Chaney Jr. Which means Bela Lugosi—meaning me—is totally screwed."

"Are you sure you don't want to come with?" Elena asked Lucy for the third time as Lucy packed some crackers and cheese into the cooler full of other foods that she collected for Elena and Alaric for their trip to Duke. "Don't you want to see Isobel's things?"

"I couldn't care less about Isobel," Lucy scoffed, zipping up the cooler. "I know that sounds horrible, but it's true. Plus, I want to help Caroline," she grabbed a leftover cube of cheese and held it out to Stefan. "Cheese?"

Stefan smiled and took the cheese. "Sure."

Lucy turned back to Elena. "Whatever I need to know, you'll tell us when you get back," she hesitated before adding, "But, can you look for anything that has to do with our relation to Katherine?"

"I was just going to see if I could find anything on Isobel's immediate family, but I can try," Elena nodded, looking at her curiously. "Why do you want to know?"

"She just said something to me and I wanted to see if it was true."

"Wait, you and Katherine had a conversation?" Stefan looked alarmed. "When?"

"On the day of Mayor Lockwood's wake."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Elena questioned, shocked that Lucy would keep something like that a secret.

"Because it wasn't a big deal," Lucy shrugged. "Just something about her sister."

Stefan frowned. "Whatever she said was probably a lie."

"Nevertheless, can you look?" Lucy turned to Elena.

"Sure."

"Elena!" Jenna called from the foyer where she was speaking to Alaric. "Come on!"

Lucy pulled the cooler off the counter and followed Elena and Stefan out of the kitchen. She beamed at Jenna as she passed her and handed Alaric the cooler full of snacks.

"Snacks for the trip," she informed him perkily. "You like the pepper jack cheese, right?"

Alaric nodded with a fond smile. "Yep."

"Did ya pack any blood bags?" Damon interjected with a smirk.

Lucy glared at him. "No, I didn't."

"Too bad," Damon sighed and turned to Stefan and Elena as they approached the vehicle. "Sorry you can't come too, Stef."

Elena glowered at Damon and threw her duffle bag into the car before turning back to Stefan.

"Call me if you need anything," Stefan told her.

"Oh, I'll take good care of her," Damon promised.

Lucy scoffed; did Damon like to antagonize everyone around him until they hated him? If so, he was actually doing a pretty good job.

Elena looked right into Damon's eyes and pulled Stefan in for a heated kiss. Lucy rolled her eyes; ignoring her own newly-realized feelings for Stefan, that was kind of a low blow at Damon. Sure, he was an absolute dick but Elena was clearly playing with his feelings.

"Okay," Damon opened the passenger door. "Time to go."

As Stefan opened the door for Elena to hop in, Lucy waved at the three travelers. "Be safe!"

Elena and Alaric waved back as Alaric pulled away from the curb and drove down the street.

"So," Lucy drawled, turning to Stefan with a smile. "How about breakfast?"

"Hashbrowns?"

"Hashbrowns."

Lucy played with the ketchup on her plate with a fork as she listened to Stefan and Bonnie argue back and forth over making Caroline a daylight ring. Bonnie was being unreasonably stubborn but Stefan was even worse, if that was possible.

If Lucy's grimoire had the spell to create daylight jewelry, she would have siphoned some magic from Stefan or Caroline and created Caroline's already. However, there was no spell in her grimoire so they needed Bonnie's help.

And she wasn't feeling very giving today.

"I don't know how to make a day-walking ring," Bonnie claimed.

"Emily made mine and she made Damon's, too," Stefan stated, crossing his arms over his chest. "The instructions must be in the grimoire."

"That doesn't mean I can cast the spell."

"Bonnie," Lucy groaned. "You know how to drop vampires with a single look. I think you can figure it out."

"Caroline killed someone," Bonnie reminded them. "I can't make it easier for her to do it again."

"No, we're not making it easier for her," Stefan disagreed. "We're just giving her the chance to survive. Listen, every day that she's cut off from her old life—from you, from Lucy, from Elena, from Matt—it'll make it that much harder for her to hold on to her humanity."

"And how do you know she won't hurt anyone else?"

"I don't but if we don't do everything we can to help her, or at least trust the fact that she _can_ keep it together, we might as well just stake her right now," Stefan replied passionately.

Bonnie sighed and shook her head. "I don't know if I can trust her. Not with this."

Lucy rolled her eyes, fed up with Bonnie's righteousness. "Bonnie, I'm gonna be honest with you. I love you but you're being a bitch," she said bluntly, ignoring Bonnie's indignant expression. "Caroline is our friend and she literally _died_. Now she has a chance to live and prosper and you're not gonna give it to her?"

"She's a vampire," Bonnie protested.

"Yeah and you're the witch who didn't reverse the spell on the Gilbert device that led to Caroline's accident in the first place," Lucy reminded her. "And you also agreed with me when we told Joel to give her vampire blood to heal her. We didn't kill Caroline but we did set her transition into motion."

"Lucy…" Stefan warned her; she was going to blow Caroline's chance at a daylight ring.

Lucy knew what she was doing, though. Bonnie had always hated feeling guilty and if Lucy had to manipulate her with the truth to create Caroline's daylight ring, she was going to do that. If it made her a bad person, oh well.

"Would you really be protesting so strongly right now if Elena was the vampire in need?" Lucy finished, giving Bonnie a pointed look and playing on the hypocrisy that Bonnie often held when it came with Elena and Caroline.

Bonnie frowned, tears in her eyes, and looked to Stefan. "Fine," she gave in. "But I'm trusting that you'll take care of her."

Stefan nodded, surprised that Lucy's tactic worked. "You can trust me."

Caroline frowned at the lapis lazuli ring she held in her hands. It wasn't the prettiest ring but it wasn't ugly. It just wasn't Caroline's style and she thought that Lucy would at least pick her out something she'd actually like.

"So, I don't get to choose the ring I have to wear for the rest of my life?" she asked, put out.

"There weren't many choices to choose from, Care," Lucy defended herself.

"Hey, if you don't want it…"

"No, no," Stefan spoke up from next to Lucy at Bonnie's implied threat. "She wants it."

Caroline sighed. "Now what?"

"NO is the part where I explain the rules," Bonnie said firmly. "The witch who spells the ring has the power to de-spell it. So, if you ever do anything to hurt anyone—"

"I'm not gonna hurt anyone!" Caroline insisted, interrupting Bonnie.

"You're a vampire," Bonnie said matter-of-factly. "That means that the urge to kill is a part of who you are. The minute you let it take over, I will stop you."

"Bonnie, you're supposed to be my friend!" Caroline exclaimed, hurt that Bonnie was treating her this way.

"I can't ignore what happened, okay? If you want to be friends, you're going to have to prove that the Caroline I remember isn't gone."

Lucy frowned, irritated, and if Stefan hadn't wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her from moving, she would have grabbed Caroline and taken her out of the room. She had seen the daylight spell when Bonnie opened her grimoire and it wasn't difficult to remember. She could do it herself.

She loved Bonnie, she really did, but she didn't understand how she could treat Caroline that way. Especially after Lucy's speech at the Grill.

So, since she couldn't move in Stefan's grip, she settled on glowering at Bonnie.

"Now," Bonnie continued. "Put the ring on the bed."

Caroline reluctantly set her ring on the bed and Bonnie walked over to her covered window.

"Do you really think that I meant to kill that guy at the carnival?" Caroline asked Bonnie, her voice hard to hide the hurt she was feeling.

Bonnie glared at her. "He's still dead. Now, do you want me to cast the spell or not?"

Caroline pursed her lips and kept quiet while Lucy spoke up, "Get on with it."

Yeah, she was being rude to Bonnie but she wasn't going to let her speak to Caroline like that. If Stefan wasn't going to speak up for Caroline and Caroline wouldn't stand up for herself, she was going to.

Bonnie pulled the curtain open, exposing the silver of the bed that held the ring to sunlight. Caroline curled in on herself so the rays wouldn't hit her and burn her skin.

Bonnie walked back over to the bed and stood in front of the ring. She closed her eyes and whispered the spell so quietly that Stefan couldn't hear and then closed her grimoire. She opened her eyes, picked up the ring, and handed it to Caroline.

"All done."

Caroline cautiously grabbed the ring from Bonnie and slipped it on her left index finger. "So, that's it?" she wondered, never having seen a spell casted before. "I mean, nothing witchy happened. You know, no flickering lights, no gust of wind. Have you even done this before?"

"Caroline…" Stefan looked amused, even as he scolded the blonde. Lucy bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"What?" Caroline threw her hands in the air. "I just want to make sure it worked!"

Bonnie went back to the window and abruptly ripped the curtain aside, letting the sun's rays hit Caroline. Caroline flinched, waiting to burst into flames, but nothing happened.

"It worked," Bonnie smirked.

Caroline scoffed, looking horrified. "What if it hadn't, Bonnie?!"

Bonnie shook her head and turned to Lucy and Stefan. "She's all yours."

Caroline sighed as Bonnie walked out of the room and turned back to the streak of light in front of her. She hesitantly put her hand into the sunlight and smiled happily when nothing happened. She grinned at Lucy and Stefan, both of them laughing in amusement.

"So, what do I do when I see the rabbit?" Caroline asked Stefan as they walked through the woods, Lucy trailing after them by a couple of feet.

"Chase it, catch it, feed on it," Stefan said simply.

Lucy quietly groaned, hating that she was out here. She wanted to help Caroline but this wasn't a place where she was needed. There was going to be blood and dead animals, something that made Lucy want to curl up into a ball and possibly die. Okay, that was dramatic, but still—the only reason why she was out in the woods was because Caroline begged her and enacted one of their best friend protocols.

_Best friend 'A' must stay with best friend 'B' when they are afraid of being alone. _

Lucy wasn't going to deny Caroline, even if she did have Stefan. Stefan and Caroline didn't know each other well and that was why Caroline called for the protocol; Lucy would be a great buffer.

"Isn't killing cute defenseless animals the first stop in becoming a serial killer?" Caroline recalled.

"Well, you sort of skipped serial killer and went straight to being a vampire," Stefan caught Caroline's look of reluctance and added, "Caroline, if you're not serious about all this, I think you should tell me."

Lucy caught up to Caroline and Stefan as they stopped walking to have a serious talk.

"No, I am," Caroline groaned; Stefan crossed his arms over his chest and gave her a look that told her to be honest with him. "Okay, look, I swear that I am! But it's just…I haven't been in the sun for three days and everyone is at the swimming hole having fun and Matt is there!"

"Wait, there's a party at the swimming hole?" Lucy spoke up with a pout. She wanted to have fun at the swimming hole even though it was the end of February and she was still bundled up in a heavy jacket.

Caroline and Stefan glared her; Lucy huffed.

"He finally told me that he loved me but I have been blowing him off," Caroline continued, turning back to Stefan. "And now _you_ want me to eat bunnies and I'm kind of freaking out okay?"

"Matt told you he loved you?" Lucy squealed happily.

"Yes!" Caroline grinned back at her until Stefan's laughter caught her attention. "Why are you laughing at me?"

"No, no, I'm not laughing."

"Your precious dimples are out," Lucy stated, pointing at Stefan's smile. "You're laughing."

"I'm not laughing," Stefan shook his head, though his smile stated otherwise. "None of this is funny, trust me."

"Mhmm."

"It's just that—" Stefan couldn't finish his sentence because he started laughing again.

Lucy couldn't help but think that he looked so cute.

"What?" Caroline snapped.

"When someone becomes a vampire, all of their natural behaviors get sort of, uh, amplified."

Lucy remembered Stefan telling her that.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean…" Stefan hesitated, trying to find the right way to answer Caroline's question. "as a human, I cared deeply for people and how they felt. Uh, if they were hurting, I felt their pain and I felt guilty if I was the one that caused it," he explained. "And, uh, as a vampire, all of that got…magnified."

Lucy winced, looking between Caroline and Stefan.

"So, you're saying that now I'm basically an insecure, neurotic, control freak on crack?" Caroline's voice wavered.

"Well, I wasn't gonna say it like that, but…" Stefan trailed off when Lucy elbowed him in the side and Caroline frowned sadly. "Hey, listen. Let's hunt, okay? After that, we'll go to the swimming hole."

"Yes!"

"Really?" Caroline grinned, exchanging an excited look with Lucy and then hopefully looking at Stefan.

"Yeah," Stefan nodded, smiling back at the girls. "Matt is the closest connection that you have to your humanity—" Lucy cleared her throat. "—other than Lucy and I think that being around him is a good thing."

Caroline bounced excitedly. "Okay."

"Okay, I'll just stay here while you eat cute, little bunnies," Lucy waved them off before sitting on a nearby fallen branch. "We'll meet back here, okay? All right, see you."

"She's so weird," Caroline told Stefan quietly enough that she knew Lucy wouldn't be able to hear.

Stefan nodded, chuckling. "Tell me about it."

An hour passed by while Stefan was teaching Caroline how to hunt and when they came back to Lucy, Caroline had more confidence. She excitedly told Lucy about the fox she caught while she drove them to the swimming hole and even though it made her stomach whirl, Lucy kept a smile on her face. She was glad that Caroline was easily catching onto the vampire lifestyle.

The swimming hole was packed as they arrived and parked next to Matt's truck. Just as they were getting out of the vehicle, a truck slowly passed them, driven by Mason Lockwood. He stared at Stefan as he drove by and Stefan narrowed his eyes back at him.

Caroline noticed. "Why are you looking at him with your serious-vampire look?"

"My what?" Stefan looked at her, confused, as she opened her trunk. "My _serious-vampire_ look?"

"Mmhm," Caroline nodded while Lucy wildly gestured behind Stefan, silently telling her not to spill the beans. "Lucy told me about it."

"Caroline!" Lucy hissed as Stefan whipped around to face her.

"Lucy?"

"Well, it's different from your worried-vampire look," Lucy told Stefan, trying not to smile. "Neither of which stray too far from your hey-it's-Tuesday look."

Caroline giggled as she pulled her stuff from the trunk and shut it.

"Oh, I get it," Stefan smirked at them. "You guys think I'm, uh, you think I'm too serious. Is that it?

"I mean, I wasn't going to say it like that, but…" Caroline mocked his earlier words.

Lucy laughed loudly and poked Stefan's arm. "I don't call you Broody for nothing."

"Hmm," Stefan hummed, following the girls as they started making their way to the party.

"Are you gonna swim?" Lucy asked Caroline, wrinkling her nose at the dirty water. "Because I think I'm too cold…and that water doesn't look great."

"Probably not," Caroline shook her head. "Matt's cast isn't waterproof and I don't want to swim if he isn't."

Lucy twisted her lips. "True."

"Oh, my God," Caroline hissed. "Is that Amy Bradley? That bitch has the biggest crush on Matt."

"Go on," Lucy encouraged her. "I'll keep Broody some company."

Caroline marched off without a word, walking right up to where Matt and Amy Bradley were chatting by a keg.

"Who's that girl?" Stefan asked, gesturing to Amy.

"Remember that girl you almost drained at the Miss Mystic pageant? Amber Bradley?" Lucy looked at him; he nodded. "That her cousin, Amy. She's liked Matt since we were in middle school."

"And Caroline doesn't like that."

"Caroline's territorial," Lucy explained. "I think it's because not many people actually see the real her and when they do…she doesn't want to let them go."

"Ah," Stefan nodded in understanding. "Well, she just compelled Amy Bradley."

"Really?" Lucy looked back to where Caroline and Matt were now arguing; Amy was nowhere near them. "Great."

"Let's go," Stefan grabbed her hand and Lucy swore her heart was going to explode.

The two of them walked over to Caroline just as Matt left.

"Hey, I saw that," Stefan confronted her. "You compelled her."

"Yeah, she deserved it," Caroline pouted.

While Stefan scolded Caroline, Lucy took that as her chance to grab herself some beer. She quickly grabbed a red plastic cup and poured some beer into it, grimacing at the lukewarm temperature when she sipped at it.

"Caroline, nobody deserves to have their mind messed with for shallow reasons," Stefan sighed. "You know that more than anybody."

"You know, why is everyone sticking up for Amy-fucking-Bradley?" Caroline snapped at him.

"Caroline," Lucy spoke up, squeezing between her best friend and the truck the keg was settled in. "Calm down, okay? It's not like Amy has a chance with Matt."

"You're letting your jealousy get the best of you," Stefan added, trying to reason with Caroline.

"Oh, so now I have magnified jealousy issues, too," Caroline said bitterly. "That's great."

"I told you this wasn't gonna be easy."

"Yeah, well, I might as well have stayed dead," Caroline quipped. "My entire personality is killing me."

Stefan couldn't keep back his laughter; he snickered, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Shut up," Caroline snapped, amused.

"If werewolves are real and the Lockwoods are werewolves and tonight's the full moon, will we be eaten?"

Stefan smiled at the mess of Lucy's question and looked over at her; Lucy was laid out on one of the beach towels Caroline brought, her eyes slightly glazed over as she stared at the sunset. She'd only had three cups of beer and she wasn't smashed but Stefan cut her off a little bit ago, anyway. She was a lightweight and they needed to keep their eyes on Caroline.

While Lucy could be blunt once in a while—this morning with Bonnie, for instance—she was worse when she was drunk. Stefan pulled her away from a situation gone wrong two different times—once when she insulted the design of one of her teammates' swimsuit and the other when proudly proclaimed how handsome a random football player was to his face. Lucy was sillier than normal when she was drunk, too—Stefan was sure he heard around twenty dad jokes in ten minutes and she could hardly get through each one because she was laughing so hard.

All in all, she wasn't the worst drunk person he'd been with. She was actually kind of…charming.

"No," Stefan eventually answered. "I'd protect you."

"No," Lucy objected. "_I'll_ protect _you_!"

Stefan chuckled. "How about we protect each other?"

"We'd be like superheroes," Lucy proclaimed. "Super-Stef and Lovely-Lucy!"

"Super-Stef and Lovely-Lucy?"

"Yeah, we need superhero names," Lucy said in an obvious tone. "And your name fits you because you're always saving someone."

"Am I?"

Lucy nodded and lazily looked at him. "You saved Caroline," she smiled. "You've saved me. You've saved your brother and Elena too many times to count. It's just who you are. You're a hero."

Stefan inhaled sharply and stared into Lucy's hazel eyes. He'd heard Damon call him hero-hair before but that was just his brother mocking him and he's always been thanked for rescuing the people he cared about, but never had he been called a hero.

He didn't see himself as a hero. Not when he was a ripper and had slaughtered more people than he could count.

"I'm not a hero, Lucy."

"Well, not to yourself, duh," Lucy shook her head and smiled. "But you're a hero to other people. And if you don't think you are, fine," she shrugged. "I'll think it for the both of us."

Stefan's heart clenched and he didn't know why. "You're awfully philosophical when you're drunk," he changed the subject. "I thought you were silly earlier."

"One, I'm tipsy now," she stated matter-of-factly, holding up her index finger. "And two, I have layers, Stefan. Like an ogre."

"Excuse me?"

"Ya know, Shrek?"

Stefan rolled his eyes and grabbed the bottle of water that Lucy had been sipping on once in a while to sober up.

"Drink this," he handed the bottle to her. "All of it, Luce."

"Why so serious?" Lucy whined, uncapping the bottle and chugging the water.

"Are you gonna make pop culture references all night?"

Lucy simply flashed him a thumbs up as she continued to drink the water. When she finished the entire bottle, she asked, "Where's Caroline?"

"Talking to Matt over there," Stefan pointed out the couple. His phone started ringing and he answered it. "Hey, Elena."

"Put it on speaker!" Lucy hissed, rapidly poking his bicep. "Stefan, I'm serious!"

"_Is that Lucy?"_ Elena asked and he could hear the disapproval in her voice. Apparently Elena knew what tipsy Lucy sounded like.

"Stefan!"

"Yeah," he confirmed, rolling his eyes at Lucy. "Hold on, I gotta put you on speaker."

"_Okay_."

He pressed the speaker button on his phone and held it between him and Lucy; thankfully no one was close enough to hear their conversation with Elena.

"Elena, you're on speaker with Lucy and Stefan!" Lucy sang.

"_Yeah, hi_," Elena grumbled. "_Listen, we've learned some stuff here and I know it's going to sound crazy but I wanted to fill you guys in."_

"What's up?" Stefan and Lucy exchanged worried looks, Lucy sobering up at the seriousness of the situation.

Elena told the both of them about what she, Damon, and Alaric found in Isobel's research. There was a lot of documentation about werewolves in the town of Mystic Falls and all over the country. Confirmed sightings of werewolves have gotten rarer and rarer because they've been hunted down by vampires. She also said something about a Sun-and-the-Moon curse but it was short and Lucy was too horrified about the werewolves to pay much attention.

"_I don't know what it means or if we should even believe it but it's a full moon," _Elena continued. "_After what you saw Mason Lockwood do—"_

"We'll be careful," Stefan promised her.

Elena sighed. "_There's one more thing_."

"What is it?"

"_According to the legend, a werewolf bite can kill a vampire."_

"Oh, my God," Lucy breathed, looking at the spot that Caroline and Matt were previously; they weren't there. They saw Mason Lockwood earlier and if he was really a werewolf and he was going to change tonight, they needed to get out of there. "Stefan…"

"_Stefan, Lucy?"_

"Listen, we have to go," Stefan told Elena. "I'll see you when you get home, okay?"

"_Okay, bye."_

Stefan hung up the phone and shoved it in his pocket while grabbing Lucy and pulling her to her feet. They had to find Caroline and get the hell out of there. Lucy pulled out her own phone and dialed Caroline's number, only reaching her voicemail.

"She's not answering," she told Stefan worriedly.

"Okay," Stefan sighed, looking around the area and then back to her. "Go to the car and stay there."

"Yeah, okay," Lucy agreed, not bothering to argue; it would waste too much time.

They split up; Stefan going to look for Caroline and Lucy going to the car. Lucy nervously bounced in place as she waited for Stefan and Caroline to come get her; werewolves made her nervous—probably because she wasn't used to them like she was witches and vampires—and she wanted to leave with her friends.

A loud crash—like glass breaking—a hundred or so feet away from Lucy caught her attention and made her jump. Her breathing picked up and she let out a quiet squeal when Stefan appeared in front of her.

"Let's go, no time to explain," he said curtly, lifting her into his arms.

Lucy hid her face in Stefan's chest as he blurred around, following the scent of fresh blood. He was pretty sure that it was Matt that he was smelling and he needed to get to Caroline so she wouldn't drain him completely.

He found Caroline and Matt by a tree, Caroline drinking from a struggling Matt's neck. Stefan set Lucy down and grabbed Caroline and threw her off of Matt, sending her twenty feet away.

"Stop, stop, stop," he urged Caroline as she fought against him. "Stop!"

Once Lucy got her balance, she saw Matt faint onto the ground. She gasped and rushed to him, kneeling down to check his pulse. He was alive, so she pressed her hands against the wound on his neck to stop the blood flow.

"Listen to me," Stefan said urgently as Caroline got ahold of herself. "We need to get out of these woods now. We need to leave."

A loud growl echoed through the trees causing Lucy to stiffen. Her heart started pounding away in her chest as she looked over at Stefan in fright but kept her hands steadily on Matt's neck.

"Stefan…"

"What was that?" Caroline asked as another growl was heard closer to them.

Stefan turned to Lucy. "Lucy, stay down and don't let Matt up," he ordered. "Don't move, you got it?"

"Y-Yes," Lucy nodded shakily.

"Good girl," Stefan turned back to Caroline. "You and me, we're gonna run. It's gonna follow us. We need to get it away from Lucy and Matt. So, you need to run as fast as you can. Do you understand me?"

Caroline nodded determinedly, glancing at Lucy and Matt.

"Go, go!" Stefan shouted.

Lucy watched through blurry eyes as Stefan and Caroline ran away. The growling coming from what Lucy assumed was a werewolf followed them but it didn't lessen her fear. If what Elena said was true about a werewolf bite being fatal to a vampire, Stefan and Caroline were in seriously danger.

"Lucy, what's going on?" Matt asked groggily from his blood loss.

"Shh," Lucy whispered, looking around the woods as if she was able to spot the werewolf. "I'll explain in a few minutes, okay? Don't talk, please."

Lucy gasped when she heard Caroline screaming in the distance along with loud growling. "Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God."

"Lucy, what?"

"Shh!"

Caroline's screams stopped and Lucy thought that was even worse than when she was screaming. Silence meant that she was dead, right?

Tears dripped down her face and she absentmindedly wiped them away, forgetting that Matt's blood was on her hands.

Where were Stefan and Caroline?

The sound of twigs breaking and leaves crunching made Lucy turn around. She sighed in relief when she saw Caroline and Stefan walking toward her, both of them completely unharmed.

"Are you okay?" she jumped up, leaving Matt, and ran over to Stefan and Caroline. "What happened?"

"I'll tell you later," Stefan promised. "Are you okay? You have blood on your face…"

Lucy grimaced and wiped her face with her jacket sleeve, not caring about making a mess. "Oh, gross. No, it's Matt's," she looked at Caroline. "He's okay, just a little weak."

Caroline grimaced, ashamed.

"You know what you have to do, Caroline," Stefan said calmly; Caroline nodded and walked over to Matt.

"_You're not going to remember what I did to you or what you saw me become_," she compelled him.

"We were just making out in the woods," Matt answered in a monotone voice.

"_And then an animal attacked you and bit your neck_," Caroline continued.

"It's weird," Matt replied. "It just came out of nowhere."

Caroline inhaled deeply and in her regular voice, suggested, "You should go home, Matt. You hurt your neck."

"Yeah," Matt grimaced, touching his injured neck. "I'll see you later, Care."

Caroline nodded and slowly walked back over to Lucy and Stefan, a miserable look on her face.

"What are we gonna do about Tyler?" she asked Stefan flatly.

"I took care of it," Stefan pulled Lucy into his embrace, noticing how she was still shaking. "I'll get Matt on vervain. It'll keep you from being able to compel him, but also keep you from being able to drink his blood."

Caroline nodded and then scoffed, disappointed in herself. "I can't believe I hurt him."

"I know."

"I mean, he's one of the few people on this entire planet that I _never_ wanted to hurt."

"It's not going to get any easier," Stefan said truthfully; both Caroline and Lucy frowned. "You're just going to have to work that much harder."

Caroline squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. "I shouldn't be with him, should I?" she looked back at Stefan. "And if there's any danger…"

"I'm the last person to make that kind of decision for you," Stefan referred to his relationship with Elena. "If I followed my own advice, I would have walked away from Elena a long time ago."

"You ever think you should have?"

Stefan shook his head at Caroline's question. "I know I should have, I just can't."

Lucy frowned but knew that was something she needed to hear. She knew that Stefan was completely devoted to Elena, of course, but hearing those words come out of Stefan's mouth, confirmed that she needed to move on.

She couldn't like Stefan more than a friend.

End of story.


	24. Sibling Conflict

**[2x05; Kill or Be Killed]**

"I can't believe Tyler Lockwood is a werewolf," Jeremy sighed, leaning against the Lucy's doorframe.

"We're not sure about that yet," Elena corrected him. "The only thing we know for sure is that Mason Lockwood is."

"Yeah, and he almost killed Caroline and Stefan on the night of the full moon," Lucy added, rolling her eyes and turning the page of the textbook she was trying to study from. "Damon said that Mason told him he has no control when he shifts."

It had been a week since the night of the full moon and they finally had confirmation that Mason Lockwood was the werewolf that attacked Caroline and Stefan. Damon had been on a mission to find out for sure whether Mason was a werewolf or not, so he convinced Alaric to make Jenna throw a barbeque and invite Mason. Long story short, Mason confirmed that he was a wolf and had no control over himself when he was shifted and branded Damon as an enemy in the process.

"Well, it shouldn't be that hard for us to figure out if Tyler is one, too," Jeremy said thoughtfully.

Elena paused from where she was removing the chipped paint off her nails and gave Jeremy a firm look. "There is no _us_. I said I wouldn't keep things from you anymore. That doesn't mean that I want you involved in it."

"Oh, leave him alone, Lena," Lucy rolled her eyes; her sister wanted to control everyone around her.

"Yeah, by definition of being in this family, I'm involved," Jeremy scoffed and pointed to the Gilbert ring gripped around his ring-finger.

"This is dangerous, Jeremy," Elena pursed her lips. "You have to stay out of it, okay?"

"All right," Jeremy gave in so easily that Lucy knew there was no way he was going to stay out of it. "I'm just saying."

Elena sighed and turned to Lucy as Jeremy left the room. "You can't encourage him like that. He's too young to be involved in this."

Lucy shook her head and snapped the textbook in her lap closed, giving up on trying to study before she headed out to pick up Caroline for the volunteer day at the new park the Fell family donated.

"Jeremy's not that much younger than me," she pointed out. "And he can choose if he wants to be involved. You, me, or anyone else doesn't get to decide that for him."

Elena sighed heavily, aggravated with her sister's blasé attitude. "Let's not talk about it, okay? I don't want to argue," Lucy nodded in agreement and Elena continued, "Did Stefan tell you about Caroline and Katherine?"

Lucy scowled at the mention of her best friend and Katherine. Elena and Stefan were so convinced that Caroline was spying on them for the older vampire but Lucy knew that Caroline wouldn't do that without a reason. She knew Caroline and she knew how much Caroline cared about Elena and respected Stefan. She wouldn't just betray them like that for no reason. So, Lucy came to the conclusion that Katherine was holding something over her.

"Yes, he did," Lucy confirmed. "And I don't think that Caroline would do—"

"Lucy, Stefan and I both saw her listening to our conversation!" Elena objected heatedly. "She was purposely stalling me to keep me away from the Boarding House while Katherine was there with Stefan. She's working for Katherine, plain and simple."

Lucy shot her a scornful look. "I thought you didn't want to argue? Caroline wouldn't just betray you guys like that and if you think she would, then you're not the friend you think you are to her."

"She's the one being a bad friend."

"Katherine is probably threatening her, ever think of that?" Lucy retorted, standing up from her bed. She pulled a sweater from her closet and angrily pulled it over her head. "If you weren't so concerned with your relationship status, maybe you'd check to see if your _friend_ was okay."

Elena scoffed in disbelief. "I can't believe you just said that."

"Well, I did," Lucy shrugged; she didn't regret saying it, either. "I'm going to pick up Caroline. See you later."

Lucy hated fighting with her sister, but lately, Elena just kept getting under her skin. She knew for sure that it wasn't jealousy—she kept her budding feelings for Stefan tightly locked away. Maybe it was the fact that Elena thought everything revolved around her and that pissed Lucy off. She was more concerned about how Caroline's vampirism affected her and compared to Stefan and Damon, her friends and family were her last priority.

Sisters fought, though, and while Lucy and Elena generally got along, they were notorious for having long, drawn-out arguments and squabbles that could last for weeks when they were growing up. Their parents practically had to lock them in a room to have them make up.

They'd get over it soon.

Lucy had barely pulled up to Caroline's house when the passenger door was pulled open and Caroline slid in. The blonde had an irritated look on her face but managed a smile for Lucy.

"Good morning," Lucy greeted her as she drove away from the Forbes' residence. "What's got you so down?"

She knew she needed to confront Caroline about Katherine but she'd bring it up at the right time.

"My mom," Caroline groaned in frustration. "She kept asking me all these questions and I snapped because now is the time to become a better parent? After I'm already dead?"

Lucy frowned sympathetically. Liz wasn't a bad parent and she loved Caroline but she didn't spend as much time with her daughter as she should have. It was something that always bothered Caroline, especially after her dad moved a couple hours away.

"I'm sorry, Care," Lucy gave her a brief smile before looking back at the road. "Are you sure you wanna go today? We can go see a movie instead. '_Dear John'_ is playing and I know how much you love Channing Tatum."

"No," Caroline shook her head, determined. "We have to go. I'm Miss Mystic Falls and it's my duty to make an appearance and you have to be there or Mrs. Lockwood will kill you."

"Damn."

"We can go see '_Dear John'_ another day," Caroline promised with a wink. "So, did you get a chance to look through the book Elena found on Katherine's family?"

"No, I haven't had the time."

Caroline was the only person she told about how she was supposedly Katherine's sister, Lucia, and they were both anxious to find something to confirm what Katherine said. Lucy had been so busy the past week to the point where she had to cancel a doctor's appointment because she had too many things to do. There was a difficult lab that she and Stefan had to work on in chemistry class, Alaric had handed out an essay once they started their unit on World War I, and she had three different meetings with the planning committee that had switched leadership now that Mrs. Lockwood was interim mayor. She hoped that she would have time to look at the book of Petrova family history soon.

But, now that Katherine was brought up…

"Speaking of Katherine," Lucy used her most innocent voice. "You haven't seen her lately, have you?"

Caroline shifted anxiously and when Lucy looked over, Caroline's expression gave her fear away. It was clear that Katherine was not someone that Caroline wanted to talk about and Lucy wondered who Katherine had threatened—was it her mom or Matt?

"You don't have to say anything," Lucy assured her and grabbed Caroline's nearest hand. She squeezed it. "I'm here for you and I love you."

Caroline sniffled and squeezed her back, almost too tightly with her new vampire strength. "I love you, too, Lucy. Thank you for understanding."

"There's no thank you required. You're my best friend and my sister," Lucy said honestly.

Before there was any animosity between herself, Elena, and Caroline, Lucy had signed them all up to work together to paint the pavilion that held the water spout, flowers, and a couple of benches. Now it was just going to be plain awkward when Elena was acting like she wasn't mad at Caroline, Caroline was acting like she wasn't spying on Elena and Stefan, and Lucy and Elena were arguing.

Lucy hadn't told Caroline that she and Elena were mad at each other though Caroline could practically sense the tension between them. Thankfully, she said nothing and instead volunteered herself and Elena to go get the cans of paint and paintbrushes they needed to get to work.

Lucy stayed at the pavilion and started tape off the sections that weren't to be painted with blue painter's tape. She was halfway done covering the water spout when she saw Stefan walk up to her from the corner of her eye.

"Hey, Broody," she greeted him hesitantly; Elena had probably filled him in on their argument.

"Goofy," he smiled slightly back at her. "Why am I not surprised that you're painting?"

"Well, I have to stick to the status quo," Lucy shrugged and grimaced when Stefan appeared not to get her reference. "Right, I forgot you haven't seen '_High School Musical'_."

Stefan chuckled. "My bad. Maybe we can watch it one day so I can keep up with your references."

"Sounds good," Lucy laughed. "There's three of them, so…"

"Ugh, what did I get myself into?" Stefan grunted, making her laugh harder.

"Too late to back out," Lucy pointed at him and then went back to taping the water spout. "Aren't you supposed to be cutting wood?"

"Yeah," Stefan nodded and went on, more hesitant. "Elena asked me to—"

"I'm gonna stop you right there," Lucy interrupted him, shaking her head. She should have known that Elena was going to have Stefan talk to her but she had hoped that Stefan would just stay out of it. "I love you, Stefan, you're my best pal, but I need you to stay out of this."

"Well—"

"I don't mean any offense because I know you have good intentions but this is between me and my sister," she continued. "And you know more than anyone that siblings fight."

Stefan sighed; he didn't want the most important women in his life to be angry with each other but Lucy was right. It wasn't really his business and he didn't want to ruin his relationship with Lucy over something that could be solved with some time and patience. Just because he had never seen Elena and Lucy go head-to-head didn't mean that it hadn't happened before.

"Okay, I'll stay out of it," Stefan conceded.

"Thank you."

"Uh, I better get over there," he pointed over to the carpenter station with his thumb. "See ya…"

Lucy waved at him as he walked away, feeling awkward. Great, now Stefan was probably mad at her, too. She didn't want to make him angry but she didn't want him butting into something that was between her and Elena, either.

"…when I'm trying to avoid her the most," Lucy heard Caroline rambling to Elena as they came back to the pavilion with cans or paint and brushes for each of them. Caroline handed Lucy her paint with a smile and continued, "I'm babbling—you don't want to hear all this."

Elena jolted, as though realizing that she was supposed to be responding to Caroline. "Oh, no, I'm sorry," she apologized, crouching next to the water spout that Lucy had finished taping up. "Then what happened?"

Lucy took one of the posts to paint while Caroline took the one next to her; they started painting the posts a brick-red color.

"Well," Caroline pressed her lips together. "I was a bitch, which is par for the course with us," she glanced over at Elena for a second and then went back to work. "So, how are things with you and Stefan? Anything?"

Lucy stiffened slightly and looked at Elena when she sighed.

"No, not since the fight," she told Caroline. "He's been pushing me away because he thinks that Katherine might get jealous enough to hurt me. I just don't know how to change his mind."

Caroline frowned and set down her paint can and brush to kneel next to Elena. "You said that Katherine's dangerous," she reminded her softly. "Maybe he's got a point."

"Yeah, I know that she's dangerous and I know that he's just trying to protect me but it feels like giving up and I just…"

"Just what?"

"I just thought that we were stronger than that."

Elena sounded so serious that Lucy forgot for a moment that she and Stefan were fake fighting for Caroline's sake.

Eventually Caroline went back to painting her post and Lucy finished hers before moving onto another one. The conversation changed to light chatter about how the cheerleading squad would be unable to perform for the upcoming competition because of Mr. Tanner's death earlier in the school year. It was disappointing but at least Lucy wouldn't be pulling her hair out from the stress of being overbooked.

When there was a lull in work, Lucy went to the food table and got them all some snacks and lemonade. She was eating some grapes when Stefan and Elena started exchanging heavy looks from across the long stretch of grass separating them.

"Uh, oh," Caroline spoke up, noticing the exchange. "Longing looks are being exchanged."

Elena set down her paintbrush. "I'm gonna go talk to him."

"No, Elena," Caroline protested. "I think it's a bad idea."

Elena sighed heavily and walked away from the pavilion and over to where Stefan was measuring some wood that would be made into benches.

"What's her problem?" Damon appeared out of nowhere, sitting next to Lucy and stealing an apple wedge from her plate.

"Don't worry about it," Caroline whirled around to face Damon.

"Why are you being such a bitch to your mom?" Damon questioned her.

"Don't worry about it," Caroline repeated, glaring at him.

Caroline went back to painting while Lucy reluctantly let Damon share her fruit. All three of them were watching as Stefan and Elena talked, though Lucy was the only one that couldn't hear their conversation.

"What are they saying?" she asked Damon, chewing on a piece of apple.

"Elena just asked Stefan if he still cares about Katherine," Damon relayed to her, carefully watching his brother and Elena. "Stefan told Elena not to turn Katherine into a problem. Stefan knows we're listening to their conversation."

Lucy looked over at Elena and Stefan, waving slightly when they looked over at her.

"Way to play it cool," Damon rolled his eyes.

"Whatever," Lucy sighed; Elena and Stefan's conversation looked to be getting heated. "What else?"

"Elena asked how Stefan could hate Katherine and love her because they look the same," Damon said, narrowing his eyes at them. "Ooh, now they're talking about me. Uh, oh, Stefan said he couldn't do 'this' anymore. And now Elena is walking away…relationships are about communication."

Caroline scoffed at him and walked away, following after Elena.

"So," Damon said to Lucy. "Why aren't you going after your sister, too?"

"I'm mad at her," Lucy said simply.

"So?"

"So?" she glared at him. "Uh, aren't you the one who promised their brother an eternity of misery or am I thinking of someone else?"

"Fine, Twitch," Damon sighed. "Why are you mad at Elena?"

"Nope," Lucy popped a grape in her mouth. "I'm not confiding in you. We're not friends."

"We can fix that!" Damon claimed. "Look, I have no friends, okay? Why can't you fill that role?"

"I don't know, because you killed my brother?"

"He came back to life!"

Lucy glared at him. "You didn't know about the ring, don't try your bullshit on me."

She jumped off the picnic table and stomped away, leaving Damon to pout after her.

Lucy walked out of the newly built—and surprisingly clean—bathroom and was immediately grabbed by Caroline and Elena. She didn't know what was going on but she trusted them enough to know that whatever was happening was serious.

She followed them up a tall hill in the woods, where they stopped.

"What's going on?" she asked, out of the loop. "Why are we here?

Caroline pushed her hair behind her ears. "I need to be able to hear."

"Hear what?"

"Something's wrong, Lucy," Caroline informed her before shushing her.

"Caroline—"

"Shh!"

Caroline closed her eyes, trying to listen for Damon and Stefan. She could hear Damon confronting someone and then numerous gunshots.

"Oh, God!" she gasped.

"What is it?" Elena asked worriedly.

"Stefan and Damon."

"What?"

The girls took off running, Caroline in the front so she could lead them to where she heard the gunshots. Stefan and Damon were shot on the other side of the park deep into the woods, so it took them a while to get there. When they arrived, Caroline looked around, trying to find out where the Salvatore brothers were taken.

"They've been here," Caroline breathed.

The smell of blood caught her attention; it smelt good but not anywhere near as nice as human blood. She followed the scent and found some blood covering a small fern a few feet away from them.

"What is it?" Elena asked as Caroline touched the blood.

Before Caroline could answer her, a twig snapped behind them. Lucy, Elena, and Caroline turned around and saw Mason Lockwood standing in front of them.

"What are you three doing out here?" he asked.

"Have you seen Stefan and Damon?" Lucy spoke up, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Yeah, Lucy, I've seen them," Mason stepped a few feet toward them.

"Where are they?" Elena demanded.

"You don't need me for that," Mason locked eyes with Caroline. "I'll let your friend here sniff them out. Does your mother know what you are? I'd be happy to tell her."

Lucy glared and Caroline went to lunge at Mason but stopped when he grabbed Elena and wrapped his arm around her neck.

"Don't be stupid!" he warned them. "Necks snap easily around here."

"Back off, Mason!" Lucy snapped at him.

"I can take you," Caroline said confidently.

"Wanna bet?"

"Yeah, I do."

Caroline flew at Mason, ripping Elena out of his grasp, and forcefully shoved him against a tree, making him grunt.

"Told ya," she snarled, wrapping a hand around his neck.

She kicked him sharply in the groin and knocked him to the ground. She wasted no time in kicking him ten feet away from her, right into another tree.

Caroline exhaled and fixed her hair nonchalantly before turning to Lucy and Elena. "Come on."

Caroline led them through the woods again, stopping at what looked to be an old cellar of some sort. The sounds of gunshots and screaming could be heard from down below and it terrified Lucy.

"What is going on?" Elena urgently asked Caroline when she gasped and covered her mouth. "What is it?"

"My mom," Caroline said weakly. "She's killing them."

"What?"

Lucy and Elena both started down the cellar stairs only to be stopped by Caroline.

"Care, we have to stop her!" Lucy told the blonde vampire.

"No, I can't, Lucy," Caroline squeaked, tears in her eyes. "She's gonna find out about me."

Elena scoffed and ripped her arm away from Caroline, rushing down the stairs.

"Stay here," Lucy said before running after her sister.

She caught up to Elena as she picked up a piece of wood; both of them crept through the cellar, passing a gate that squeaked when they moved it.

"Let's do this," Lucy heard Liz say. "Each with a stake in the heart then burn them both."

Lucy and Elena shared a determined look; Lucy gestured that she was going to make a noise and for Elena to attack whoever came to them. Elena nodded and Lucy banged against the sturdy part of the gate, causing the sound to echo through the cellar.

"Check it out," Liz told one of her deputies—Lucy gave Elena a thumbs up.

As a deputy walked out of the main area where they were holding Stefan and Damon, Elena swung the piece of wood and whacked the deputy in the head. When the deputy stumbled, the girls ran into the room.

Lucy paused when Liz trained her gun on her and Elena.

"Lucy! Elena!" Liz said, shocked. "What are you two doing?"

"You can't kill them!" Elena shouted. "We're not gonna let you!"

The deputy that Elena knocked around came back into the room, a furious look on his face. He grabbed a hold of Lucy and Elena's shirts and pushed them out of the way.

"Hey, watch it!" Lucy cursed, almost tripping over the uneven stone floor.

All of a sudden, the gate to the main room shut with a whooshing sound.

"What was that?"

"Who else is with you?" Liz asked Lucy and Elena.

A blur of green and black and blonde hair caught Lucy's eye; Caroline sped around the cellar, taking a hold of the deputy that pushed Lucy and Elena around. She bit into his neck with a snarl, drinking some of the blood that squirted out of him as she tore into his carotid artery.

She promptly hid behind the deputy's body as the other deputy pulled out his gun and started shooting. She used the body as a shield before running over to the cop shooting at her. Ripping the gun out of his hands, she knocked him out and threw him on the floor next to Damon.

Lucy couldn't help but gape somewhat proudly at Caroline as she came out of the dark and let Liz see her. Caroline risked herself to exposure to save the lives of Damon and Stefan; how could anyone not see her for what a good friend she was?

"Hi, Mom," Caroline said quietly, peeking at Liz, who looked at her daughter with an expression of shock and despair.

Lucy and Elena immediately went to work on waking Stefan up; somehow Lucy was the one who was forced to pull the wooden bullets out of his abdomen while Elena got the blood-free job of rousing him awake. Lucy was sick to her stomach—especially when Damon started feeding on the deputy next to him—but she kept on digging for the bullets because this was Stefan.

When Stefan awoke, he groaned at the feeling of Lucy digging around for bullets in his stomach. The wooden bullets were painful enough and when you added the vervain with his diet of animal blood…well, it wasn't a good combination.

"Stop squirming," Lucy snapped at him in frustration. "I know this hurts but I'm about to puke all over you, so I kinda need to concentrate and get this over with."

Stefan groaned loudly and Elena glared at her. "Lucy!"

"Oh, shut up," Lucy rolled her eyes and clasped her hand around the last bullet, quickly pulling it out and throwing it to the ground. "There we go, all done!"

She pulled down Stefan's gray sweater and wiped her bloody hands on it, leaving large smears all over the front. Stefan didn't seem to care; he slowly sat up with the help of Elena and tried to get through the last of the vervain pumping through his system.

While Lucy moved to sit next to Caroline on a small set of stairs, Damon sighed and lazily pulled away from the deputy's body, having his fill of blood. He crawled over to Stefan and sat up on his knees.

"You need to drink some deputy blood," he advised his brother.

"Oh, no," Stefan rasped, leaning against Elena. "I'll be fine. It's just gonna take a little bit longer."

He grunted as he adjusted himself on the uncomfortable floor, causing Lucy to wince in pity.

"Damon's right, you know," Caroline spoke up. "If there's ever a time to break your diet—"

Lucy gently nudged her with her knee, thinking of the last time Stefan broke his diet of animal blood. Caroline didn't know about that, though.

"He said he didn't want it, okay?" Elena snapped at her.

Damon groaned, still healing, and got to his feet. "This is the most unfortunate situation. Two deputies dead and you—" he turned to Liz, who had been sitting silently. "—what am I gonna do with you?"

Liz simply stared back at him.

"You won't tell anyone, will you?" Caroline asked her mother; Liz didn't respond. "Mom, please! Look, I know that we don't get along and that you hate me but I'm your daughter and you'll do this for me, right?"

Liz looked down at her lap, tears slipping from her eyes. Lucy felt her heart break for her best friend.

"Mom, please," Caroline pleaded. "He will kill you."

Liz stubbornly looked at Damon. "Then kill me."

"No!" Caroline objected.

"I can't take this," Liz pleaded. "Kill me now."

Caroline stood up to intervene when Damon walked up to Liz and bent down so they were eye-to-eye. "But you were going to drag it out so painfully…"

He abruptly grabbed Liz and pulled her to her feet, causing everyone to flinch and Caroline to freak out.

"No, no, no, no!"

"Stop!" Lucy shouted fearfully.

"Damon, don't!" Stefan protested.

"Damon, please!" Elena begged.

Damon rolled his eyes and turned to the others. "Relax, guys, no one is killing anybody," he turned back to Liz. "You're my friend. We should probably clean this up," he added, looking at the dead bodies.

Lucy grimaced, her stomach still upset from pulling the bullets out of Stefan. "Not it."

Stefan, Elena, and Caroline gave her disapproving looks but Lucy just shrugged.

Lucy walked into the Salvatore Boarding House, dressed in fresh, clean clothes with a large thermos held tightly in her hand. She went straight into the living room, looking for Stefan, and smiled happily when she found him laying on the couch, arm thrown over his eyes.

"Hi, there," she greeted him, watching in amusement as he jumped at her abrupt arrival.

"Hey," he smiled sheepishly, embarrassed, as he sat up correctly. "I didn't hear you."

"Clearly," Lucy laughed lightly. "That's why I brought you this," she held out the thermos. "Animal blood to get you all healed up."

Stefan gently took it from her, raising his eyebrows. "Animal blood? Where'd you get this?"

"Well, I didn't hunt a bunny," she joked, sitting on the couch next to him. "I went to a butcher and asked if he had any blood."

"…the butcher?" Stefan stared at her in disbelief—she was such a weirdo…

"Yeah, I told him that it was for a science project," Lucy stated matter-of-factly. "He believed me! What an idiot."

Stefan opened the thermos and sniffed at the opening. He recognized the scent—it was definitely deer blood. He took a sip and sighed as his stomach twisted happily and his wounds started healing a little bit faster.

Lucy watched as Stefan hungrily drank the whole thermos of blood, not even flinching when she saw the dark veins pop up under his red eyes. She was used to it now, it was just a natural part of Stefan.

"Why'd you get this for me?" Stefan asked as he finished up and twisted the cap back onto the thermos. "You hate blood."

"So?" Lucy shrugged. "I knew that you'd be too weak to hunt by yourself and I thought that Damon might be too busy with Liz, so…" she winced and admitted, "and I felt bad about our conversation earlier and how I hurt you in the cellar."

Stefan smiled softly and set the thermos on the side table so he could wrap an arm around Lucy's shoulders. "You were pulling bullets out of me, so I think you're good there," he assured her, laying his head on hers. "And as for our conversation, you were right. I should stay out of your relationship with Elena."

"It was stupid, anyway," Lucy sighed, picking at her t-shirt. "I was just mad that she didn't believe me when I said that Katherine was probably threatening Caroline."

"Hmm," Stefan hummed. "Did Caroline say something?"

"No, but she didn't need to," Lucy pulled away from Stefan's embrace to look him in the eye. "She's terrified, Stefan, and I just know that it's Katherine who's scaring her. And I know Caroline, okay? She cares about you and Elena and she wouldn't just—"

"Hey, hey," Stefan cut her off with a sad smile. "I believe you."

"You do?"

"Yeah, if you say that Caroline wouldn't spy on Elena and me without a good reason, I believe it," Stefan nodded. "I trust you and you trust Caroline which means I trust Caroline."

Lucy beamed at Stefan and practically leapt at him, tightly wrapping her arms around his neck. She couldn't help it; every time she tried to lock away how she felt about him, he always did something that pulled her back. Every single time.

Stefan chuckled and rubbed Lucy's back, enjoying the heat of her embrace and the scent of her coconut shampoo. He loved Lucy's hugs, he always felt so comfortable and safe in her arms.

Lucy sighed and pulled herself together before pulling away from Stefan. "Where's Elena?" she asked, looking around for her sister.

Stefan stopped and listened carefully for his girlfriend. "Coming down the stairs right now."

Soon enough, Elena walked into the living room and gave Lucy a cautious smile. "Hey," she waved awkwardly. "Where's Caroline?"

"Um," Lucy checked her phone and saw that she had a message from Caroline from ten minutes ago. "On her way. She should be here any minute."

The doorbell rung five minutes later and Lucy and Elena both decided to answer the door to show their support for Caroline.

"Hey," Caroline smiled at them as they ushered her into the house. "Sorry that took forever. I just didn't know how long my mom was gonna be here."

Lucy smiled comfortingly and silently wondered where Caroline got the turtle cardigan she was wearing. It was adorable and she wanted one.

"Damon said it will take three days tops for the vervain to leave her system," Elena informed her. "Maybe even sooner."

Stefan joined the three of them as they started walking down the hall that led to the basement.

"Hey!" Caroline greeted him; Stefan grinned at her. "You get some bunny in you?"

"Deer, actually," Stefan corrected her and winked at Lucy, who stifled her laugh. "I'm feeling much better, thank you."

Once in the basement, Stefan led the girls past their storage area—which included a large fridge that held only blood bags—and into the cellar. They passed the cell where their vervain was grown and stopped at the one where Damon set Liz up.

Just as they approached the cell, they heard Liz say, "Keep Caroline away from me, please. I don't want to see her."

Lucy's heart clenched and she grabbed Caroline's hand, gripping tightly.

"She's your daughter, Liz," Damon defended Caroline, glancing at her for a brief second.

"Not anymore. My daughter's gone."

"You have no idea how wrong you are about that," Damon said firmly, giving Caroline a rare, sympathetic look.

Caroline grimaced and set down Liz's suitcase before turning around and pushing past Elena and Stefan to leave the cellar. Lucy followed after her; her best friend needed her now more than ever with everything that was going on.

Lucy found Caroline in the living room, snuggling up with a pillow with tears in her eyes. She sat next to her and allowed her to lay her head on her shoulder.

"Your mom's wrong," Lucy whispered. "You're still you, Caroline. A caring control freak that loves deeply and wants to be loved in return."

Caroline whimpered. "She hates me."

"She doesn't," Lucy knew how much Liz loved Caroline. "She's just confused right now. She doesn't know that vampires can have their humanity, okay? She thinks they're all monsters because that's the way she was taught."

Caroline just shook her head and allowed her tears to drench the shoulder of Lucy's shirt. Lucy just let her cry, knowing that's all she could do to help for the meantime.

Elena walked into the room just as Caroline's crying started to wane.

"Can I take you home?" she asked Caroline, feeling awkward. She was still mad at the blonde and with the fight she and Stefan just had, she wasn't feeling all that sympathetic.

"I can't go home," Caroline sniffed, shaking her head.

"Why not?" Elena wondered.

"Because I'm scared."

"Why are you scared?" Elena sat on the coffee table in front of Caroline and Lucy and placed her hand on Caroline's knee. "Caroline, you can talk to me."

"Katherine's gonna be there," Caroline admitted, exhaling shakily. "And she's gonna want me to tell her everything that happened today. She told me I had to spy on you and report back to her."

"I know," Elena said, pursing her lips. "And I've been so mad at you. But then I tried to put myself in your position so that I could understand why you would do this to me and to Stefan because he's been such a friend to you…who did she threaten?"

"Matt," Caroline whimpered, scooting closer to Lucy. "She threatened Matt and I'm so scared of her! I'm so scared…"

"And you should be," Elena said empathetically. She looked between Caroline and Lucy and added, "Guys, we _all_ should be."

Lucy nodded in agreement; Katherine was dangerous and no one was safe.

"Why is she doing this?" Caroline asked softly. "What does she want?"

"That's the million-dollar question," Elena sighed. She held out her arms, pulling both Caroline and Lucy into a hug. "Come here."

Lucy allowed herself to hug her sister back, some of her anger melting away. In the end, Elena had listened to her about Caroline's situation with Katherine.

It'd be okay. Everything would be okay…


	25. The Moonstone

**[2x06; Plan B]**

"…and I wasn't sure whether or not to believe her so I asked Elena to find something on Katherine's family when she went to Duke with Damon and Alaric and she brought me back a book that detailed the Petrova family up until the end of the fifteenth century," Lucy babbled to Stefan as she parked her car in the Lockwood's driveway. "So I did some digging and I found an entry. Lucia Petrova was born on December 15, 1475."

Now that she finally found something that gave some substance to what Katherine told her, she decided to tell Stefan about Lucia and how she might be connected to her. It was all so confusing for her and she thought that Stefan might know of something—like if Katherine ever mentioned her sister before now.

"December fifteenth?" Stefan furrowed his eyebrows at her. "That's your—"

"My birthday, yeah," Lucy nodded and parked, turning off the car.

They both climbed out of the vehicle and started walking past the cars of other volunteers, heading up to the house. The place was packed with people setting up for the party but it was for a good cause—for some reason Mayor Lockwood thought a masquerade party would be the best option for raising funds for children with cancer.

"So you have the same birthday and a variation of her name," Stefan shrugged. "It could be a coincidence and nothing more."

Lucy shook her head; she didn't think it was a coincidence. The name, the birthday, and the fact that she had two visions when she came face-to-face with Katherine and some more while she slept was more than enough to think that she had some kind of connection to Lucia Petrova.

"I don't think it's a coincidence, Stefan," she sighed. "I had some visions that centered around Lucia and Katherine and they were more like memories than anything…I _was_ Lucia in them."

Stefan thoughtfully pursed his lips; if something was going on with Lucy and Katherine's dead sister, they needed to find out what it was. Katherine would obviously be the best source but she was a liar, she'd never tell them what the actual truth was.

"We'll figure it out, Luce," Stefan smiled comfortingly at her. "I promise."

"Thank you," Lucy said appreciatively. "So…are you absolutely sure you want to do this? Mason Lockwood is gonna be walking around and he tried to kill you and Damon."

"I'll be fine, don't worry about it," Stefan said as they stopped just inside the house. "What were you assigned to do?"

"Nothing, I can come and go as I please," Lucy sighed; as she looked around at the many volunteers, she noticed Bonnie walking up to Elena. "But I'm going to try to avoid Bonnie, so…what are you signed up for?"

"Well, you can help me at the bar."

Lucy and Stefan walked through the house, occasionally stopping to say hello. As Lucy made sure to touch base with Mrs. Lockwood and the new head of the planning committee, Olivia Fell, Stefan spoke to Jenna about how he and Elena were no longer together. Jenna immediately called bullshit on him, having heard Stefan and Elena having sex that morning.

Stefan was embarrassed but also worried that Jenna heard them; who knew where Katherine had her spies? If Katherine found out that they were faking their break up, all hell would break loose.

Stefan swallowed his worry, though, and met back up with Lucy, heading outside to the bar area.

"Why are you avoiding Bonnie anyway?" he asked Lucy, setting down a heavy crate of recently-washed wine glasses for them to dry together and set up.

Lucy handed him a clean wash cloth. "Because she's being a bitch about Caroline," she huffed. "It's not as though Caroline chose to be turned."

"But Bonnie's a witch," Stefan gently reminded her. He had to be neutral in this situation but he didn't want Lucy to ruin the long friendship she had with Bonnie. "It's in a witch's nature to hate vampires. And with her grams dying…"

"But this is Caroline," Lucy said stubbornly. "We've all known each other since kindergarten."

Stefan hummed and picked up a glass, quickly drying it and setting it down on the bar. "I know the way that Bonnie's treated Caroline isn't the best, but I think you should put yourself in her shoes. If you didn't have relationships with me and Joel and even Damon, how would you feel about vampires? And when you add the fact that Sheila died doing a spell for vampires…"

"Okay, I get it," Lucy sighed, knowing that Stefan was right. When Grams died, Lucy said that Bonnie had a right to hate vampires and she still did, she just didn't want Caroline to get the brunt of Bonnie's hate. "I'm just being protective."

"Well, your protectiveness is one of the things me and everyone else adore about you," Stefan grinned and gently nudged her in the bicep with his elbow. "Hey, hand me that glass."

Lucy's heart fluttered in her chest at Stefan's words as she handed him the glass he was pointing to. As he set it down, Lucy spotted Mason Lockwood walking by them, a box of masquerade masks in his hands.

"Stefan," she hissed, getting his attention and gesturing to Mason.

Stefan looked up and gave Mason a casual smile, silently rubbing in the fact that he wasn't dead like the werewolf planned.

Mason's eyes gave away his confusion but he ultimately smiled back at Stefan. "Hey, Stefan."

Stefan grabbed a newly-dried glass from Lucy and set it down next to him. "Hey, Mason."

Mason set his box down on a table a couple of feet away and turned back to them. "I wasn't expecting you here," he admitted; Stefan gave him an amused smile that Lucy thought was adorable. "Or anywhere."

"Yeah, I had this little accident," Stefan said nonchalantly; Mason nodded uneasily. "But I'm fine now."

The nervous smile dropped from Mason's face as he walked toward the bar. "What did you do to Sheriff Forbes?" he demanded.

Lucy rolled her eyes; between Caroline and Lucy—and surprisingly Damon—nothing would be happening to Liz anytime soon.

"Oh, she's fine, too, but for now on, you'll have to do your own dirty work," Stefan raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms over his chest.

Mason nodded and smiled pleasantly. "Not a problem."

He turned and walked away from Lucy and Stefan, only to bump into Bonnie. Bonnie gasped in surprised and Mason made his excuses, briskly making his way to the house.

Lucy studied Bonnie, noticing the blank look on her face that started as soon as she ran into Mason. Taking this as an opportunity to play nice with the witch, she left the bar to ask if she was okay.

"What's the matter?" she asked Bonnie, slightly stiff. She didn't know how Bonnie would react to her. "Are you okay?"

Bonnie snapped out of her daze and looked at Lucy with a thoughtful expression. "When I touched him, I saw something."

"What do you mean, like a vision?" Stefan, who had followed Lucy over to Bonnie, asked.

Bonnie nodded. "I saw Elena."

"You saw Elena?"

"He was kissing her," Bonnie informed them.

"No, Bonnie, Elena wouldn't kiss…" Stefan trailed off, trying to get his thoughts together. Elena wouldn't kiss anyone while they were together, let alone Mason Lockwood. But Katherine… "You didn't see Elena," he said finally. "You saw Katherine."

"Gross," Lucy groaned. "Is that even legal? You know, a vampire and a werewolf?"

Stefan gave her a slightly exasperated look; he couldn't believe that was what she was focusing on. "Lucy, stay with Bonnie while I go get Damon," he nodded at both of the girls. "I'll be right back."

"Fine," Lucy sighed as Stefan walked away to go locate Damon. "Twilight would never."

Bonnie smiled nervously and Lucy gave her one right back. Their relationship was rocky at the moment but maybe if Lucy could get over how Bonnie was treating Caroline—especially since Caroline wasn't all that focused on Bonnie right now—maybe they could get their friendship back.

Summoning her courage, she asked Bonnie, "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Bonnie said, glad that Lucy wasn't being hostile. "I'm been going through my grimoire. How are you?"

"I'm tired of drama," Lucy said truthfully. "Werewolves…who would have thought?"

"Stephenie Meyer?" Bonnie shrugged with a laugh.

Lucy giggled and pointed at her. "True."

The two chatted idly about non-important things that wouldn't cause an argument to break out. So, naturally, they avoided talks about Caroline and vampires. Lucy asked Bonnie how her training was going with the grimoire and Bonnie seemed a bit hesitant to talk to her about it, but ultimately spilled.

Lucy didn't have her own magic, but she was still a witch—a different type, yes, but a witch nonetheless.

Bonnie told Lucy how she was only halfway through Emily's grimoire but she was making progress with the spells she had seen. Lucy listened intently, wishing that she could train like Bonnie. She read through the grimoire Grams had given her about three times a week but she wasn't able to practice much except the theory. She wanted to save the magic she collected in her locket in case something bad happened.

"Witch, Twitch," Damon greeted, approaching them with Stefan at his side. "We need to talk. Preferably somewhere else."

Bonnie started to object, "No, I don't think—"

Damon didn't let her finish as he grabbed her upper arm and started to walk, taking her with him. Lucy rolled her eyes and walked behind them, Stefan at her side with his phone in his hands. They got as far as the edge of the party's setup when Bonnie stopped.

"Okay, this is as far as I go," she declared stubbornly, digging her heels into the ground.

Damon sighed and let go of her arm. "Okay."

"What do you want?" she asked, looking between Damon, Stefan, and Lucy.

"A favor."

"That's not gonna happen," Bonnie looked at Damon in disbelief.

Damon sighed. "So predictable," he gestured to Stefan and Lucy. "That's why I brought them."

Lucy pressed her lips together, exasperated. She had no idea what the brothers were up to.

"I know how you feel about helping us out," Stefan said to Bonnie seriously. "But since you're the one that linked Mason with Katherine, we finally have an opportunity to get an upper hand on both of them. So, just hear us out."

"Please, Bon," Lucy gave her a pleading look; Mason tried to kill Stefan and Damon and Katherine was a threat to everyone.

"Pretty please," Damon added nicely.

Stefan's phone rang as Bonnie nodded, "I'm listening."

Stefan pulled out his phone and checked the screen before looking back at Bonnie. "I have to fill Elena in on what's going on," he turned to Damon. "Can you play nice, please?"

"I guess."

Stefan gave Lucy a look. "You're on babysitting duty."

Lucy nodded and mockingly smirked at Damon as Stefan walked away. "Hear that, Dracula?"

Damon rolled his eyes. "Shut up," he snapped and then turned to Bonnie. "All you have to do is touch Mason Lockwood again to see if he gave Katherine the moonstone."

"My visions don't work like that," Bonnie said honestly. "I don't get to ask questions."

"How inconvenient," Damon pressed his lips together. Bonnie raised her eyebrows at him and he continued, "Although, let's talk about that little witchy juju thing you do to me. You know, the fun one where my brain bursts into flames? What is that?"

Lucy smirked; that was one of the first spells she learned to do because she knew its usefulness against anyone that could heal quickly—also known as vampires.

"That's me giving you an aneurysm," Bonnie informed him. "Your blood vessels go pop but you heal quickly so I do it over and over again."

"Is it vampire-specific?" Damon wondered, pursing his lips.

"It would work on anyone with a supernatural healing ability," Lucy spoke up.

"Good," Damon nodded. "Good, good."

"Damon," Bonnie went to burst his bubble. "I'm not gonna help you hurt him."

Damon narrowed his eyes at Bonnie. "Mason Lockwood's a werewolf," he stated coldly. "Katherine's evil. They're the _bad_ guys. Really, you're going to play morality police with me right now?"

Bonnie raised her eyebrows at him, wondering if he actually thought she was going to give in.

"Let me explain this to you another way," Damon continued. "They're a threat to Elena. So you, witch, are going to get over yourself and help us."

Lucy sighed loudly and nudged Damon in the side with her elbow; he nudged her back just as Stefan walked up to them, finished with talking to Elena on the phone.

"Yeah, he meant that as a question with a _please_ at the end," Stefan looked beseechingly at Bonnie.

"Absolutely," Damon agreed with his brother.

Bonnie sighed and looked at Lucy. "Can't you do it? You know the spell."

"I'm saving the rest of the magic I have stored," Lucy gestured to her locket. "And Mason knows I'm with them. He'll see me coming."

Bonnie pursed her lips.

"Please, Bonnie."

Bonnie sighed and nodded, giving in. If this would help Elena, she would do what they wanted. "Fine," she said. "What exactly is the plan?"

While Bonnie gave Mason an aneurysm and Damon loaded him into his truck to take him to the Boarding House, Lucy joined Elena and Matt in the house to sort out masquerade masks. Stefan wanted her to make sure that Elena stayed out of trouble, so she agreed, though reluctantly. Since when did she become a babysitter? First Damon and now Elena?

Still, she hadn't seen Matt for a while, outside of school, so it wasn't too bad.

"So, where's Caroline?" Matt asked Lucy and Elena eventually, setting a mask to the side. "This is, like, her thing. I can't believe she's not here."

Elena shrugged. "She had something else to do."

"I think Liz is sick," Lucy added, knowing that was the story Damon, Caroline, and Liz fabricated for her absence.

Matt nodded and went back to sorting masks for a brief moment before speaking up again, "Is she seeing someone?"

Lucy gave him an amused look; Caroline absolutely adored Matt. She'd never cheat on him. "Matty, come on," she chuckled. When Matt gave her a serious look, she sobered up. "No, she's not."

"She wouldn't do that to you," Elena assured Matt.

Quiet rustling next to her caught Lucy's attention and when she turned to look, Stefan had joined them in their task. She gave him a short smile and went back to work, placing the mask in her hands into the men's' pile.

"Hey, has anyone seen Mason?" Tyler called out as he walked into the room.

Lucy looked at Stefan, wondering what they should say, but Stefan had it covered.

He turned to Tyler and said, "He, uh, he took off. He said he wasn't sure when he'd be back."

Tyler shook his head, bewildered. "So weird."

Lucy inaudibly sighed in relief as Tyler left the room. It wasn't even a second later that Stefan was grabbing her wrist, and whispering, "Come with me."

Lucy nodded and turned to Matt and Elena. "I'll be right back."

As Lucy and Stefan left together, Elena watched them with narrowed eyes. She knew logically that she and Stefan couldn't be seen together, but why was Lucy allowed to be with him? It set her on edge and made her a little irritated that she was being left out of things.

"What's with that?" Matt asked, nodding to where Stefan and Lucy had been.

Elena sighed, aggravated. "I don't know. I'll be right back."

Lucy and Stefan were already in the woods when Elena left Matt. As soon as they hit the tree line, Stefan threw Lucy on his back and used his vampire speed to get to the well on the old Lockwood property that Bonnie messaged him about. Once they arrived, he set Lucy down and grabbed her arms, steadying her.

"What are we doing here?" Lucy said once she gained her balance back. She noticed the well and smiled. "Oh, we used to play at this well growing up."

"Bonnie got the location of the moonstone out of Mason," Stefan told her, walking up to the well and examining it. "And it's down there."

"That's why you brought the heavy-duty flashlight," Lucy gestured to the large flashlight in Stefan's hand.

"That's why I brought the heavy-duty flashlight."

"Okay, so, what's the plan?" Lucy stood next to him and bent over the grate covering the well, trying to see through the small holes. "Maybe I can—"

"Don't even think about it," Stefan cut her off, shaking his head. "I'll be going down there."

Lucy rolled her eyes but conceded. "Yeah, yeah."

"What's going on?"

Lucy gasped loudly at the sound of her sister's voice, frightened. She didn't even hear Elena coming toward them. "God, Elena!"

Stefan turned around, not effected like Lucy, and scolded his girlfriend, "You shouldn't be here."

"I know but I am," Elena squeezed between Stefan and Lucy. "What's going on?"

"Bonnie thinks the moonstone is down here," Stefan explained, looking at the well.

He picked up the padlock on the grate and easily pulled it off, the metal groaning as it broke. The grate came off next, Stefan throwing it a few feet away from the well. He turned the flashlight on and aimed it down into the well, getting a feel on how deep it went, before climbing onto the edge in order to jump down.

"Hey," Elena touched his arm. "Be careful."

"I'll only be down there for a minute," Stefan assured them both, noticing that Lucy was worriedly biting her bottom lip.

He jumped down into the well, splashing into the water only a second later. A burning sensation started throughout his body almost immediately and when Stefan looked around, he noticed numerous sprigs of vervain in the water.

Stefan groaned loudly as his skin burned and turned raw from the vervain, backing up against the wall of the well. He had to get out of there, he hurt so bad.

"Elena," he shouted desperately. "Lucy!"

Lucy and Elena frantically looked into the well. "Stefan?"

"Help!"

"Stefan, what's happening?" Elena called down to him. "What's going on in there?"

"Vervain!" Stefan screamed painfully. "Oh, my God, help!"

"Oh, God," Lucy breathed; she looked around desperately, trying to find anything to help get Stefan out of the well.

She spotted a pile of chains on the other side of Elena and ran to them, trying to pick them up. They were rusted, though, and very heavy. "Elena, help me pick these up!"

Just as Elena went to help her, Caroline sped into view, stopping at their side.

"Elena!"

Lucy stood up, giving up on the chains, and turned to her best friend. "Caroline, Stefan's down there and the chain is rusted—"

Caroline went to climb onto the well, ready to jump in to save Stefan.

"—no, no, no!" Lucy stopped her while Elena grabbed her arm.

"You can't," Elena explained quickly. "It's full of vervain. Caroline, we've got to get him out!"

Caroline faltered, wondering what she was supposed to do. "Well—"

"Now!"

At Elena's shout, Lucy went back to the chains. "Caroline, help me."

Caroline was much stronger than Lucy, though, so she was able to pull the chains off the ground easily. She and Lucy quickly hooked up a rig so that Elena could use the chains to propel down the well and get Stefan to safety.

"Here, put this around you there," Lucy instructed Elena, handing her the end of the chain where the clasp was.

Caroline held the other side of the chain, ready to slowly lower Elena into the well. "I've got you, okay?" she assured Elena; Elena nodded.

"What's going on?" Bonnie asked through heavy breaths as she ran up to the well. "You took off in a blur."

"I heard Elena screaming," Caroline explained. "Both of you help her," she ordered Lucy and Bonnie before looking back at Elena. "Are you ready?"

Lucy and Bonnie took a hold of Elena's free hand and arm, carefully helping her off the edge of the well. Elena gripped her makeshift harness and nodded at Caroline.

"Yeah."

Once Elena had put all of her weight on the harness, Caroline slowly let go of the chain in her hand, a little bit at a time. Elena was steadily moving down but when her weight caused the chain to slip from Caroline's hands, she gasped loudly when she fell ten feet. Caroline caught the chain within a second, apologizing loudly.

"It's okay, keep it going!" Elena encouraged. "Come on!"

Caroline continued to slowly lower Elena while Lucy watched on worriedly. Stefan had stopped making his various noises of pain and it concerned the crap out of her.

Finally, Elena made it to the bottom of the well where Stefan was. Lucy couldn't see much of anything in the well but the slight glow of the flashlight Stefan brought with him and it made her anxious.

"Elena, what's going on down there?" she called as precious seconds ticked by.

There were a few seconds of splashing before Elena shouted, "Pull him up!"

Caroline immediately started pulling on the chain, heaving Stefan up the length of the well. It wasn't long before Stefan's head popped out, every inch of his face raw and bloody.

"Stefan!" Lucy breathed and reached for him, pulling him off the well while Bonnie and Caroline unhooked him from the chain. Caroline hurriedly grabbed his legs and the two of them carefully placed him on the ground.

Lucy knelt by Stefan's head, her eyes blurring with tears, while Caroline and Bonnie went back to the well to fetch Elena. Caroline called down to Elena but Lucy didn't catch what she said.

"Oh, my God," she panicked, looking at the burns all over Stefan's body. "Okay, okay, okay…"

He wasn't healing and it worried her; she had to do something.

She looked around and found a sharp rock, cutting her palm. She knew that her blood wasn't the same as Elena's and that's what Stefan was drinking to get used to human blood, but it was going to have to do for now. She pressed her bloody palm against Stefan's mouth and cradled his head, lifting it slightly so he could drink.

Stefan didn't need much encouragement; he began drinking from Lucy, groaning softly in delight.

"It's okay," Lucy whispered, stroking his hair. Surprisingly, Stefan drinking her blood didn't cause the pain she thought it would—just a weird sucking sensation and the slight ache of the cut itself. "It's gonna be okay, Stefan."

"Oh, my God!"

Lucy looked up when Elena gasped at the sight of Stefan. Lucy gave her a sad smile but kept her palm against Stefan's lips while he drank. As long as he didn't drain her, she'd be okay.

Elena threw herself at Stefan's other side and kissed his forehead. "I got the stone, Stefan," she said, trying to comfort him. "It's gonna be okay, everything's gonna be okay."

Stefan groggily opened his eyes and took another pull of Lucy's blood.

Two hours later, after Stefan was all healed up and at home at the Boarding House and she had eaten a couple of chocolate chip cookies so she wouldn't pass out from blood loss, Lucy went downstairs, hoping to help Jenna with the dinner she was cooking up.

Jenna was a notoriously bad cook, just like Elena and Jeremy, so if Lucy wanted to eat that night, she was going to have to volunteer to at least be her aunt's sous chef.

However, when she entered the kitchen she was met with something no one wanted to see.

"My eyes!" she shouted, covering her eyes and turning away from Jenna and Alaric's make out session. "Jenna! Alaric!"

"Oh, my God, I'm so sorry, Luce," Jenna said hurriedly, horrified that her niece just caught her making out with said niece's biological father.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry," Alaric winced, embarrassed.

Lucy turned back around, glad that they stopped kissing for the moment. "I don't care that you're kissing. I care that you're kissing in the kitchen where we cook! The kitchen is not for romantic exchanges!"

"Well…" Jenna smirked.

"Jenna!" Alaric hissed at her, though he was clearly amused.

"Ugh," Lucy groaned and playfully stomped over to the island. "Just give me something to do."

Jenna grinned at her and handed her the bowl of salad and some caesar dressing. "Mix this please. I have to cut the bread."

Lucy took the salad and dressing, surprised. "That's all that's left?"

"Yep," Jenna looked over at Alaric, who went to set the table. "Alaric helped me."

"Wow," Lucy smiled; she was impressed that Alaric could cook. Most men couldn't.

"I know," Jenna said happily. The home phone rang then and Jenna answered it, "Hello?"

Lucy mixed up the salad as Jenna spoke to whoever called; Elena came in a minute later and started helping Alaric set the rest of the table.

"Where's Jeremy?" Elena asked, placing a plate at the head of the table.

"Oh, he went straight to his room," Alaric answered with a shrug. "He said he's not hungry."

Elena hummed and looked at Lucy. "Who's Jenna talking to?"

"No idea," Lucy sighed and finished off the salad with some cheese.

"Of course, I understand," Jenna said into the phone a moment later; she walked over to Elena and held the phone to her. "Elena, it's for you."

Elena took the phone and gave Jenna a confused look. "Who is it?"

Jenna shrugged and walked back to Lucy's side, picking up the bread knife to slice into the loaf of bread that Alaric made.

"Who was that, Jenna?" Lucy asked curiously.

"I don't know," Jenna said blankly, focusing on the bread.

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows, barely looking up when Elena gasped. How would Jenna not know who Elena was talking to when she was talking to the person for a minute or so. She was acting weird, too. Before she was normal and happy with Alaric's presence but now, it was like she was despondent.

"Jenna—"

Jenna abruptly pulled the knife out of the bread and lunged toward Lucy; Lucy was so surprised by the action that she didn't move in time. Lucy screamed as the knife was stabbed into the left side of her stomach, white hot pain causing her to crumple to the floor.

Alaric and Elena looked back at the kitchen as they heard Lucy scream, their eyes widening in horror as she fell to the floor from Jenna's assault.

"Lucy!"

"Jenna, no!" Elena shouted as Jenna pulled the bloody knife from Lucy's stomach and aimed it at herself. She dropped the phone where Katherine was still monologuing as Jenna stabbed herself with a grunt.

It felt like ages before Elena arrived in the kitchen; Alaric was already kneeling by Jenna, hands pressed against her stomach to stop her from bleeding out so Elena dropped next to Lucy, gasping when she saw that her sister was unconscious.

"Oh, my God!" Elena cried, tears dripping from her eyes.

"Stop the bleeding," Alaric advised her, trying to stay calm. Elena didn't move, still shocked. "Elena, come on!"

Elena pressed her hands on Lucy's wound, wincing at how fast her hands were stained red. Lucy already lost a lost of blood from Stefan today, how much more could she survive?

"Jeremy!" she shouted, trying to get her brother's attention; she couldn't call for an ambulance and neither could Alaric. "Jeremy, please!"

Jeremy, however, was already on his way down the stairs, having heard the screams a moment earlier. He quickened his pace as he heard Elena and paled when he walked into the kitchen where his sister and aunt were bleeding out on the floor.

"What the hell?"

"Call an ambulance!" Elena urged. "Hurry!"

Jeremy scrambled for the phone and dialed for emergency services, sighing in relief when his call was answered.

Joel paced back and forth in the hospital waiting room, Jeremy and Caroline sitting a few feet away as they all waited for news about Lucy and Jenna. He had rushed home from Whitmore as soon as Elena called him and now, as he wondered if his sister and aunt were alive, his blood boiled.

Jeremy filled him in when he got to the hospital; it was Katherine who did this. She switched Jenna's vervain perfume out and compelled her to spy on Elena and Stefan and when they didn't follow Katherine's instructions, she had Jenna stab Lucy and herself. Now all Joel wanted to do once he had found out what was happening was kill Katherine. He didn't care what it took.

The sound of the automatic doors opening caught everyone's attention. They all looked up as Elena walked out of the emergency care ward, her face still damp with tears. Jeremy and Caroline stood up and joined Joel as she walked over to them.

"Are they okay?" Jeremy asked immediately.

"The doctors told Alaric that Jenna got lucky," Elena explained tearfully. "She didn't hit anything major, she's gonna be okay."

"And Lucy?" Caroline spoke up weakly.

"She's in surgery," Elena revealed sadly. "Jenna got her spleen and the doctors said they needed to take it out."

Joel almost cried he was so relieved. "She can live without her spleen."

Jeremy turned to Joel, hopeful. "She can?"

"She's gonna make it," Elena confirmed. Like Joel, she was relieved that Lucy was going to be okay. Lucy and Jenna were safe for now and Elena would continue to make sure they would be.

"Thank God," Caroline sighed, placing her hand against her heart.

"Did Jenna remember what happened?" Jeremy asked Elena.

"No, nothing," Elena shook her head. "It's all part of Katherine's mind compulsion."

"Why would Katherine hurt Lucy and Aunt Jenna?"

"Because she's trying to send a message that she could get to anybody," Elena answered Jeremy, feeling her guilt starting to weigh her down. If she and Stefan took Katherine's threat seriously, Jenna and Lucy wouldn't be in the hospital.

A sob broke through her chest and she covered her face with her hands to hide her cries. Joel wrapped his arms around her and held her head against his chest. "It's gonna be okay," he consoled her.

"No, it's not, Joel," Elena cried into his jacket. "This is all my fault."

"No, it isn't," Joel rubbed her back. "It's Katherine's and she's going to pay, Elena. She's gonna pay." 


	26. Killing Katherine

**[2x07; Masquerade]**

Lucy held onto Joel's waist as he helped her up the porch steps while Matt, Elena, and Jeremy helped Jenna through the door. She grunted in pain as Joel went a little too fast and the stitches in her stomach tugged.

"Sorry, sorry," Joel apologized; he helped Lucy walk through the door and then closed it after them.

"Hey, stop fussing!" Lucy heard Jenna say from the living room. "I'm fine."

"The doctors said that you both have to take it easy," Elena said sternly, looking back at Lucy for emphasis.

Lucy groaned in frustration; she didn't want to take it easy, she wanted to go to the masquerade ball. She was a little bundle of rage at the moment; her compelled aunt stabbed her, she had to have surgery to get her spleen removed, and now Joel was refusing to give her vampire blood so she could heal. All of which meant that she was missing the party that she worked so hard on and had a decent outfit for.

"Do you want to go in the living room with Jenna or your bedroom?" Joel asked her, noticing her frustration.

"My bedroom."

She just wanted to be alone.

"All right."

"Hey, don't forget about your medicine!" Elena told Lucy, having heard her request to go to her bedroom.

Lucy grumbled angrily but Joel nodded at Elena as he lifted Lucy into his arms. "I'll give it to her!"

Joel carried her up the stairs and pushed into her bedroom, gently setting her on the bed. Lucy grunted uncomfortably but rearranged herself so her incision wouldn't hurt when she laid down.

"There you go," Joel covered her with her comforter and then went to dig the pain meds that the doctor prescribed her out of her bag. "I think you're getting a little grumpy, Luce."

"I've earned grumpy," Lucy huffed, wincing from the pain that shot through her stomach at the action. "I was stabbed by my aunt and now I'm missing the masquerade."

"Well, it could be worse," Joel said lightly, finally finding the orange medicine bottle.

"Yeah, I could be dead," Lucy clenched her eyes shut to prevent tears from welling up. She was just so frustrated and angry and tired and sad. Altogether, it wasn't the best combination.

Joel frowned at the waiver in Lucy's voice and brought her meds over to her. "Are you okay?"

"I guess," Lucy took the pills from him and swallowed them down without any water, cringing at the taste. "It's just...Stefan hasn't visited yet. I thought...I thought that he would."

Joel frowned. "I'm sorry, Lulu," he brushed her hair from her forehead. "I can call him."

"No, he's probably busy," Lucy sighed. "I'm just gonna go to sleep."

"Okay," Joel nodded. "Um, I'm gonna head over to the Boarding House but Elena and Matt are gonna be downstairs, okay?"

"All right."

Why was Joel even going to the Boarding House? Alaric had said something about it earlier when he helped her and Jenna check out of the hospital, too. Something important had to be going on, but as she was unable to help, she couldn't worry about it.

Lucy closed her eyes, intending to get some needed sleep, but opened them right back up when she heard her bathroom door open and close.

"Well, I thought he'd never leave."

Lucy gasped as Katherine walked over to her, a casual smile on the face she shared with Elena.

Was she here to finish her off?

"What are you doing here, Katherine?" she breathed. She couldn't move, she couldn't defend herself and she didn't want Elena and Matt coming up here only to get hurt.

"You don't have to be afraid," Katherine sat on the bed next to Lucy's legs. "I came to apologize."

"Apologize?" Lucy scoffed. "You compelled my aunt to stab me."

Katherine shrugged, not bothered by her actions. "I was going to heal you afterward," she said plainly. "It wasn't anything personal."

"Clearly, it was," Lucy argued. "You had Jenna stab herself and me because you're jealous of Stefan and Elena's relationship."

"What I meant is it had nothing to do with you," Katherine clarified, annoyed. "I knew Stefan would be more worried about you than Jenna and Elena would feel even more guilty if her sister was injured, so I included you. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Wonderful," Lucy grumbled. "I love being incentive without my knowledge."

"Oh, you were always so dramatic," Katherine groaned, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "You got that from me, though, so I can't complain...much."

Katherine's words intrigued Lucy. "You're talking about Lucia, right?"

"You, Lucia—same thing—err, same person."

Lucy raised her eyebrows, curious. No matter how angry she was that Katherine had Jenna stab her, she was more curious about her so-called life as Lucia. She was especially curious as she had been having more and more visions of Lucia and Katherine at night while she was sleeping.

"Are you gonna tell me what that's all about, or what?" she asked, annoyed.

Katherine inhaled deeply; she hated to admit it, but seeing Lucy brought back all the fond memories she had with her little sister. She had longed for her sister's presence for five hundred years and here she was again, right in front of her.

"You're a reincarnation of my little sister, Lucia," Katherine revealed. She looked over her manicure, hoping that Lucy wouldn't see how emotional this whole situation was for her. Yes, Lucia was her favorite family member, but she wasn't going to drop her indifferent mask for anyone. "She was two years younger than me."

"A reincarnation?" Lucy was shocked but not outrageously so. She had been toying with the idea ever since Katherine told her about Lucia and she found the entry in the Petrova Bible. "So, I'm her."

"Same face, same personality, same everything," Katherine said, then grimaced. "Different name. Lucia was _much_ prettier."

"What—how am I a reincarnation?"

"How else? A spell, obviously."

"Who would spell me to reincarnation after five hundred years?"

"Well, not every five hundred years," Katherine stated, cocking her head. "If my knowledge is correct, this is your third life. You're born again whenever a Petrova doppelganger is born."

Lucy had to be thinking a million miles per hour at this point, trying to understand everything that Katherine was telling her. Eventually, things started threading together.

"So because Elena was born..."

"So were you," Katherine confirmed. "Anyway, I'm only telling you this because I feel sorry for you. I mean, if what I have planned is pulled off successfully, they're gonna know about you."

"Who is _they_?"

"Your other siblings," Katherine hopped off Lucy's bed. "I'll tell you more later, I have to something to do. But, for now—" she bit into her wrist and shoved it in Lucy's mouth.

Lucy gagged but swallowed Katherine's blood, glad that someone was giving it to her at least. Although, it did bring up some worries; what if Katherine grew angry and snapped her neck in the next twenty-four hours and the blood hadn't passed through her system?

Katherine pulled her wrist away from Lucy and, as if reading her mind, said, "Don't worry, I won't kill you. I don't think you'd work as a vampire."

Lucy coughed and wiped the excess blood from her lips. She could practically feel the stiches in her stomach being absorbed as her wound healed. She knew the pain was disappearing—she could actually breathe deeply without having a sharp ache pierce through her body.

"All healed?" Katherine raised her eyebrows at Lucy; Lucy nodded, sitting up. "Good. I've already taken the time to compel your doctors so there's no need for a follow-up. Good luck explaining to Jenna why you're up and moving around."

Lucy could deal with that later. For now, she wanted to know why Katherine was being a semi-decent person. "Why are you doing this?"

Katherine pursed her lips. "Don't tell anyone or I'll kill you—" Lucy rolled her eyes at the threat she had expected from the vampire at the beginning of her visit. "—but I loved Lucia dearly and now that you're back again, I admit that I don't want you to hate me completely."

Lucy didn't think it was a good idea to sympathize with Katherine but it was like she couldn't help herself. If she put herself in her shoes—though it was a stretch, especially since Katherine killed Caroline—she would miss her sister too. And with more memories coming to her at night, it was hard to completely separate her feelings as Lucia and her current feelings...But that didn't excuse Katherine's other actions at all.

"Well, I don't hate you completely," she sighed, feeling conflicted. "Just stop trying to kill my family, okay?"

"Hey, I can't promise anything," Katherine held up her hands in defense. "But I'll try to keep the damage at a minimum."

"Katherine, come on!"

"I've got to go now," Katherine walked over to her window, sliding it open for her escape. She looked back at Lucy and smirked. "Oh, and I slipped something in your closet. You're welcome."

Lucy looked over at her closet for a second and when she turned back to the window, Katherine was gone. Now that the vampire was out of her room, she had time to focus on what she meant by her other siblings and the plan she mentioned.

What was Katherine actually up to?

There was a knock on the door of the Salvatore Boarding House and Caroline took up the task of answering it, believing it to be Bonnie. She skipped over to the door and opened it, revealing Bonnie in all of her witchy glory; she greeted her perkily. "Hey, come on in!"

"I got Stefan's message," Bonnie explained, bringing her grimoire to attention.

"Hey," Stefan walked over, catching Bonnie's words. "You brought the grimoire, thank you."

Bonnie nodded and followed the soft chatter she heard to the living room; Damon, Alaric, and Joel were standing around a table filled with weapons that could kill or injure a vampire, discussing which weapon did what.

As Caroline walked over to the men, Bonnie asked Stefan, "What's going on?"

Before Stefan could answer her, Jeremy walked into the room. "We're gonna kill Katherine."

Bonnie gaped at him, wondering when he had gotten involved with all of this, and then looked at Stefan.

"I can explain," Stefan assured her.

"Please."

"...We're gonna kill Katherine," he admitted.

Seeing that he might have made Bonnie too shocked, Stefan backed away from her and walked over to Alaric's table of weapons. Alaric was currently showing everyone how to use one of the weapons he made, which consisted of a sleeve of wooden stakes and compressed air that would shoot the stakes without any effort.

"Now, for you," Alaric nodded at Damon and Stefan who would be with Katherine the most. "I recommend this," he pulled the sleeve on. "It fits nicely under a jacket sleeve. Here's the trigger," he pointed out the trigger. "When you're ready..."

He pressed the trigger and a stake shot right into his hand. Alaric grunted and thrust the stake forward, mimicking an attack. Caroline flinched back while Stefan and Damon gave the history teacher weird looks.

"You wanted me to show you how to kill vampires, so," Alaric reminded them, embarrassed by his intensity, and put down the weapon.

"Uh, Stefan," Bonnie spoke up, getting Stefan's attention. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure."

Stefan followed Bonnie back over to the hallway for some privacy, though with three other vampires in the house, they wouldn't be offered much. Still, he was concerned that she wasn't entirely on board with killing Katherine so he needed to convince her to help them.

"I know you love Elena and you want to be with her but it's risky," Bonnie admitted nervously. "Too many people could get hurt."

"Look, I want Elena back, yes, but it's more than that," Stefan said truthfully. "What Katherine did to Jenna and Lucy crossed the line."

Stefan's blood boiled just thinking about what happened to Lucy. He was so angry that Katherine hurt her and if he was honest with himself, he felt guilty that he had a part in it, even if he didn't know it was going to happen. Lucy got hurt partly because of his and Elena's refusal to listen to Katherine's threat. The thought of Lucy so injured made him sick to his stomach and that was part of the reason why he hadn't visited her.

"She has to be stopped before it happens again," Stefan finished.

Bonnie winced. "I don't know, Stefan..."

"Look, Katherine knows me, right? She knows that I'm not gonna try something in a crowd full of innocent people, so that gives me an edge," Stefan tried to get Bonnie on their side. "I can catch her by surprise."

Bonnie sighed, looking over at her friends and Damon before thinking about Lucy and Jenna. Stefan was right; they needed to end this before someone else got hurt.

"I could do a spell to trap her," Bonnie said, thinking of the spell that Emily cast on the tomb a century ago. The spell would just be a lot smaller. "Like the tomb spell."

Stefan perked up. "Right, we can isolate her away from the others," he agreed. "Please, Bonnie?"

Bonnie bit her lip and nodded. "Okay."

Stefan and Bonnie joined the others and they all began to finish their plan now that they knew that Bonnie would help them out. They decided that Bonnie would put the spell on a room at the Lockwood estate and that Stefan and Damon would be waiting for Katherine there. Caroline and Joel would lure Katherine to the room after Jeremy convinced her to meet with Damon and Stefan to get the moonstone back.

"Are you sure you guys don't want me there tonight?" Alaric asked skeptically. He wanted a little revenge on Katherine, too. After all, Jenna was his girlfriend and Lucy was his daughter.

"No, I need you to stay with Elena and Lucy," Stefan crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't want them to know about this."

"Keep an eye out on Lucy," Joel warned Alaric. "She's pretty determined to go to the party."

"Okay," Alaric sighed. "I'll make sure they don't leave my side."

Stefan nodded and looked around at the others. "All right, if anybody wants to back out, I'll understand."

"Yeah," Damon scoffed. "Cold feet speak now. I don't want this going wrong because someone chickens out..." he narrowed his eyes at Caroline. "Caroline?"

"I won't. Look, she killed me," Caroline said sternly. "Fair's fair...As long as there are no werewolves running around."

"Oh, I took care of Mason," Damon smirked.

"And as long as Tyler doesn't kill anyone, he won't turn," Jeremy added confidently.

"Bonnie?" Stefan looked at the witch. "Are you with us?"

Bonnie looked at Jeremy, Joel, and Caroline, feeling her resolve strengthen. She needed to do this for Jenna, Lucy, and Elena. They needed Katherine out of the picture for good.

"As long as no one gets hurt," she said, raising her chin.

"Except Katherine," Damon stated. "Tonight, Katherine gets a stake through her heart."

Lucy examined the dress she was wearing and couldn't help but admit that Katherine had some taste. The dress was lavender with a deep v-neck and a full lace back, yet it was still classy enough to wear to a town event. It looked beautiful on her and, surprisingly, it matched the mask she had picked out a while ago.

As she slipped on some nude pumps, she read the note that Katherine left on the dress.

_**Thought of you when I saw this in the store. It's much better than what you planned on wearing.**_

_**Love,**_

_**Kit**_

The note was actually sweet and Lucy didn't know when Katherine saw the dress she was planning to wear but unfortunately, the vampire was right. The white dress she was going to wear didn't compare at all.

Knowing that Joel and Jeremy were already at the party by now, Lucy fixed the lump she made in her bed to deceive Elena and Alaric into thinking she was sleeping and grabbed her car keys and clutch. She slowly opened her window and shakily climbed onto the wooden lattice that was conveniently just under her room. She used to use it all the time to sneak out to see Caroline before her parents died and she hadn't been caught once.

She successfully climbed to the ground and sneaked away to her car. She was on the road within seconds, cheering for her victory. Now, she just had to avoid almost everyone she knew at the party.

Lucy was pretty sure that would be the hardest part.

The Lockwood estate was already packed and the party was in full swing when Lucy arrived. She slipped on her silver mask and fixed her hair before stepping out of her car and making her way into the party.

She was so happy with how everything turned out. The decorations were beautiful, the entertainment was actually entertaining for once, and all the guests seemed really happy to be there.

Lucy was happy, too, especially when she was able to grab a flute of champagne and the server didn't stop her. Maybe the masks were actually useful for something over than putting uncomfortable pressure on her face. She sipped on the champagne as she left the house, greeting people here and there, and headed for the dancefloor.

Across the backyard, Stefan and Damon stood together, looking out for Katherine."

"Do you see her?" Damon asked Stefan, adjusting his butterfly mask.

"Nope," Stefan sighed, looking around again. "Are you sure you can do this?"

Damon scoffed. "Who are you talking to?"

Stefan shrugged. "Well, I had the chance to kill her and I hesitated."

If he had hesitated and he didn't feel anything but hatred for Katherine, what would Damon—who had pined after her for one hundred and forty-five years—do?

"Well, that is the fork in the road between you and me, my friend," Damon smirked at his brother. "I don't hesitate."

"You spent a hundred and forty-five years loving her," Stefan pointed out, looking at Damon. "It could happen."

"I won't hesitate," Damon insisted.

Stefan nodded, seeing that his brother was serious. "Okay."

Even if Damon was serious, they wouldn't know what would happen until they were driving a stake through Katherine's heart. Everybody could talk but only few could follow through.

"Uh, brother, I'm pretty sure that's Twitch over there," Damon spoke up, pointing to the dance floor.

Stefan immediately turned to where Damon was pointing, eyes narrowing when he saw Lucy. He knew it was her immediately by the grin she was giving the older woman she was talking to.

"Fuck," he cursed, irritated. "What the hell is she doing here?"

There was nothing in the plan that included Lucy and the fact that she was here could screw everything up. Not to mention she had surgery the night before and shouldn't be up and walking around. She could get even more injured if Katherine knew she was walking around the party—it was just another opportunity for her to mess with him.

"Message Joel and tell him Lucy's here," Stefan told Damon. "I'll go get her."

"You do that," Damon mumbled, pulling out his phone as Stefan walked away.

Lucy had just finished talking to one of Caroline's aunts and was enjoying a chocolate covered strawberry when Stefan snuck up on her.

"Lucy, what the hell are you doing here?"

Lucy stiffened nervously; she had wanted to avoid everyone and from the tone Stefan was using, he seemed angry that she was here.

"Stefan!" she faced him and exclaimed, playing off her anxiety. "So crazy meeting you here like this. I was definitely not expecting to see you!"

"Cut the crap, Luce," Stefan said seriously. "How are you walking around? Last time I checked, you were bed-ridden."

Lucy pursed her lips, angry that he brought up her injury when he hadn't even checked on her. "How would you even know, Stefan? You didn't bother to see how I was doing."

Stefan sighed, seeing just how upset Lucy was. She was obviously hurt that he didn't come to see her after her surgery and he had to admit it was bad that he didn't. He just felt so horrible about what happened to her and, combined with the fact that Elena broke up with him, he just wasn't in the right mindset to see her.

Seeing Lucy so upset made his anger deflate. But the plan to kill Katherine was still on so he now he needed to fill her in on it—just so she wouldn't be in the way.

"Dance with me," he held out his hand for her to take.

Lucy looked at him like he was crazy. "No," she crinkled her nose. "I'm upset with you."

"I'm upset with you," he countered, keeping his hand out. "Please dance with me."

Lucy huffed and took Stefan's hand, allowing him to lead her to the dance floor. A Maroon 5 song came on as Stefan clasped their hands together and put his arm around her waist and even though she was upset, Lucy could feel her pulse speed up.

She knew Stefan could feel it to.

They swayed side-to-side together, slowly moving in a circle as they listened to the popular song playing. Finally, just as the second verse started, Stefan spoke up.

"Who gave you their blood?" he asked quietly, tilting his head toward Lucy's ear so she could hear him clearly.

He wasn't an idiot; he knew the only way Lucy could be walking around with no sign of pain was if a vampire healed her with their blood. He knew it wasn't him or Damon and Caroline hadn't mentioned anything, either. So that left Joel...

"Katherine."

That threw him for a loop. Katherine healed Lucy? After compelling Jenna to stab her?

He pulled back and looked at her, shocked.

"She was in my room when I got home from the hospital," Lucy explained, seeing the look on his face. "She actually apologized and gave me her blood."

"Why would she do that?"

That didn't seem like Katherine at all. She was a cold bitch who cared about no one but herself. Why would she give Lucy an apology and heal her?

"I don't want to get into it right now," Lucy shook her head; there were too many people around them that could overhear. "Why are you so upset that I'm here?"

"Because," Stefan looked around, checking to see if Katherine was anywhere near them. She couldn't overhear what he and the others were planning. He didn't see her but to make sure it was kept private, he whispered in Lucy's ear, "We're gonna kill Katherine."

Lucy stiffened and reared back. "Here?" she hissed. "Are you serious?"

"Very," Stefan nodded. "It's dangerous for you to be here, especially if you have vampire blood in your system."

Lucy shook her head; she knew that Katherine wasn't going to kill her. "Stefan—"

"You need to leave, Lucy," Stefan interrupted her, looking at her with pleading eyes. "Please. I can't let you get hurt again."

Lucy wanted to give into his puppy-dog eyes but she wasn't going to. "No," she decided. "I'll stay out of your way but I'm not leaving."

"Lucy—"

"Please don't argue," she begged him. "You let Elena make her own decisions, right?"

Stefan nodded reluctantly, already knowing where she was going with this.

"Then let me make my own."

Stefan sighed heavily; Lucy was too stubborn for her own good sometimes. "Fine."

"Good," she flashed him a smile and admired the way his maroon mask brought out the green in his eyes. "You look handsome in your suit."

Stefan rolled his eyes but couldn't help but feel happy at her complement. "Thank you," he moved his hand, dragging his fingertips across her lace-covered back, making Lucy shiver. "You look stunning but the mask doesn't work so great."

"Really?" Lucy frowned. She thought the mask looked fine no matter how much it annoyed her.

"Yeah," Stefan nodded and then winked at her. "It doesn't do anything to hide how beautiful you are."

Lucy beamed at him and he could have sworn his heart skipped a beat. He stared into her hazel eyes, unable to look away...

"We should go," Stefan said abruptly as the song ended. He needed to distract himself; he was supposed to be looking for Katherine anyway. "I have to find Katherine."

"And I have my eye on the chocolate fountain inside," Lucy added, looking toward the house. She glanced at him and grinned. "See you later?"

"Yeah," he nodded.

"Be careful, Stefan," Lucy grabbed his wrist before he could walk off. She gave him a stern look. "I'm serious."

"I will," Stefan gave her a close-lipped smile. "Stay safe."

"I will."

Stefan stomped into the room that he told Damon to meet him in, huffing in exasperation. His dance with Katherine hadn't gone so well and he made the mistake of antagonizing her with the moonstone. It ended with Amy Bradley's dead body being flopped into his arms and Katherine strutting away unbothered.

"I put the body in the trunk for now," he told Damon.

"We'll dump her when we get back," Damon shrugged; he didn't care about Amy, he just wanted to kill Katherine.

Stefan did care, though. He didn't want any innocent person getting killed in the plan to kill Katherine and that's just what happened. They needed to call the plan off, it was too dangerous to be doing in a house full of people.

"This is exactly what I didn't want, Damon," Stefan sighed heavily.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Stefan, it's collateral damage."

"Right," Stefan pointed at his brother as he started to pace. "Which is why we need to call it off."

"What?" Damon looked at him in disbelief. "Who's hesitating now? Hey," he marched over to Stefan and grabbed his shoulders. "Don't do this to me! This woman ruined our lives. She destroyed us. Tonight, it ends."

Stefan pursed his lips, thinking. Damon was right, the amount of shitty things Katherine did to him and Damon and everyone else far outweighed his guilt about Amy. This needed to be done—Katherine needed to die.

"We can do it together," Damon saw the reluctance slip from Stefan's eyes. "I got your back. All right?"

Stefan nodded, convinced. "All right."

Damon nodded back, relieved, and messaged Jeremy; time to put this plan into motion.

Jeremy glared at Katherine as she walked away to find Stefan and Damon and pulled out his phone. As he purposefully walked back to the house, he messaged Caroline and Joel, telling them that it was their turn. Hopefully Damon was right about Katherine and she would be suspicious enough to trap Caroline and ask her what the brothers were up to. From there, Caroline—and Joel, if he was still with Caroline—would lead Katherine to the room that Bonnie spelled.

Just as he was about to climb the stairs into the house, he was pulled aside. He gasped in relief when it saw that it was Elena who pulled him away but quickly because worried. First Lucy was here when she wasn't supposed to be and now Elena?

"What the fuck is going on?" Elena hissed at him.

Jeremy shushed her and looked around; if Katherine heard them, they'd all be screwed. After he called Bonnie and she came, the both of them quickly and quietly told Elena what was going on.

"You guys are trying to kill her here?" Elena asked in disbelief.

"We saw an opportunity and we knew we had to take it," Jeremy said casually, buttoning up his suit jacket.

"Okay, stop with the _we_," Elena held her hand up to him and glared at him and Bonnie. "Are you guys crazy? You could get yourselves killed."

"We know what we're doing, Elena," Bonnie defended herself and the others.

"And how am I supposed to feel if one of you gets hurt because of me?" Elena shot back. She already felt so much guilt for what happened to Jenna and Lucy, she didn't want to add to that.

"It's not just you anymore, Elena," Jeremy said firmly. "She's messed with all of us. She has to be stopped."

All of a sudden, Elena cried out in pain, feeling a stabbing sensation in the middle of her back. Bonnie and Jeremy gasped and called out her name as they reached for her and steadied her.

"Elena!"

"Elena, what is it?"

"Oh, God!" Elena cried out, feeling blood spread down her back.

Another flash of pain shot through her body and she bent over, silently screaming.

"What's going on?" Jeremy asked frantically, looking over at Bonnie for an answer. "What's happening?"

Elena shouted as her arm was cut open by nothing, blood soaking though the sleeve of her pink shirt.

Bonnie gasped in realization; Katherine was supposed to be with the Salvatore brothers by now and Elena was somehow getting injured by nothing at the same time?

"Jeremy, it's Katherine," she told the youngest Gilbert frantically. "She's linked to Katherine. Get them to stop, now!"

Jeremy sped off to go confront Stefan, Damon, and Katherine, leaving Bonnie alone with Elena. She held onto Elena's hand, trying to think of a way to stop the linking spell. So far, she was coming up blank.

Elena grunted, flipping her left hand over to reveal a large cut forming across the length of her palm. "Bonnie, it hurts," she cried.

"I can't break the spell, Elena. I'm sorry," Bonnie said apologetically, wishing she could do something. Her eyes widened as she remembered a pain-relieving spell. "I can try to take some of the pain away, okay?"

She grabbed Elena's hand and started chanting under her breath, hoping that the spell would help Elena. Jeremy came running back to them, kneeling next to his sister.

"Are you okay?" he asked Elena worriedly.

"Are they?" she whimpered in reply, worried about how the Salvatore brothers were faring against her evil doppelganger.

"They're stuck in there with her," Jeremy said before turning to Bonnie. "You were right, Katherine had a witch that linked Elena to her."

Bonnie stiffened, remembering how she felt the connection between the woman she met inside. "The girl I saw, the one inside," she breathed. She let go of Elena's hand and gave Jeremy a look as she scrambled to her feet. "Stay with her, keep pressure on her shoulder!"

"Where are you going?"

"There's another witch here, I'm gonna find her," Bonnie declared before faltering. "And I'm gonna get Lucy. She'll be able to siphon the spell."

Lucy had no idea what was going on with her sister, Stefan, Damon, and Katherine. She spent her time at the party, talking with Mrs. Lockwood and spending time with Joel, who had confronted her after he did his part in trapping Katherine in the spelled room with Stefan and Damon.

She and Joel were eating some of the red velvet cake that the caterers had served when Bonnie and another woman walked up to them. Bonnie had a frantic look on her face and the woman was calm, though there was anger in her eyes.

"Lucy, you have to help us," Bonnie said quickly, pulling Lucy to her feet.

"Woah, what's going on, Bonnie?" Joel asked worriedly; was he missing something?

"Katherine had a witch," Bonnie pointed to the woman. "put a linking spell on her and Elena. Everything that happens to Katherine is happening to Elena."

"I can't do anything against Katherine until I give her the moonstone," the woman explained. "So, we need you to siphon the spell off of Elena."

Lucy nodded, horrified that her sister was going through so much pain. "Of course!"

The four of them hurried off in the direction where Jeremy and Elena were. While they ran, Bonnie explained that she needed to help Elena heal so Lucy was going to have to siphon the seal from the room that held Stefan, Damon, and Katherine. Lucy readily agreed; she'd anything to help.

When they arrived to the table where Jeremy was keeping pressure on Elena's wounds, Lucy gasped at how bloody her sister's shirt was. She should have known that Katherine wasn't going to leave her family alone.

What else did she lie about?

"Elena, you're going to be okay," she breathed, kneeling next to her. Her hands hovered over her sister's arm, ready to siphon the linking spell from her. "This might hurt for a second."

Lucy pressed her palms to Elena's arm and siphoned, her palms turning red as she absorbed the linking spell from her sister. Elena groaned for only a second before she felt the pain of her injuries leave. Lucy let go of Elena when she felt the rest of the spell leave her body.

"It's gone," she told the others. Everyone deflated with relief.

"We should go then," the witch at Bonnie's side declared.

Lucy nodded and gave Elena a quick smile before getting back to her feet. She and Bonnie nodded at each other and she turned to follow the witch back into the house.

"I'm Lucy, by the way," she informed the witch.

"My name's Lucy, too," the witch grinned at her.

Lucy raised her eyebrows. "Really?" the other Lucy nodded. "How'd you end up helping Katherine?"

"Long story short, the bitch saved my life," the other Lucy huffed, shaking her head. "This is the last time I get roped into vampire drama."

Lucy hummed, wishing she could say the same. Who knew what else was going to happen in Mystic Falls?

The two Lucys made their way up the stairs and easily found the room that Stefan, Katherine, and Damon were sealed in. The other Lucy pulled the moonstone that Bonnie gave her out of her purse as Lucy quickly siphoned the sealing spell.

"Katherine," the other Lucy announced their presence.

Stefan, Damon, and Katherine whipped around, shocked to see them. Stefan eyes widened at Lucy, wondering why she was there, and she slightly nodded at the witch by her side.

"The spell in this room has been lifted," the other Lucy told Katherine, pointing over to Lucy. "You're free to leave."

Katherine sighed, relieved. "Thank God."

"When I hand this over, my debt to you is over," the other Lucy said when Katherine walked over to her, hand stretched out to grab the moonstone from her.

"Done."

"I owe you nothing."

"I said done," Katherine snapped at her. "Give it."

"I wouldn't do that," Damon warned the other Lucy.

The other Lucy rolled her eyes and handed Katherine the moonstone, much to the disappointment of Stefan and Damon. As soon as the moonstone touched Katherine's hand, she started to gasp for air, her lungs shrinking in her chest from the spell the other Lucy cast on her.

"You should have told me another witch was involved," the other Lucy sneered at Katherine as she sank to the floor, choking. "She's a Bennett witch, Katherine, but I'm sure you knew that."

"Wait, Elena—" Stefan started to object.

"Elena's fine," Lucy assured Stefan about her sister. "I siphoned the spell."

"She'll heal quickly," the other Lucy added. "Bonnie's with her. I apologize for my involvement."

With that, the other Lucy turned around and left the room.

Lucy exhaled heavily and looked over at Stefan and Damon. "Well, that's that, I guess."

"Thanks, Twitch," Damon said sincerely, walking over to Katherine's unconscious body and snapping her neck so she wouldn't wake anytime soon.

"What are you gonna do with her?" Lucy wondered; she didn't want Katherine to die, but she did need to pay for everything that she'd done.

"I'm gonna put her where she should've been all this time," Damon picked Katherine up and plopped her over his shoulder, not being careful. He nodded at his brother and Lucy before he left the room.

Lucy watched him leave, knowing that Katherine would hate being in the tomb. It's what she deserved, though.

"You should check on Elena," she turned back to Stefan. "I'm sure she'll want to see you."

Stefan nodded but hesitated. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she assured him. She clasped her locket in her hand and transferred the magic she siphoned. "I think I'm gonna go home. Too much excitement for one night."

"Goodnight, Lucy."

Lucy smiled slightly and waved, turning to leave. She walked through the house and the yard to get to her car. She was just unlocking her vehicle when something hard hit her head, knocking her out.


	27. Elijah

**[2x08; Rose]**

Stefan closed his locker and looked over at Lucy's wondering why she wasn't at school yet. She usually was there before him, trying to unlock her locker for the second or third time. Today, though, she was no where to be found.

Just as he turned to walk to class, Jeremy caught his attention as purposefully walked toward him.

"Hey, Jeremy," Stefan greeted him, joining him as he walked down the hallway.

"Look, Elena's got to let me know if I'm supposed to cover for her," Jeremy said immediately, not bothering to greet Stefan back. "I mean, Jenna's cool with the two of you but you guys are pushing it."

Stefan furrowed his eyebrows; he and Elena were still broken up and she definitely hadn't spent the night at his house. "What are you talking about?"

"You and Elena," Jeremy repeated himself. "Look, I'm glad you guys are back together, but if she's gonna sleep over, you have to let me know," he didn't notice the worried look on Stefan's face as he went on. "And have you seen Lucy? I was going to ask Caroline, but—"

"Wait, wait, wait," Stefan interrupted, cutting Jeremy off so he would stop walking. "hold on a minute. Elena and I are not back together."

Jeremy gave him a disbelieving smile. "Wait, she didn't—she didn't stay at your place last night?"

"No," Stefan shook his head. "I mean, I saw her at the party but that was it. She didn't sleep over. And I haven't seen Lucy, either," he added. "and Damon didn't mention seeing her when he went to Caroline's house."

"Their beds weren't slept in," Jeremy grew worried about his sisters. "and Mrs. Lockwood said that both of their cars were still in the driveway."

Stefan grimaced, his pulse starting to race. Both Elena and Lucy were missing the day after Damon put Katherine in the tomb? This wasn't good, especially if Katherine's blood wasn't out of Lucy's system.

"Where are they, then?" Jeremy asked Stefan worriedly

Stefan shook his head; he didn't know.

"This has Katherine written all over it," Stefan declared, anxiously pacing back and forth in front of Damon and Joel.

"Katherine's in the tomb," Damon disagreed. "Trust me. I'm the one who shut her in."

Stefan stopped pacing in front of Damon, looking at him seriously. "Did you?"

"Did I what, Stefan?"

"Well, I know the hold that Katherine has on you," Stefan said matter-of-factly.

Damon narrowed his eyes at his brother. "She's in the tomb. Period. End of story..." he hesitated for a moment before adding, "But she did say something to me right before I shut her in. I thought she was lying."

"What'd she say?" Joel asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Elena and Lucy are in danger."

Stefan scoffed angrily. "What, and you didn't think you should ask her to elaborate?"

"Everything she says is a lie!" Damon defended himself. "How am I supposed to know if she's gonna start spouting off the truth?"

"Well, we have to go talk to her," Joel suggested. If his sisters were in danger and Katherine knew, she probably knew who took them.

Stefan nodded in agreement.

"No, no," Damon glared at them. "Let me tell you how that's gonna go. We're gonna go ask her for help, she's gonna negotiate her release—which we're gonna be dumb enough to give her—and then she's gonna get out and kill us. That's exactly what she wants."

"I really don't care," Stefan turned to leave but Damon's voice stopped him.

"It's a bad idea, Stefan."

Stefan turned to glare at him. "It's Elena and Lucy."

He walked off to find Bonnie, hoping that she could lower the tomb spell to get Katherine out. They had to bargain something in order to get information out of the older vampire.

Lucy woke up to someone brushing the hair out of her face and a slight pounding at the back of her head. Her eyes widened as she remembered that someone had hit her head and she quickly sat up, noticing that Elena had been the one getting her hair out of her face.

She looked around; it looked like they were in an abandoned house that somehow had electricity. There were books scattered all over the place and piled high onto a table, boards covering the windows, and a ratted old couch that she and Elena were sitting on.

"Elena, where are we?" she whispered frantically, looking at her sister with wide eyes. "What's going on?"

"Shh!" Elena hushed her, placing a finger to her lips and glancing at the doorway to her right. She looked back to Lucy and quietly whispered, "Some vampires took us. I have no idea where we are."

"Who are they?"

Elena shook her head. "I don't know."

"How are the girls?" Lucy overheard a female with an English accent say from down the hallway Elena had looked at.

"The one is still passed out," This time it was a man's voice with the same accent.

"You didn't touch them, did you?"

"Give me some credit, Rose," the man snapped. "So, you called him?"

Lucy looked at Elena, confused, and Elena silently told her that they were the vampires who kidnapped them.

"No, I called one of his contacts," the woman—the man called her Rose—corrected him. "You know how this works."

"Did you or did you not get the message to Elijah?" the man asked sternly.

Elena got off the couch and gestured for Lucy to follow her. Lucy complied, following her into the hallway where the voices were louder.

"They say he got it."

"Wonderful and what?"

"So, that's it, Trevor," Rose sighed, sounding exasperated. "He either got it or he didn't. We just have to wait."

"Look, it's not too late," From the sound of Trevor's voice, he was frightened. "We can leave them here. We don't have to go through with this."

Lucy and Elena crept through the hallway and stopped at the end of it, peeking their heads around the doorway into another room. There was a man and a woman arguing—like their voices suggested. The man was tall and had a haggard appearance, his hair touching his scruffy chin. The woman was almost as tall as the man with her brunette hair cut short and spiky.

"I'm sick of running," Rose declared.

"Yeah?" Trevor shot back. "Well, running keeps up from dying."

"Elijah's old school," Rose reminded him. There was that name again—Elijah. "If he accepts our deal, we're free."

The floor boards under Elena and Lucy creaked as they shuffled closer to the door. The noise caught Rose's attention and she whirled around to face them.

"You two!" she snarled, marching over to them. "There's nothing around here for miles. If you think you're getting out of this house, you're tragically wrong."

Her heart pounding, Lucy gulped and leaned closer to Elena.

"Who's Elijah?" Elena asked bravely.

Rose narrowed her eyes. "He's your worst nightmare."

Bonnie, Jeremy, and Joel gathered in Alaric's classroom for Bonnie to do a tracking spell on Elena and Lucy. It was Bonnie's only suggestion when it came to finding the girls, especially since she couldn't lower the tomb spell to get Katherine out. Even though it wasn't the safest option, at least it would give Stefan and Joel a place to start looking.

"How does this work?" Jeremy asked, setting down a map of Virginia on the desk where Bonnie and Joel were lighting candles.

"I'll use one of your guys' blood and Alaric's blood to draw the energy for the tracking spell," Bonnie informed them. "You two are blood-related to Elena and Alaric is blood-related to Lucy, so it'll make the connection stronger."

"All right," Stefan walked into the room, holding some wooden stakes he got from Alaric. "Alaric said we've gotta clear out of here within ten minutes. I got weapons, he stocked me up, and this—" he pulled a vial of Alaric's blood out of his pocket and handed it to Bonnie.

Bonnie grabbed the vial and turned to Joel, assuming that he would give his blood since he would heal faster than Jeremy. "Are you ready?"

"Born ready."

Joel picked up the knife that Bonnie had brought out and sliced his palm, holding it over the map so his blood would fall on it. As his hand healed, Bonnie poured Alaric's blood onto the map, causing both Joel and Stefan to flinch, fighting their blood lust.

Once the blood was poured, Bonnie closed her eyes and started chanting under her breath. The blood converged onto the map and started moving south from Mystic Falls, stopping around Reidsville.

"There," Bonnie pointed at the map where the blood stopped. "That's where they are."

"That's three hundred miles away," Jeremy pointed out.

"No, Bonnie, we need a more exact location that that," Stefan said firmly.

"That's as close as I can get," Bonnie sighed.

"We can map it," Jeremy said thoughtfully. "Get an aerial view. It'll show us what's around there."

Joel nodded in approval. "It'll help us narrow down the area."

"Perfect," Stefan grabbed the weapons Alaric gave him and sent Joel and meaningful look. "Call us with whatever you find."

Stefan and Joel started walking out of the classroom, stopping only when Jeremy objected.

"No, no, I'm coming with you!"

"No, Jeremy, you're not," Joel shook his head.

Jeremy grabbed Joel's arm. "I'm not gonna just sit here. What if they're hurt, okay, or worse? What if they're—"

"They're not," Joel assured him. "You two go back to the house just in case," he nodded toward Bonnie who was suspiciously quiet. "I'm gonna call you the minute I find them."

"Wait, you guys can't do this alone!"

The classroom door opened and Damon appeared. "They're not," he stated. "Let's go."

Stefan gave his brother a surprised look. "You're coming with us?"

"It's Elena and Lucy," Damon repeated his brother's words from earlier.

Damon, Stefan, and Joel were three hours of the way to the location that Jeremy sent them and Joel had been fast asleep for what seemed the whole time, wanting to at least get some sleep before he went back to school the next morning. Stefan occupied his time by tinkering with the weapons Alaric gave him and trying not to think about the fact that his brother was clearly in love with his girlfriend. Damon was driving, not allowing anyone else—including his brother—to drive his beloved car.

"Alaric sure likes his weapons," Damon commented, looking over to the weapon in Stefan's hands. "What the hell is that?"

Stefan played with the trigger of what looked to be a vervain bomb, looking it over curiously. "Well, it's a vervain bomb or grenade launcher or something like that."

"Weird."

"Hey, how much further is it?" Stefan wondered.

"About eighty miles."

"Who do you think took them?"

"Someone from Katherine's past," Damon guessed, wondering that himself. "She said she was running from someone. Maybe they got the wrong girl."

"That doesn't explain Lucy, though," Stefan sighed; Damon shrugged. "Thank you for helping me."

"Can we no do the whole road-trip bonding thing?" Damon gave him an annoyed look. "The cliché of it all makes me itch."

"Oh, come on, Damon," Stefan said slyly, looking over at his brother. "We both know that you being in this car has absolutely nothing to do with me, Joel, or even Lucy."

Damon smirked, knowing that Stefan was jealous. "The elephant in the room lets out a mighty roar."

"Well, it doesn't have to be an elephant," Stefan said, trying to be pleasant. "Let's talk about it."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"That's not true, sure there is," Stefan replied lightly. "Let's get it out. I mean, are you in this car because you want to help you little brother save the girl that he loves or is it because you love her too?"

Stefan hummed and looked at Damon, noticing his smirk.

"I mean, come on, express yourself," he nudged Damon's arm. "I happen to like road-trip bonding."

"Keep it up, Stefan," Damon warned him. "I can step out of helping as easily as I stepped in."

Stefan shook his head. "Nope. See, that's the beauty of it," he gave Damon a serious look. "You can't."

Damon glared at him. "Fine, let's bond. Let's talk about the fact that I didn't know which sister you were just talking about until you mentioned me?" he dished back at his brother, watching in delight as Stefan scowled and looked out of his window. "What's that about, hmm?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Damon grinned. "Sure, you don't."

Lucy shifted uncomfortably in her heels as she stood by Elena and watched Rose sort through the books on the table in the room where she woke up. It'd been three hours since she woke up and she and Elena were freezing, hungry, and annoyed—their captors had given them no further information and it was digging at their nerves.

Elena was more than aggravated; sharing Katherine's face had gotten her into more bad situations than she was prepared for. She was officially done with it. Unfortunately, Rose and Trevor weren't so talkative as she'd hoped.

"Why are we here?" she tried again, glaring at Rose as she turned on a lamp.

"You keep asking me these questions like I'm gonna answer them," Rose scoffed, picking up a large board and walking over to a window. Her skin burned as she set the board in the pane, blocking the sun from entering the house.

"Why won't you?"

"That's another one."

"You got us, okay?" Lucy spoke up, nearing the end of her patience—not that she had much, anyway. "It's not like we can go anywhere."

"The least you can do is tell us what you want with us," Elena added.

"I personally want nothing," Rose went back to the table full of books. "I'm just a delivery service."

"Delivery to who, Elijah?" Elena brought up the name they heard, the one that scared Trevor so much.

Rose laughed. "Two points to the eavesdroppers."

"Who is he? Is he a vampire?"

"He's one of _the_ vampires," Rose said, sorting through the books again. "The Originals."

Lucy raised her eyebrows, intrigued. "Like the first vampires?"

"What do you mean _the Originals_?" Elena asked at the same time as her sister.

"Again, with the questions. Haven't the Salvatores been teaching you your vampire history?" Rose sighed.

"You know Stefan and Damon?" Lucy was surprised. Were they famous in the vampire world—would every single vampire they would come across know them?

"I know of them," Rose clarified, flipping through a book that caught her eye. "A hundred years back, a friend of mine tried to set me up with Stefan. She said he was one of the good ones. I'm more of a sucker for the bad boys, though, but I digress."

Elena grew annoyed thinking about Stefan being set up with anyone. "_Who are the Originals_?"

Rose slammed her book shut and turned to face Elena and Lucy. "Trevor and I have been running for five hundred years. We're tired, we want it over. We're using the both of you to negotiate ourselves out of an old mess."

"But why us?" Elena asked forcefully.

"Because you're a Petrova doppelganger," Rose told Elena before looking at Lucy. "And you're the reincarnation. Both of you are the keys to breaking the curse."

"Curse?" Lucy remembered Elena, Damon, and Alaric mentioning something about a curse from Isobel's research. "The Sun and the Moon curse?"

"Oh, you do know your history."

"What do you mean we're the keys?" Elena asked, confused. "The moonstone is what breaks the curse."

"No, the moonstone is what binds the curse," Rose corrected her. "The sacrifices are what breaks it."

"Sacrifices?" Lucy had a bad feeling that she and Elena weren't getting out of this alive.

"The blood of the doppelganger and the reincarnation," Rose stated. "You two are the doppelganger and the reincarnation. Which means, in order to break the curse, you two are the ones who have to die."

Lucy paled in shock; she and her sister had to die for a stupid curse that had nothing to do with either of them? It was unfair and horrible and stupid. She had just turned sixteen and now she was being hand-delivered to a vampire to be sacrificed—why did God hate her so much?

Elena swallowed her fear, seeing how shaken Lucy was by the news. She grabbed her sister's hand and squeezed it tightly, trying to give Lucy an anchor through her anxiety. She tried to imagine what Stefan would to do calm Lucy down, but this wasn't really time for a pep talk and she wasn't the best at them. For now, she just had to be there for Lucy and protect her like any older sibling would.

"Tell us more," Elena demanded as Trevor walked into the room. They had to get more information about this; how did they know that Rose and Trevor actually knew what they were talking about?

"Captivity has made her pushy, eh?" Trevor smirked, causing Elena to glare at him. He picked up a board and set it in the window, his skin searing. "What do you want to know, doppelicious?"

Elena rolled her eyes at the nickname but asked, "Who were you running from?"

Trevor shook his healing hands. "The Originals."

"Yeah, she said that," Elena glared at him. "What does that mean?"

"The first family—" Trevor kicked a book across the floor, causing Lucy and Elena to flinch away. "the old world. Rose and I pissed them off."

Rose cleared her throat pointedly.

"Correction, I pissed them off," Trevor corrected himself, walking over to Rose. "Rose had my back and for over half a millennium, they've wanted us dead."

"What did you do?" Lucy spoke up, calming down slightly with Elena's comfort.

"He made the same mistake as countless others did," Rose said when Trevor sighed angrily. "He trusted Katerina Petrova."

Well, that name was familiar. "Katherine," Lucy sighed. Why was she surprised that someone Katherine screwed over had kidnapped them?

"The one and only," Rose nodded. "The first Petrova doppelganger."

"I helped her escape her fate," Trevor informed Lucy and Elena. "and I've—sorry, we've—" he pointed at Rose. "—have been marked ever since."

Rose walked away from the table of books, making her way out of the room. "Which is why we're not gonna make the same mistake again."

Trevor pointed at Rose in agreement and followed her out of the room, leaving Elena and Lucy to themselves.

Even though Lucy was sure that Rose and Trevor could hear whatever they said, it didn't matter. She was scared—hell, she was terrified—and she knew that Elena probably wasn't in the best shape, either.

She tightened her grip on Elena's hand. "_Elena_!"

"Shh, shh," Elena said consolingly, leading Lucy over to the couch to sit. "Stay calm, okay, stay—"

She cut herself off, hearing a crumpling noise as she shifted on the couch. Ignoring Lucy's curious look for now, she lifted her foot and saw a piece of paper scrunched up into a ball. She grabbed it and laid it flat, reading the words in Bonnie's handwriting.

**STEFAN, DAMON, AND JOEL ARE COMING FOR YOU GUYS**

Elena sighed in relief and handed the paper to Lucy, letting her read Bonnie's message. Lucy wanted to cry from how relieved she was but she held her tears in. Elena had been brave for her this whole time, she wanted to be strong for her sister, too.

"He's here!" Trevor announced anxiously as he stomped into the room where Lucy and Elena were sitting on the couch and Rose was packing up their stuff. "This was a mistake!"

Rose sped over to Trevor with her vampire speed. "No, I told you I would get us out of this. You have to trust me."

Trevor flinched and shouted, "No, he wants me dead, Rose!"

"He wants them more!" Rose insisted, pointing at Elena and Lucy.

"I can't do this," Trevor was positively freaking out. "You give them to him, he'll have mercy on you, but I need to get out of here."

Rose forcefully grabbed Trevor's hands, trying to calm him down. "Hey, what are we?"

Trevor closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "We're family. Forever."

Lucy couldn't help but think that Rose and Trevor reminded her of herself and Caroline. They were ride or die, they had each other's backs, they would kill for one another. They were family. And when she put them in that perspective she couldn't help but be sympathetic.

A loud pounding from the front of the house caught everyone's attention.

Rose sighed, nerves making her stomach flip.

"You're scared," Elena breathed in realization.

Rose sent Elena a quick glare and then turned back to Trevor. "Stay here with them and don't make a sound."

Rose ran out of the room and a few seconds later, Lucy heard a door shut. Lucy and Elena huddled together nervously, dreading their face-to-face meeting with Elijah. Rose had said he was their worst nightmare, after all.

Within a few minutes, Rose came back into the room by herself.

"Rose?" Trevor asked quietly.

Rose ignored Trevor and went straight to Lucy. "He wants to see you alone."

Lucy inhaled sharply as Elena wrapped her arm around Lucy's shoulders and protested, "No!"

"You don't have a choice!" Rose hissed, grabbing Lucy's forearm and ripping her away from Elena. Lucy gave Elena a wide-eyed look, her face paling considerably, and obediently walked out of the room with Rose.

As they walked through the hallway, Rose only told Lucy to be polite before she pushed her into a different room.

Lucy gasped, seeing a man standing by the run-down fireplace. The man—who she assumed was Elijah—was tall and slim and wearing a black designer suit with his hair slicked down nicely. You wouldn't think he was intimidating but that was what made him all the more terrifying.

"Luciana," Elijah breathed in shock, looking at her with wide—but fond—eyes.

_"No, Luciana, the letter is like this," Elijah corrected Luciana, taking a piece of graphite from the young girl at his side. He showed her how to write the letter 'L' in old Norse so that she could learn to write her name by herself._

_"But, Lijah, Father does not want me to write," Luciana said sadly, taking the graphite back and trying to copy her brother's handwriting. Her 'L' looked nothing like Elijah's but he gave her a proud smile nonetheless._

_"What Father does not know will not hurt him," Elijah muttered the frequent saying between all of his siblings. "You will write your name and be the smartest girl in the village."_

_"Smarter than Gunvor?" Luciana looked up at him hopefully, her voice full of disdain for a village girl her around her age._

_"Yes, of course, Luciana," Elijah assured her. "You will always be better than Gunvor. Come, try again."_

_Luciana bit her lip and looked down on the thin piece of cloth in front of her, already covered in her messy handwriting. She carefully wrote an 'L' and looked at Elijah, awaiting his praise._

_Elijah carefully examined what she wrote and gave her a proud smile. "Well done, Luciana. You will write your name yet."_

_"Really?"_

_"Really," Elijah promised, kissing her forehead._

Lucy exhaled softly as her vision returned from what appeared to be another memory from one of her past lives. So far, she had only gotten memories with Katherine but this time she was no where in sight and Elijah was there.

The girl in the memory, Luciana, had to be her. She was identical to how Lucy looked when she was nine or ten, they even had the same voice, even though Luciana had an accent that she couldn't distinguish.

Didn't Katherine say her other siblings would be coming for her? Was Elijah who Katherine was talking about?

Lucy cleared her throat, though her voice was still a whisper. "Hello."

Elijah had appeared to pull himself together while Lucy was in her memory and had come closer to her.

"Hello," he greeted back politely. "Forgive me, what do you call yourself these days?"

"Lucy," she said nervously.

"Lucy, I am Elijah," Elijah couldn't help himself and reached up, ignoring her flinch, pushing some of her messy day-old curls away from her eyes.

It had been a thousand years since he last saw his youngest sister and it felt like his heart was going to explode. His family had been devastated that they hadn't been able to get to Lucia in the fifteenth century but now she was right in front of him again.

He swore to himself that nothing bad was going to happen to her. Not under his watch.

"I'm Lucy," Lucy wanted to smack herself for being so awkward. He knew her name!

Elijah held back his smile of amusement and turned back to Rose. "Show me to the doppelganger."

Rose nodded. "Follow me."

"Come along," Elijah told Lucy, gesturing for her to walk in front of him.

Lucy did as she was told; Elijah seemed like he could really do some damage if he was angry. She didn't want that to happen.

The three of them arrived back in the room with Elena and Trevor and Elijah stopped in his tracks when he saw Elena.

He sped over to Elena in a blur, causing her to gasp in surprise, and leaned forward, placing his nose by her neck.

Lucy held her breath and hoped that she and Elena would be okay.

Elijah inhaled deeply, taking in Elena's scent, and listening to the thrumming of her heart before pulling back thoughtfully.

"Human. Impossible," he said quietly. He looked down at her. "Hello, there."

Stefan, Damon, and Joel climbed out of the Camaro, looking around at the field that Damon parked in. Stefan heaved the bag of weapons over his shoulder and started walking away from the vehicle.

"The house should be behind those trees," Joel pointed out, looking at the map Jeremy sent him one last time.

He set out to follow Stefan.

"Wait," Damon stopped them. "I have a lot more experience than both of you with this sort of thing."

Stefan turned around and gave him an annoyed look. "So what's your point?"

"My point is, whoever has Elena and Lucy is probably who was after Katherine in 1864 and before that," Damon said seriously.

"And?"

"And it puts them at five hundred years old and strong," Damon stated the obvious. Stefan shrugged, not seeing the big deal. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yeah, I'm certain I want to do it," Stefan nodded.

"I'm sure," Joel added, though Damon wasn't really concerned whether he lived or died like he was with his brother.

"Because if we go in that house, we might not come back out," Damon told Stefan.

"All right, then I won't come out."

Damon narrowed his eyes at his brother. "So noble, Stefan."

Stefan scoffed. "I can't think of a better reason to die," he said truthfully. Elena and Lucy's lives were more important to him than his own. "But if you want to stay here, I totally understand."

"Let's go, we're wasting time," Joel spoke up, already walking away from the brothers. He didn't want to debate all night about something they should have talked about on the way there.

In the house, a couple hundred feet away, Elijah was still staring at Elena.

"Well, we have a long journey ahead of us," he said, looking back at Lucy. "We should be going."

Elena's breaths quickened and she looked around Elijah at Rose and Trevor. "Please," she pleaded tearfully. "Don't let him take us."

Rose looked away from her, feeling guilty that she was essentially delivering two children to their deaths.

"One last piece of business and we're done," Elijah told Elena.

He slowly turned around and faced Trevor, who had been watching him in silent terror.

"I've waited so long for this day, Elijah," Trevor said shakily as Elijah came to a stop in front of him. "I'm truly very sorry."

"Oh, no, you're apology's not necessary," Elijah said casually.

"Yes. Yes, it is," Trevor insisted. "You trusted me with Katerina and I failed you."

"Oh, yes, you are the guilty one," Elijah agreed, his voice light. "And Rose aided you because she was loyal to you. That, I honor," he glanced at Rose for a second before turning back to Trevor with hard eyes. "Where was _your_ loyalty?"

Trevor slightly winced. "I beg your forgiveness."

Lucy watched silently, her stomach twisting. Something was going to happen, she just knew it.

Elijah smirked. "So granted."

Elijah didn't give Trevor a chance to respond as he lifted his hand and forcefully brought it against his head, smacking it off his body with little to no effort. Blood spurted everywhere and Lucy screamed at the horrible sight, bending over with her hands on her knees to dry-heave.

Rose gasped brokenly, sobs already forcing themselves from her mouth. She started toward Elijah, furious and heartbroken. "You—!"

"Don't Rose," Elijah held up his hand, not threatened by her whatsoever. "Now that you are free..."

Rose stopped in her tracks and stared at Trevor's body, sobs racking her chest. Lucy felt so sorry for her.

Elijah held his hand out to Elena. "Come."

"No, what about the moonstone?" Elena panicked and blurted out.

Lucy closed her eyes, wishing that Elena hadn't said anything. If Elijah didn't have the moonstone, he couldn't break the curse at all. Therefore, they would still live for the time being.

Elijah paused, narrowing his eyes at Elena. "What do you know about the moonstone?"

"I know that you need it and I know where it is."

"Elena!" Lucy hissed, annoyed.

Elijah looked back at Lucy and held up a hand, turning back to Elena. "Yes?"

"I can help you get it," Elena promised.

"Tell me where it is."

Elena shook her head. "It doesn't work that way."

Elijah clenched his jaw, frustrated with the gull of the girl. Just like the other two Petrova doppelgangers. "Are you negotiating with me?"

He looked at Rose, eyebrows raised.

"It's the first I've heard of it," Rose said through clenched teeth, glaring at Elijah.

Elijah turned back to Elena and looked into her brown eyes, trying to compel her to tell him about the moonstone. When his compulsion didn't work, he looked down her neck, stopping at a necklace that looked somewhat familiar.

"What is this vervain doing around your neck?" he asked, taking a hold of the necklace and ripping it from her, throwing it across the room.

Elena gasped, horrified, and struggled against him as he grabbed her head to look her in the eye. Unable to fight against Elijah's massive amount of strength, their eyes met.

_"Tell me where the moonstone is."_

Elena had to answer him. "In the tomb, underneath the church ruins."

_"What is it doing there?"_

"It's with Katherine."

"Interesting," Elijah said just as glass shattered somewhere within the house. He let go of Elena and turned to Rose. "What is that?"

Lucy hoped that it was Stefan, Joel, and Damon like Bonnie promised. There was no way she wanted to go anywhere with Elijah, especially since he beheaded a man with just his palm.

"I don't know," Rose answered Elijah, looking at the ceiling and listening for any other noises.

"Who else is in this house?" Elijah questioned her sharply.

"I don't _know_," she repeated herself.

Elijah clenched his jaw and grabbed Elena's arm. He ignored her gasp of pain and dragged her over to the stairs were Rose and Lucy were standing.

"Grab her," he ordered Rose, pointing to Lucy. "Come on, move!"

Lucy flinched as Rose tightly grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the room, following Elijah and Elena into the foyer where a large staircase loomed over their heads.

Lucy flinched as someone used their vampire speed to run around her and the others, disappearing out of view. Elijah pushed Elena over to Rose just before someone sped through the room again.

Elijah narrowed his eyes. "Rose?"

"I don't know who it is," Rose claimed honestly.

Someone sped through the room again and then Lucy heard Stefan's voice. "Up here."

Elijah sped up the staircase, stopping when Joel's voice call out, "Over here."

He turned to the right, toward the voice, but no one was there.

"Down here!" Damon said, causing Elijah to look down the staircase.

Lucy flinched when there was the sound of something firing. While Elijah was distracted dealing with the wooden stake imbedded into his hand, Joel sped through the room and grabbed Lucy while Stefan grabbed Elena and Damon took Rose.

She gasped but Joel quickly covered her mouth, giving her a reassuring smile. Lucy was so relieved that he was there.

"Excuse me!" she heard Elijah call from the foyer. "To whom it may concern, you're making a great mistake if you think that you can beat me. You can't. You hear that?"

Lucy's eyes widened when her head something break, with more creaking following.

"I repeat," Elijah continued. "You cannot beat me. So, I want the girls on the count of three or heads will roll. Do we understand each other?"

Lucy grimaced, remembering what happened to Trevor. She didn't want Stefan, Joel, and Damon to meet that same fate.

"We'll come with you," Elena spoke up, appearing at the top of the stairs. "Just please don't hurt our friends. They just wanted to help us out."

Elijah turned around and sped to the middle of the stairs, making Elena gasp.

"What game are you playing with me?" he asked her harshly.

Elena pulled out the vervain grenade that Stefan gave her and pulled the pin, throwing it at Elijah's face. Lucy jumped at the bomb exploded and Elijah's screamed in pain.

Elijah angrily hissed as he quickly healed from the vervain covering his face and glared at Elena, stomping up the steps toward her. He was abruptly hit in the chest with wooden bullets; he looked toward the source, seeing Stefan shoot at him with some kind of air-pressurized weapon.

The bullets didn't affect Elijah, so Stefan threw the gun to the side and launched himself at the older vampire, throwing them both down the stairs. Elijah immediately stood up, ready to kill Stefan, but was thrown off by another vervain bomb blowing up in his face.

Joel backed away as the vervain burnt Elijah's face and allowed Damon to pick up the large stake Elijah fashioned out of a coat hanger and stab it into Elijah's heart. Damon pushed the stake through Elijah's chest, sliding him across the room and pinning him to the wall.

He smirked in satisfaction as Elijah's body turned gray, his head drooping as he died.

Lucy ran out of the hallway where Joel left her and gasped when she saw Elijah's desiccated body. She was relieved that she was safe but he was her brother. Even if it was one of her other self's siblings, she and Luciana were the same person, right?

Rose followed her out into the foyer, took one look at Elijah's body, and sped away. Damon went to follow her but Lucy stopped him.

"Just let her go."

Rose lost enough today.

Damon nodded and Lucy gave him a grateful smile before turning to her brother, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Are you hurt?" Joel asked, his cheek against the top of her head.

"No," Lucy squeezed her eyes shut, trying to get the image of Elijah's body out of her mind. "I'm okay."

It was late when Stefan walked into the Boarding House library after dropping Elena, Lucy, and Joel off at their house and having a little heart-to-heart with Damon. He just wanted a drink—preferably bourbon—and go to bed afterward.

It had been a long day and there was a lot to think about.

What Elena and Lucy told him, Damon, and Joel about the Sun and the Moon curse worried the shit out of him. They'd need to find out more information, but for now, they just needed to protect them both.

He grabbed a glass from the bar and was about to pour some bourbon into it when he heard a creak. He paused for a second and someone sped into the room with a blur.

Stefan ran over to one of the bookshelves and grabbed a wooden stake that was hidden in case he or Damon ever needed to take a vampire out in the library.

He held it up cautiously. "Who's there?"

The woman who had kidnapped Elena and Lucy—Rose, if he remembered correctly—walked into the room. He stiffened; was she back for the girls?

"I'm not here to hurt you," Rose assured him.

"Why are you here?"

"Lexi once told me that you're one of the good ones," Rose claimed.

Stefan's heart clenched at the mention of his late best friend. He missed Lexi so much...

"You knew Lexi?"

Rose didn't answer his question. Instead, she said, "Trevor was my best friend. For five hundred years, I have lived with one person and he's gone. And I don't want to run anymore because I don't have anywhere else to run to."

Stefan felt for her, he did, but he couldn't just let go of the fact that this was the woman who kidnapped Lucy and Elena.

"Well, I'm sorry, but I can't help you," he told her.

"I don't need your help," Rose proclaimed, stepping closer to him. "but I think you need mine."

Stefan stared at her, wondering what she was on about.

"Elijah may be dead but this isn't over," Rose clarified.

"What do you mean it's not over?"

"It isn't over," Rose repeated herself. "The Originals, they'll come for both of them. They have to. They're doing it for him."

Stefan furrowed his eyebrows. "For who?"

"Klaus."


	28. The Truth and Nothing but the Truth

**[2x09; Katerina]**

Lucy knocked on the door of the Salvatore Boarding House and sighed, looking at her watch. They were already late for school when Stefan called Elena, asking for both of them to come over to talk about something important. Elena agreed but Lucy was hesitant—she just wanted to forget everything that happened the past few days and live her life as normally as possible.

Unfortunately, Elena overruled her.

It was Damon who opened the door and, for once, he didn't even smirk at them.

"Hello, Elena," he smiled pleasantly. "Hello, Lucy."

Lucy eyed him warily—was he possessed or something?

"Is Stefan here?" Elena asked. "He called, said it was important."

Damon pulled the door open all the way and stepped aside so they could walk into the house. "Right this way."

Lucy followed Elena into the Boarding House, both of them pausing when Stefan approached them.

"Hey," he nodded awkwardly to Elena, still unsure whether they were still broken up, and then smiled at Lucy—he knew where he stood with her, which meant that there was no awkwardness.

Lucy grinned back at him while Elena pursed her lips and adjusted her purse strap.

"What is this about?" she asked.

Stefan stepped aside, revealing Rose—the vampire who kidnapped them the day before. Rose gave them a hesitant smile, knowing that they would be weary of her. She didn't blame them at all.

"Rose," Lucy said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Elena looked at Stefan, astounded that he would allow Rose to stand there, unharmed. Now they really needed to know what was going on.

"She's here to help," Stefan assured them, ushering Lucy and Elena into the living room. "She knows more information that could be helpful."

Lucy sat on one of the couches next to her reluctant sister and set her eyes on Rose, wondering what more the older vampire knew. "What information?"

"Okay, you have to understand I only know what I've picked up over the years," Rose stated, standing in front of the fireplace. "and I don't know what's true and what's not true. That's the problem with all this vampire shit. But Klaus? I know he's real."

Lucy raised her eyebrows at the new name while Elena asked, "Who is he?"

"One of the Originals," Damon answered. "He's a legend."

"From the first generation of vampires," Stefan added.

Lucy was intrigued. "Like Elijah?"

"No, Elijah was the Easter Bunny compared to Klaus," Rose corrected her. "He was a foot solider. Klaus is the real deal."

Elijah was a foot soldier? He beheaded a man right in front of them! Just how evil was this Klaus guy?

"Klaus is known to be the oldest," Stefan informed Lucy and Elena.

"Okay, so," Elena shook her head, trying to unscramble her thoughts. "You're saying that the oldest vampire in the history of time is coming after me and Lucy?"

"Yes," Rose said at the same time as Stefan said, "No."

Lucy cocked her head at Rose and Stefan, pursing her lips in amusement as they sent each other sharp looks.

None of this was particularly funny but she had to find something to laugh at, otherwise she'd cry all the damn time.

"What they're saying is," Damon spoke up, coming to stand next to Rose. "I mean, if what she's saying is true."

"Which it is," Rose interjected.

"And you're not just saying it so I won't kill you..." Damon glared at Rose.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Which I'm not."

Damon turned back to Lucy and Elena. "Then we're looking at a solid maybe."

Lucy looked down and twisted her bracelet around her wrist, nervously playing with it in order not to meet anyone's eyes. If this Klaus guy was so widely known throughout the vampire community, then some of what Rose was saying had to be true.

"Look, Elijah's dead, right?" Lucy looked at Stefan as he spoke, meeting his forest-green eyes that were looking right back at her. "So, no one else even knows that you guys exist."

"Not that you know of," Rose added unhelpfully.

Damon gave her a sharp look and commented, "That's not helping."

"Look, I've never even met anyone who's laid eyes on him," Stefan tried to assure Elena and Lucy. "I mean, we're talking centuries of truth mixed with fiction. We don't know what's real. For all we know, he could just be some sort of stupid bedtime story."

"He's real!" Rose insisted, growing aggravated. "And he doesn't give up. If he wants something, he gets it. If you're not afraid of Klaus, then you're an idiot."

"All right, we're shaking," Damon rolled his eyes. "You've made your point."

Lucy shook her head and glanced at Elena before getting up. Elena followed her lead, hiking her bag higher onto her shoulder.

"Where are you guys going?" Stefan asked, bewildered.

"School," Lucy stated the obvious. "We're late."

"Let me grab my stuff," Stefan stood too. He didn't want to let them out of his sight after everything that was going on. Lucy was stabbed by Jenna, Elena was injured after being linked to Katherine, and then both of them were kidnapped and almost taken by an original vampire. "I'll go with you."

"It's okay," Elena waved him off. "We know where it is."

Lucy gave Stefan an apologetic smile before walking out of the Boarding House after Elena. As they both got into Elena's car, they turned to each other, thinking the same thing.

"We have to talk to Katherine," they said in unison.

If Klaus was the person that Katherine was running from all these years, she would know plenty about him.

"But how?" Elena continued, starting up her car and pulling out of the Salvatore's driveway. "Stefan would never let us."

"We don't have to tell him," Lucy said thoughtfully. "Maybe Caroline can distract him for the day. What we really have to worry about is how we're gonna get Katherine to talk to us."

Elena was quiet for a few seconds before she lit up, thinking of an idea. "Does Joel still have those blood bags in his mini-fridge?"

"I think so. Why?"

"I have an idea."

Lucy, Caroline, and Elena walked through the woods, heading to the tomb to talk to Katherine. Elena carried a large bag filled with materials that they planned on using to convince Katherine to tell them anything they needed to know about Klaus. She had poured some of Joel's blood supply into an old water bottle, knowing that blood would be Katherine's largest incentive, while Lucy grabbed the Petrova Bible, a pillow, and some blankets for her comfort.

They had called Caroline as soon as they arrived at their house, asking her if she was willing to distract Stefan for the day while they sat with Katherine in the tomb. Caroline was reluctant at first, not wanting to lie to Stefan, but Elena quickly brought up the fact that she had spied on her for Katherine. Caroline caved immediately.

"Tell everyone that I wasn't feeling well so Lucy drove me home," Elena instructed Caroline, going over their cover.

"I can't believe that I'm agreeing to this," Caroline grumbled. "I'm a terrible liar."

Lucy nudged the blonde and added, "And keep Stefan busy. We don't want him to know what we're up to."

"I'm even worse at duplicity and you know this!" Caroline complained.

"You managed to keep me occupied when Katherine paid Stefan a visit," Elena commented snidely.

Lucy and Caroline both glared at her; she knew full well why Caroline did that and she also knew how sorry Caroline had been.

"Yeah, because she threatened me," Caroline reminded Elena, her voice somewhat sharp. They came upon the church ruins and walked over to the stone steps that led down to the tomb. "Not that I'm saying that you should use that as a tactic. It's—Stefan's gonna see right through me."

Elena sighed and faced Caroline, looking at her firmly. "Caroline, as my friend, do you promise or not?"

Lucy gave Caroline a pleading look, pouting her lower lip slightly to give Caroline the face she knew she couldn't resist.

Caroline sighed heavily. "You had to break out the girlfriend code and the puppy-eyed look," she shook her head. "Okay. I promise."

Elena nodded. "Okay."

They all started down the steps, making sure to be careful so they wouldn't injure themselves. Caroline had excellent control for a vampire her age but she wasn't invincible.

"Why don't you want Stefan to know?" Caroline asked as they stopped at the bottom of the steps.

"Because he's overprotective," Lucy said, rolling her eyes fondly. Her best pal could be an idiot sometimes. "And he thinks coddling us will be enough to make sure nothing ever hurts us."

"And because he would never be okay with us doing this," Elena added, giving Lucy a stern look.

The three of them stopped in front of the tomb door, shut firmly in place.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Caroline checked again.

Lucy and Elena nodded together.

"Yep."

"I'm sure," Elena confirmed. "She's the only one who knows the truth about Klaus. The only one who can tell us how to stop him."

"But you're asking for the truth from someone who's probably never given it," Caroline reminded them. "Are you _sure_ about this?"

"Yes, Caroline," Lucy nodded. She now knew that Katherine was telling the truth about her being a reincarnation and that her other siblings would come for her. She couldn't trust Katherine but at least she knew that the vampire would tell the truth—for some things, at least.

"I can't just sit back and wait," Elena added. "I have to know, Caroline. Please."

Caroline reluctantly gave in, taking comfort in the fact that Katherine couldn't reach Lucy or Elena if she wanted to harm them. She stepped over to the tomb door and took a firm hold of it, using her vampire strength to heave it away from the tomb entrance.

Lucy and Elena stepped toward the tomb while Caroline backed away from it.

"Katherine?" Lucy called, hoping that Katherine wasn't desiccating already. It had only been two days.

Elena looked at Caroline. "We'll be okay from here."

Caroline gave her a doubtful look but was distracted by loud shuffling coming from the tomb. Katherine appeared, looking worse for wear and struggling to walk to them. She fell against the wall right by the entrance where the seal started.

"Hello, Elena," her voice was scratchy from misuse and thirst. "Hello, Lucy. Come to watch me wither away?"

Lucy pursed her lips. "Not exactly."

Katherine rolled her eyes and glared behind them at Caroline. "_Goodbye_, Caroline."

Lucy saw how reluctant Caroline was to leave them. "As long as we stay on this side of the seal, we'll be fine," she assured her. "She can't hurt us."

Caroline sighed and glared at Katherine before leaving them. Once she was gone, Elena placed the heavy bag of things onto a large stone and opened it up.

"Does Stefan know you're here?" Katherine asked.

"Nope," Lucy took the time to make herself comfortable on the uneven stone floor of the tomb, rearranging herself so her gray tunic wouldn't get dirty.

"We brought you some things," Elena told Katherine, pulling out the pillow and blanket Lucy packed.

"You came to bribe me," Katherine countered. "What is it that you want?"

Elena threw the pillow and blanket over to Katherine. "We want you to tell us about Klaus."

"Hmm," Katherine hummed, impressed. "You've been busy."

"Mmhm," Lucy confirmed. She looked up at Elena and nodded. "Show her."

Elena pulled out a lantern and the Petrova Bible. "We also brought you this," she showed Katherine the book. "It's your family history. It says in here that the family line ended with you."

"Obviously, that's not true," Lucy sighed.

"You think that if you brought me some family keepsake, that I'd open up?" Katherine sneered at them.

Elena handed Lucy the Petrova Bible and dug into the bag again, pulling out the bottle of blood. "I also brought you this."

As soon as she showed the blood to Katherine, Katherine lunged forward only to be stopped by the tomb seal. Her under-eye veins rippled underneath her skin, her whole body craving the bottle of blood.

"You don't look so good," Elena taunted her; she had Katherine right where she wanted her. "How long before your body shuts down? Ten, twenty years? It must be painful to desiccate and mummify. I can't even imagine."

Lucy bit her lip to hide her impressed smile.

Katherine stepped away from the seal and slid down the wall, giving in. Elena crouched next to Lucy and poured some of the blood into a plastic cup; she set it on the ground and used a long stick to push it past the seal and into the tomb.

Katherine weakly grabbed the blood. "You both have the Petrova fire."

She pressed the cup to her lips and hungrily drank the small amount of blood Elena had poured her.

Elena cocked her head mockingly. "More blood?"

Katherine nodded and set the cup back on the ground, allowing Elena to pull it back over to her.

"Spill, Katherine," Lucy demanded.

"It's a long story, Klaus and I," Katherine said tiredly. "It goes all the way back to England, 1492, after I left Bulgaria—or was thrown out."

"Thrown out?" Lucy pulled her knees to her chest.

"My family, your true ancestors," Katherine gave Lucy a pointed look. "They disowned me. My indiscretions were not tolerated at that time. I had a baby out of wedlock," she rolled her eyes. "The shame."

Elena sat next to Lucy. "It was kept secret?"

"Mm-hmm," Katherine nodded. "My baby was given away and I had to leave my little sister when I was banished to England. I had to learn to adjust so I quickly became English. It was there that I caught the eye of a nobleman named Klaus. I was taken with him at first, until I found out what he was and what he wanted from me and my sister...then I ran like hell."

Katherine told them about how she took the moonstone from Klaus and ran from him. It was Elijah who was tasked with bringing her back but luckily, Trevor—the same Trevor that Elijah had beheaded the day before—came to her rescue and covered for her.

"It was a bad time," Katherine admitted. "I found out what Klaus wanted from me and my sister and had been planning to run. The day before I ran, word came from Bulgaria that Lucia had been killed—" she spoke to Lucy. "—that you had been killed. I was a bit of a mess, I could have planned better."

Lucy frowned. "What happened?"

"Word got out that you were a siphon," Katherine's gaze hardened at the memory. "The village got antsy and they ambushed you when you were fetching water from the well. Our mother knew how close we were and she thought to write me."

Lucy was speechless; she hadn't known that her past lives were siphons, too. It horrified her that her nature brought upon one of her deaths. It brought back the fears she had when she had just learnt about being a siphon and had read that horribly biased book Grams had given her.

"Wait, so it's true?" Elena asked Lucy. "You're really a reincarnation?"

"Yes," Lucy confirmed. "Apparently I reappear every time a Petrova doppelganger is born."

Elena's eyes widened, though she was hurt that Lucy hadn't told her about this before then. "Wow," she shook her head and looked back at Katherine—she'd ask Lucy more questions later. "So, what did Klaus want?"

"The same thing that he wants from you two," Katherine leaned her head against the wall. "He wants to break the curse."

"By sacrificing the Petrova doppelganger and the reincarnation," Elena said, recalling what Rose said the day before.

"The reincarnation isn't sacrificed, but yes," Katherine nodded. "He wanted to drain every single drop of blood from my body.

Lucy couldn't help but feel relieved that she wasn't going to be sacrificed. She still felt horrified that her sister was going to be killed just to break some stupid curse. She sighed and fought back her anxiety, picking up the stick and dragging the empty blood cup back over to them. Elena filled the cup halfway and allowed Lucy to push it back to Katherine.

"Lucy doesn't have to be sacrificed?" Elena questioned, feeling slightly better that her little sister would survive all of this.

"Yep," Katherine sighed. "A few drops should work."

"What does the Petrova bloodline have to do with Klaus?" Lucy wondered, giving Elena a worried look.

Katherine picked up the cup, some of her energy coming back. "It's really tedious but—" she drank the blood. "—the curse was bound by the sacrifice of Petrova blood and the blood of the reincarnation. Witches are crafty with their spells."

Lucy tilted her head, curious.

"The doppelganger was created as a way to be able to undo the spell and since the reincarnation is needed, too, Lucy was spelled to be born again in the Petrova bloodline," Katherine explained. "Once the doppelganger and the reincarnation reappeared, the curse can be broken."

"So, you ran before he killed you," Elena assumed.

Katherine shrugged. "Something like that."

Lucy and Elena listened intently as Katherine explained that she followed Trevor's instructions and went to his cabin where he and Rose lived at the time with an old human woman. Rose reluctantly let her into the cabin but when she discovered who Katherine was and that she had the moonstone, Rose declared that she was going to bring her back to Klaus at nightfall."

"Rose never ended up taking you back to Klaus, did she?"

"No, but not because she had a change of heart," Katherine answered Elena.

She went on to tell them how she stabbed herself out of desperation, not wanting to give Klaus the satisfaction of sacrificing her. Rose discovered her injury and gave Katherine her blood, healing her. When Trevor came back at night and argued with Rose, Katherine took the opportunity to hang herself.

Lucy gaped at her. "You killed yourself?"

Katherine didn't see the big deal. "Klaus needed a human doppelganger. As a vampire, I was no longer any use to him."

"But it didn't work," Elena pointed out. "You didn't really escape, you've been running from Klaus ever since."

"I underestimated his spirit for vengeance but living out of a suitcase is better than dying so that you could have your blood spilled over some silly little rock."

Elena looked away from Katherine and Lucy, ashamed that she was actually agreeing with the vampire.

"What's wrong?" Katherine asked her. "Afraid I'm right? You don't want to die?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes at her, annoyed with the way she was mocking Elena's natural fear.

"There's another way out," Katherine stated. She pressed her thumbnail against her wrist, slicing through her skin, causing blood to rush to the surface. "Better hurry," she urged Elena, ultimately knowing that she wouldn't take her blood. "Your opportunity is going, going, going—" her wrist healed. "—and gone. I made the other choice."

She informed them that once she had woken up in transition, Rose planned on killing her, especially since she used Trevor's romantic affections for her for her selfish use. Katherine acted quickly and drank from the old lady they lived with, completing her transition. Rose, Trevor, and Katherine had been on the run from Klaus ever since then.

"Rose and Trevor spent the last five hundred years running because you used them," Elena looked at Katherine in disgust. "Trevor just got killed."

"Beheaded," Lucy added solemnly, shivering at the thought of Trevor's headless body and the puddle of blood surrounding him.

"Never thought he would have lasted that long," Katherine commented casually.

Lucy sadly pursed her lips while Elena shook her head. "You don't even care that you ruined their lives."

Katherine looked at Elena like she was crazy for judging her. "I was looking out for myself, Elena. I will always look out for myself. If you're smart, you'll do the same."

Katherine grabbed the Petrova Bible that Lucy scooted over to her and opened it, looking at her family history.

"So, how much of your little story is true?" Elena asked a little while later.

"I have no reason to lie, Elena," Katherine sighed heavily, flipping through the Petrova Bible. "I have no reason to do anything but sit here and read and rot."

Elena scoffed and stood up, starting to pace back and forth behind Lucy. "Okay, assuming it's even partially true, that's the reason why you came back, isn't it? Because you wanted to be the one to hand us over to Klaus."

Lucy's eyes flashed over to Katherine, irritated that she wanted to hand them over to Klaus. Even if she didn't have to be sacrificed, her sister had to die to break the curse. Lucy knew she wouldn't be able to survive her sister dying.

Katherine groaned and got to her feet, leaning against the wall for balance. "Five hundred years on the run, I figured maybe he'd be willing to strike a deal."

"So, you got Mason Lockwood to find you the moonstone," Elena stated.

"Right again."

Lucy pursed her lips, thoughtful. So far, the curse needed three ingredients to break it; her blood, Elena's blood, and the moonstone. It seemed fairly simple and with a curse that huge, she doubted that there were only those ingredients.

"What else is needed to break the curse?" Lucy spoke up, narrowing her eyes at Katherine.

Katherine grinned in approval. "Mmm, look who's smart."

"It's not just us and the moonstone, is it?" Lucy continued, her eyes widening in realization as she thought over everything that Katherine had done since arriving in Mystic Falls. "Otherwise, there would be no reason to trigger Tyler Lockwood's werewolf curse."

Katherine shook her head in disapproval. "Witches and their spells—so many ingredients, so many people to sacrifice."

Elena quickly caught on. "So, you need a werewolf."

"Believe it or not, they're hard to come by."

"What else?"

"A witch to do the spell," Katherine confessed. "Mine bailed but Bonnie will do just fine."

_"What else?"_

"A vampire."

Lucy angrily jumped to her feet. "Caroline?"

"It could have been anyone, I suppose, but I like the poetry of Caroline," Katherine mused.

Lucy glowered at her while Elena scoffed.

"So, you were just gonna hand us all over to be killed?"

Katherine straightened up. "Better you die than I."

Lucy shook her head in disgust and turned away from the tomb not wanting her temper to explode—she knew it would if she looked at Katherine for any longer. Katherine walked away from them, deeper into the tomb where she wouldn't be disturbed.

Lucy noticed Elena had picked up her pacing again and decided to comfort her, knowing that her learning about any of this couldn't be easy.

"It's not going to happen, Elena," she tried consoling her sister. "I'll make sure you're safe, okay? We'll all make sure."

"You don't know that it won't happen, Lucy," Elena replied, shaking her head in frustration. "Let's just go."

Lucy nodded, not wanting to upset her more, and grabbed the things they brought for Katherine, putting them back inside the bag.

"Elena! Lucy!" Stefan came running down the stone steps, looking around frantically for any signs of danger.

"Stefan, what are you doing here?" Elena asked.

"I could ask you two the same question," Stefan retorted, sounding relieved. He gave Lucy a quick look but she rolled her eyes at him.

Elena sighed, annoyed. "Caroline told you."

"No, she kept your secret but it didn't take long for me to figure out what was so important that you'd have to keep it from me."

Lucy turned away from them, knowing that this was supposed to be a private conversation that they should be having without her there.

"I knew that you'd stop us," Elena defended herself.

"Listen to me," Stefan's voice was stern. "Whatever she said to you guys is a lie. Do not listen to her. She's a liar, Elena."

"What if she isn't?" Elena disagreed. "You didn't hear what she said."

"You don't have to worry, I'm not gonna let anything happen to you," Stefan assured her. He raised his voice, getting Lucy's attention as he added, "Either of you."

Lucy turned around, frowning when Elena said, "That's the problem. You won't but you'll die trying. How's that any better?"

Lucy agreed with Elena, knowing the everything she said was the truth.

"There's nothing you can do, Stefan," Katherine spoke up, having walked back to the entrance when she heard Stefan and Elena arguing. "I haven't even told you the best part of the story."

Katherine bitterly recalled how she traveled back to Bulgaria after she transitioned into a vampire. When she returned, she found the rotting bodies of every servant, worker, and family member that lived at her home, each of them having been killed by Klaus.

"He killed them," she finished quietly. "My entire family just to get back at me for running. Whatever you do to escape Klaus, he _will_ get his vengeance on your friends, your family, on anyone that you've ever loved."

"No, look at me," Stefan grabbed Elena's arms, forcing her to look away from Katherine. "No. Do not listen to her, okay?"

Katherine scoffed. "Always the protector," she shook her head. "But even you must realize that Elena's doomed. There's nothing you can do to stop it...Unless, of course, you have this—" she held up the moonstone for them to see.

"What?" Elena took a step toward Katherine.

"Oh, no, there it is," Stefan snapped at Katherine, pulling Elena and Lucy behind him. "That's the ultimate lie, isn't it? You spun this whole thing so that we would have to get the stone from you, didn't you?"

Katherine shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest, hiding the moonstone. "I didn't spin anything, Stefan. It's the truth."

"No," Stefan disagreed. "Let me guess...You wanna trade that stone for your freedom. Hmm? You manipulative, psychotic _bitch_."

Lucy gaped at Stefan; she would have never guessed that he would use those words against a woman, even if that woman was Katherine.

Katherine stiffened and scoffed. "My freedom?" she sneered. "That's where you're wrong, Stefan. I don't want my freedom because when Klaus shows up to kill us all—and he will—I'll be in the tomb where no vampire will enter because they can't get out. I'll be the safest psychotic _bitch_ in town."

Katherine looked past Stefan and locked eyes with Lucy. Lucy swore she could see some sort of apology in Katherine's eyes but she couldn't know for sure. And Katherine turned around and walked deeper into the tomb before she could find out.

Lucy sighed and heaved the bag up higher on her shoulder. "Let's go," she said to Stefan and Elena. "There's nothing else to know."

As she, Stefan, and Elena left the tomb, Lucy grew determined. She wasn't going to let Elena be sacrificed by Klaus for a silly curse for the werewolves and vampires and whatever...She would do anything to protect her sister.


	29. Plan Gone Wrong

**[2x10; The Sacrifice]**

_Luciana knelt down on the ground, the long grass prickling at her shins through the thin fabric of her dress. She dutifully watched her older sister, Rebekah, ground up some stalks of wheat into a stone bowl so that their mother could use it to bake bread over the fire later on that night. Rebekah didn't look happy to be doing the task, she'd rather be with their brothers, hunting for the family's dinner._

_"Why are you so down, Rebekah?" Luciana asked, grabbing a stalk and rolling it between her fingers._

_"Father forbid me to join the others for the hunt," Rebekah grumbled, her blue eyes narrowing._

_"Why?"_

_Rebekah looked at her eight-year-old sister, knowing that she didn't see how women were treated differently by men because of her young age. Even if Luciana wasn't allowed the same privileges of Henrik, her twin brother, she didn't yet notice._

_"Because I am a woman," Rebekah explained with a sigh. "As are you. As women, we will not have the same freedoms that our brothers may have. We are to be wives, mothers, and maids. Nothing more."_

_Luciana frowned. "That does not sound fair."_

_Rebekah scoffed and stood, picking up the bowl of ground wheat. "Life is not fair, Luciana." She grabbed her sister's hand, pulling her into a standing position. "We live in a man's world. Come now, Mother will be expecting us."_

Lucy shifted restlessly, trying to find a comfortable spot on the old quilt she had laid on the ground. It was almost six in the morning when she had woken up from a dream where a younger version of herself was talking with a beautiful blonde teenage girl named Rebekah and she decided to take some time to herself for the day. Her decision led her to Steven's Quarry.

Peace and quiet allowed her to think about the newest memory added to her collection. This memory was added to the Luciana section, her first life. She didn't know exactly when she lived as Luciana, but she could tell it was a long, long time ago. Years before her life as Lucia Petrova. This memory also happened to be in the same time period as her memory with Elijah took place, so Lucy concluded that this had to be another one of her siblings.

She wondered just how many siblings she had in her first life—Rebekah had mentioned their brothers—and if they were vampires like Elijah.

"You know, people carry phones for a reason."

Lucy lazily turned her head toward the sky, staring straight up at Stefan's face as he stood over her. His expression was stern and disapproving, his forest-green eyes worried, and his hands clamped down on his hips.

"I left my phone at home," Lucy sighed; she leaned on her elbows to stare at Stefan as he walked around her and sat down on the other end of the quilt. "I figured that people would take a hint, but..."

Stefan's lips dipped into a slight frown. "How often do you come here?"

"Not in a while," Lucy admitted, fully sitting up and resting her arms on her knees. "The last time I came here was September—when Joel told me about vampires. We used to come a lot more often to just sit in the peace and quiet and think."

"Well, what's on your mind?" Stefan asked, watching her carefully. He knew that the information Katherine gave her and Elena about the sacrifice was intense, maybe she needed to think about that?

Stefan could tell Lucy was hesitating to spill and he hated that she didn't want to talk to him like before. When had Lucy ever been hesitant to tell him anything?

"You can talk to me, Luce," he gave her an assuring smile. "I'm here for you."

Lucy sighed. "I'm just having some more memories."

"Of your life with Katherine?"

"No," Lucy shook her head. "the one I had this morning was with one of my siblings from my first life, Rebekah."

Stefan raised his eyebrows. "One of?"

"Yeah, Rebekah mentioned something about brothers, so I figured I had more than one."

Lucy didn't want to say anything about Elijah being one of those siblings. She didn't know how Stefan would react or if he would tell Damon—and who knows what Damon would do? From what they knew, Elijah was a bad guy and he was connected to Klaus—the ancient vampire who wanted to sacrifice her sister—somehow. Lucy didn't want to be grouped with them.

Besides, Elijah was dead. What was the harm in keeping this to herself?

Stefan nodded in understanding. "Did you want to see if you could find out anything? I can help you," he offered. "I just feel like we haven't spent any time together."

Lucy smiled and reached over, squeezing his wrist affectionately. "Thanks, Broody, but I doubt there's much more information about me being reincarnated that Katherine didn't tell me."

"Are you sure you can trust her, though?"

Lucy nodded. "With this, yeah." She saw the doubtful look on his face. "I know what she did to you, Damon, Caroline, and Jenna—"

"And you," Stefan interjected.

"And me," Lucy nodded. "But with all the things I'm remembering from my life with her, it's hard to distinguish between how Lucia felt and how I felt."

Stefan gently slipped his wrist out of her grip and grabbed her hand, intertwining their fingers. "I'm sorry this is hard for you," he smiled sadly. "But I want you to be careful."

Lucy smiled back, ignoring the extreme set of butterflies making her stomach flip. "I will be, I promise." She nodded determinately. "Why were you looking for me?"

"Rose's friend, Slater—"

"The one Damon went to see with Rose the other day?"

"Yes," Stefan nodded, moving on. "He called Rose and told her that there's a way to release the curse from the moonstone."

Lucy perked up; if they could somehow release the curse from the moonstone, the sacrifice was useless. Elena could live and hopefully Klaus would never find out. But if he did...Lucy didn't want to think about it.

What was the likeliness that Klaus would find out anyway? The world was a big place.

"How are we gonna do that?" Lucy asked, hopeful that it was something plausible. "Katherine has the moonstone."

"Well, Damon and I are gonna go talk to Katherine," Stefan informed her. "But we were hoping you'd be able to siphon the curse once we get the moonstone."

Lucy could have slapped herself for being so stupid. Of course, her siphoning the curse would be the best option. How she hadn't thought of it herself was beyond her.

"Of course, I will," Lucy agreed. "If I do it in increments, the magic shouldn't overpower me."

Stefan's gaze turned worried. "Are you sure?"

"Anything to help Elena."

"You don't believe her, do you?" Elena asked Stefan and Damon as she and Lucy stood in the kitchen with them.

The Salvatore brothers had gone to visit Katherine in the tomb like Stefan told Lucy earlier and made a little deal with Katherine. The moonstone for the older vampire's freedom. Of course, the brothers weren't planning on going through with that, but Katherine didn't need to know that.

"No, of course not," Damon rolled his eyes, stealing one of Lucy's orange slices from her plate. "We just want the moonstone."

"According to Rose's friend, Slater, there's a way to destroy the spell that Klaus wants to break," Stefan informed Elena.

"No spell, no doppelganger sacrifice," Damon stated simply. "Ergo, you live."

Elena pursed her lips and crossed her arms over her chest. "How do you destroy it?"

Stefan leaned forward, resting his weight against the kitchen island. "By releasing it from the moonstone."

"How do you guys even know this is going to work?" Elena huffed, walking closer to the brothers and Lucy.

"'Cause we have a super talented siphon on our side," Damon quipped, smirking down at Lucy.

Elena immediately turned to Lucy, a disapproving look on her face. "They talked to you about this?"

"Yep," Lucy confirmed. "And Bonnie's gonna be on standby. We're gonna do everything we can to help."

"It's Katherine who has the moonstone," Elena pointed out. "She's not gonna give it to you."

"We're gonna get it from her—"

"Well, what he means to say is that we will pry it from her cold, dead hands if we have to," Damon cut Stefan off.

"Bonnie and I just need to find a way to release the seal long enough for Stefan and Damon to get in, get the moonstone, and get out in time for us to return it," Lucy stated, shrugging her shoulders.

"Wow," Elena scoffed quietly. "I mean, it sounds like you guys already have it all planned out."

"Yep, we're awesome," Damon bragged, throwing an arm around Lucy's shoulders; she promptly shoved him off.

"Except for one thing," Elena commented, frowning. "I don't want you to do it."

Lucy groaned quietly and lowered her head, wishing that her sister wouldn't play the martyr. There were a lot more things involved other than her—including Caroline and Tyler's lives.

"What are you talking about?" Stefan gave his girlfriend a bewildered look. "Elena, we don't have a choice."

"What about Klaus?" Elena replied pointedly.

"How is he even gonna figure out about it?" Lucy asked. "He doesn't even know we exist."

"And we can find him right after we get the moonstone just in case," Stefan added.

"Is that before or after he kills everyone that I care about, including the three of you?" Elena retorted, a frustrated bite in her tone.

Lucy felt Damon stiffen beside her but didn't pay it much attention.

"Elena, if we can de-spell the moonstone, we can save your life," Stefan said, becoming as frustrated as Elena. He didn't understand why she was protesting their plan so much.

"I know. Everyone keeps saying that," Elena huffed before turning around and walking out of the kitchen.

Lucy, Stefan, and Damon all exchanged looks—they were going to do it whether they had Elena's approval or not.

"If Lucy can help me out, I might be able to lower the tomb spell long enough for you to get in there and grab the moonstone from Katherine," Bonnie said to Stefan and Damon, a serious look on her face.

Damon lifted his chin, curious, while Stefan stood next to Lucy, arms crossed over his chest. The Salvatore brothers and Lucy had contacted Bonnie during her lunch period—yes, Lucy was skipping another day of school—so they could talk about Katherine's offer. Bonnie soon arrived at the Boarding House, Jeremy trailing after her.

"How?" Jeremy spoke up, concerned. "It took you, Lucy, _and_ your grams last time and look what happened to her."

Lucy frowned at the mention of Grams—she knew how much Bonnie missed her.

"I'm well aware of what happened," Bonnie said flatly—she didn't need any reminders that her grams was dead. "I've learned a few new things."

Jeremy gave her a warning look. "Bonnie..."

Lucy looked between her little brother and Bonnie, wondering when the two of them had gotten so close. Did she sense feelings brewing?

Bonnie ignored him, turning back to Stefan and Damon. "How will you get it?"

"She hasn't been feeding," Stefan declared. "She's weaker, we're not."

Damon tilted the glass of blood in his hand for emphasis.

"You can't underestimate her," Lucy shook her head.

"It's a plan. Is it perfect?" Damon scoffed. "What plan is?"

"Let me do it," Jeremy suggested. "I've got my ring. I could get in, get out—no spells necessary."

Before Lucy could protest, Damon spoke up, "Gee, thanks, you fifteen-year-old child," he sneered. "Why didn't we think of about that? Why are you even here?"

"Damon," Lucy scolded him harshly before turning to Jeremy. "No way, Jeremy. If Katherine gets a hold of you..."

She shook her head, not wanting to think about Katherine and Jeremy within five feet of each other.

"Maybe I can help better the plan," Bonnie said thoughtfully, turning to Stefan and Damon. "Do you have anything that belongs to Katherine?"

Damon slowly smirked and looked at Stefan, causing his little brother to inhale sharply.

"I do," Stefan simply said before disappearing in a blur.

Within three minutes Stefan walked back into the library, holding an old picture.

"This belonged to Katherine," he explained, holding the picture out to Bonnie. Lucy moved closer to the table where the witch was standing to look at the photograph; Katherine was pictured in old clothing with a date from 1864 on the bottom. "I found it with her things after I thought she was dead but it's hers."

Bonnie took the photo and placed it in a bowl that Damon provided her along with the other things she had requested while Stefan was getting the picture. Next, she put her fingers in a glass of water and sprinkled the droplets onto the photograph. It caught fire as Bonnie closed her eyes and started chanting, casting a spell.

"What will this do?" Damon asked her.

"I can turn the metal to ash," Bonnie looked at the burning picture. "Blow the ashes on her and it will incapacitate her for a minute or two. Long enough for you to get the stone and get out."

Lucy looked at her, impressed. Not for the first time, she wished that she had her own magic.

Lucy paced behind Damon and Stefan by the ruins of the church, impatiently waiting for Bonnie and Jeremy to arrive. She hadn't even been waiting long, but she wanted to get the moonstone and siphon the curse from it. The sooner Elena was saved from being sacrificed, the better.

"Calm down, Twitch, here she comes," Damon muttered to her—annoyed with her pacing—and pointed out Bonnie.

"Sorry, I'm late," Bonnie said to them, clutching her grimoire close to her chest. "I had to grab the grimoire from home."

"It's fine," Lucy waved her off. "Where's Jeremy?"

"Couldn't take the pressure, huh?" Damon smirked at the girls.

Bonnie glared at him and went straight for the steps that would lead them to the underground chamber just outside the tomb. "He said he'd be here."

Lucy and Stefan followed her down the steps. "We haven't seen him," Lucy said worriedly.

"I'm sure he's fine," Stefan comforted her.

The three of them entered the chamber and Stefan threw the bag of torches he brought for the spell down on the ground. He crouched down to unzip the bag and paused, smelling the scent of fresh blood.

Something from the corner of his eye took his attention away from the blood. The moonstone was laying on the ground in the middle of the chamber.

"What the hell?"

Lucy looked at the stone with wide eyes. "Is that the moonstone?"

"What?" Bonnie hissed as Stefan picked it up.

"I hate to interrupt," Katherine's voice caught their attention. "but today's been full of surprises."

Lucy turned to the tomb and gasped as Katherine pulled Jeremy away from where he was hidden. There was a gruesome bit mark on his neck, his shirt soaked in his own blood.

She ran toward him, furious, but Stefan caught her around the waist before she could step one toe into the tomb.

"I'm sorry," Jeremy apologized, weak from blood loss. "I took some powder."

"Katherine, let him go," Lucy demanded angrily.

"Mmm, not yet," Katherine hummed. "Don't worry, I know that he's wearing his ring, so no matter how many times I kill him, he'll just be coming back for more," she smirked. "So, I'm gonna be in the back playing with my new little toy. You guys just give me a holler when you've got the tomb open."

Lucy clenched her jaw and brushed Stefan's hold off of her, intending to walk straight into the tomb, siphon some magic from her locket, give Katherine an anger-fueled aneurysm, and get her brother out of harm's way. However, she didn't even get another step before Stefan grabbed her again, holding her back.

"Stefan, let go," Lucy huffed, trying to pull her arm out of his firm grasp. "I'm gonna fry her brain!"

"No, you're not." Stefan tightened his grip. He noticed her wince but didn't let go in fear that she would actually waltz right into the tomb and potentially get killed from her need to hurt Katherine. He didn't exactly believe Katherine when she said she wouldn't hurt Lucy.

"Stefan!"

"No," he said firmly, forcefully pulling her away from the tomb to stand behind Bonnie.

"Come on," Bonnie spoke up, getting Lucy's attention. Though she was really worried about Jeremy, they couldn't have Lucy running into the tomb, either. "Help me set up the torches."

Lucy inhaled deeply and tried to calm down, focusing on what Bonnie said. She needed to help her set up for the spell—the faster they started, the quicker they could get to Jeremy. She nodded and the three of them went to work on placing the torches into a circle in the middle of the chamber, just like it was when they opened the tomb months earlier.

As Bonnie lit the last tomb, Stefan grew impatient, wondering where his brother was. He couldn't take down Katherine by himself. "Where the fuck is Damon?" he asked, annoyed. "He was right behind us."

"We can't wait, we have to get him out of there," Bonnie stated, concerned about Jeremy's condition.

"She's fed," Stefan sighed. "She has her strength back."

"We still have some of the ash," Bonnie said as she grabbed the envelope of ash and handed it to Stefan.

"I can go with you for some backup," Lucy offered.

"Absolutely not," Stefan argued prompting Lucy to roll her eyes at his overprotectiveness.

"Fine," she grumpily gave in, not wanting to start an argument. "Do you think you can get close enough?"

Stefan looked at the tomb warily. "I don't have a choice."

"It's gonna take us some time," Bonnie warned Stefan, glancing quickly at Lucy.

Lucy knew what she had to do—she'd done it before.

"How long?"

"I don't know, a while," Bonnie guessed for Stefan's sake.

Stefan nodded. "Just get me in there as soon as you can."

Bonnie picked up her grimoire and turned it to the page that held the tomb spell, quickly reading it over one last time. Once finished, she nodded at Lucy, ready to get started.

Lucy dropped to her knees just outside the tomb seal, pressing her palms flat against the ground.

"Ready when you are, Lucy," Bonnie called to her.

At once, Lucy started siphoning the seal away from the tomb. Now that she had more experience, she started out slower, knowing that the magic wouldn't overwhelm her as easily as if she was siphoning quicker. Her red palms started to tingle from the spell and from the corner of her eye she saw Katherine and Jeremy come closer to the door, looking on curiously.

Bonnie started chanting, the torches flaring up around her. Katherine smirked, commenting, "Ooh, something's happening."

"Bonnie, no!" Jeremy breathed, worried about her using too much magic.

Stefan switched his gaze between Lucy and Bonnie periodically, worried for both of them. Lucy seemed to be wearing herself out and Bonnie didn't look any better.

"You have to stop her, she's not strong enough!" Jeremy shouted at Stefan, urging him to do something.

As if wanting to prove him wrong, the torches flared again, the flames almost touched the ceiling.

Katherine looked on, impressed. "Maybe she is."

Feeling overwhelmed and tired, Lucy pulled her hands away from the seal. She knew that she had siphoned off enough that Bonnie could get the seal down for a few seconds for Stefan. When she glanced at Bonnie, however, she grew worried.

A stream of blood dripped from Bonnie's nose, covering her lips as she kept on chanting.

"Bonnie," Stefan saw the same thing and walked over to the witch.

"You got to stop her!" Jeremy pleaded with his sister and Stefan.

Lucy scrambled to her feet and joined Stefan in trying to stop Bonnie, not noticing when Katherine elbowed Jeremy in the face to keep him quiet.

"Bonnie, stop!" Lucy told Bonnie, her voice shaking from nerves.

When Bonnie didn't listen, Stefan grabbed her arms and shook her. "You need to stop, Bonnie!"

Bonnie fought against Stefan's grip for a few seconds, wanting to keep going, but fainted to the ground. Lucy gasped and knelt by her side, checking her pulse. Luckily, her pulse was strong.

"Bonnie," Lucy pleaded, patting Bonnie's cheek to wake her up. "Bonnie, wake up, please."

"Yes, please!" Katherine called from the tomb, aggravated. "Because I'm still in here!"

"Shut up!" Lucy snapped at the older vampire, turning her head to glower at her.

"Bonnie," Stefan saw Bonnie's eyes open. "Are you all right?"

Lucy whipped back around and helped Stefan get Bonnie to her feet, holding her steady as she sway slightly, exhausted.

"Are you okay, Bon?" Lucy asked worriedly.

"It didn't work," Bonnie cried, staring at Jeremy and Katherine with tears in her eyes. "I'm not strong enough. Even with help I can't do it."

"Oh, that's too bad," Katherine purred, gripping Jeremy's shirt and pulling him up to her level. She forcefully pressed him against the stone wall. "I'm still hungry."

As Katherine hissed and bared her teeth, about to sink them into Jeremy's neck, Stefan let go of Bonnie and blurred into the tomb. He pushed Katherine away from Jeremy and threw him across the seal into Lucy and Bonnie's arms.

"Stefan, what did you do?" Lucy almost shouted from the shock of seeing him in the tomb. She passed Jeremy safely into Bonnie's grasp and stormed over to the tomb door. "Why did you do that?! I could have got him! You're so stupid sometimes!"

Her eyesight blurred as angry tears started dripping down her cheeks. She was so angry at Stefan that it covered up her gratitude that he saved her brother. And she was thankful that Jeremy was safe from Katherine but now Stefan was stuck in the tomb for who knows how long because Bonnie couldn't lift the seal and Lucy couldn't exactly help her.

Stefan looked at her sadly, knowing that she didn't really mean to call him stupid. She was just angry and sad that he was stuck in the tomb without a way out. He wished that he could comfort her so badly, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to touch her.

"Dammit," Lucy cursed under her breath and wiped her tears. She took a moment to calm down, slowly breathing in and out and transferring the magic she siphoned over to her locket. Then, she looked at Bonnie and Jeremy. "Take him home," she ordered Bonnie. "I'll stay here until Damon comes."

Bonnie looked reluctant to leave her; she knew how reckless Lucy could get when someone she cared about was in a tough spot. "Don't do anything stupid," she warned Lucy. "I mean it, Luce. Don't siphon that seal by yourself."

"I won't," Lucy promised halfheartedly; Stefan picked up her tone and stiffened next to Katherine. "Go get cleaned up, Jere."

Jeremy nodded and spared Stefan a guilty look. "I'm sorry."

Stefan nodded, forgiving him. He was just a kid who wanted to help out his crush and sisters.

Once Bonnie and Jeremy left up the stairs, Lucy tiredly turned back to the tomb. Despite how weak she felt, she wanted to at least try to get the seal lifted. Stefan, however, stopped her before she could.

"Don't even think about it, Lucy," he said sternly. "You'll hurt yourself."

"I gotta agree with Stefan, here," Katherine spoke up, wiping the blood from her lips and trying not to explicably show her concern for her sister.

"You don't get to talk, Katherine," Lucy snapped, becoming frustrated again. "This is your fault."

"It's not personal—"

"That's what you don't get," Lucy shook her head furiously. "It _is_ personal. Jeremy is my family just as much as you are—or claim to be. We're not blood related but he is my brother and you hurt him. So, yes, it's personal."

Lucy plopped down on the ground and rested her head against the wall. She knew she couldn't siphon the seal—she wasn't strong enough and she didn't feel like getting lectured at by Stefan—but she was going to stay until Elena got there. She knew her sister was going to freak out, so she'd be here for comfort.

Katherine, thoroughly chastised by Lucy—which surprised Stefan—slithered away, further into the tomb, leaving Stefan and Lucy by themselves.

Stefan hesitated before speaking up, "I don't want you to worry about getting me out, Lucy," he was quiet, not wanting Katherine to eavesdrop. "Just focus on the moonstone."

"I can do two things at once, Stefan," Lucy sighed, looking over at him. "I'm gonna find you a way out of there."

"I'm not worried."

"Well, I am. How am I—what am I—" Lucy struggled to find her words.  
"—do you not know how important you are to me? I'm gonna get you out because I need you, Stefan, okay? And my sister needs you, your brother needs you. Can't you see how important you are?"

Stefan was silent at her outburst and Lucy wanted to die from how embarrassed she was. Her face and the back of her neck heated up and she pulled her phone out to distract herself.

"I'm calling Damon," she muttered, not looking at Stefan. If she had, she would have seen his glazed eyes and small smile. "You might want to go to the back. Seeing you in there will make it harder for Elena."

"Okay," Stefan cleared his throat, pulling himself together. "Just..."

Lucy looked at him expectantly.

He shook his head. "Goodbye, Lucy."

Lucy's throat went dry at the thought of saying goodbye to Stefan so she didn't reply. She busied herself, dialing Damon's number and informing him of what went down.

It was an hour later that Elena came rushing into the chamber, sobbing Stefan's name. Lucy jumped to her feet and grabbed her before she could run into the tomb, a sharp reversal from when she was wanting to go in herself.

"Stefan!" Elena shouted, fighting against Lucy's grip. "Stefan!"

Somehow, Elena was stronger than Lucy—she was able to push her little sister away from her. Luckily, Damon was there to stop her again. He pushed her against the wall, easily blocking her strikes.

"Don't you dare," Damon warned her as Lucy straightened herself, looking at her sister with pity.

"Stefan's in there, Damon!" Elena spat. "How could you guys let this happen?"

Lucy kept her temper in check, knowing that Elena didn't really mean to pin the blame on her and Damon. Like Lucy, she said things she didn't mean when she was angry.

"What are you talking about?" Damon retorted. "I was too busy saving you from your crazy kamikaze mission."

"You didn't even have to go after the moonstone in the first place!"

"It was the right call, Elena!"

"Right call? How is any of this the right call?" Elena shouted, starting to struggle against Damon's grip once again. "Damon, let go of me! Let go of me!"

Lucy stepped in, placing one of her hands on Elena's shoulder to comfort her. It hurt her to see her sister in such distress, especially when it was added to her own.

"Elena," she said softly. "Come on."

"No, Lucy," Elena's eyes glazed over with tears. "Stefan..."

"I know. It's gonna be okay," Lucy consoled her. "Come on, let's go home."

Elena let herself be pulled away from the tomb by Lucy, not looking back because she knew Stefan wasn't going to be there. As they reached the stairs, Lucy looked back at Damon and gestured with her head toward the tomb.

Damon nodded back at her, knowing that she was asking him to talk to Stefan. Relieved, Lucy led Elena up the stairs, her heart clenching at the mess they had gotten themselves into.


	30. Deal or No Deal

**[2x11; By the Light of the Moon]**

"Are you ready?"

Lucy gave Bonnie a nervous look at her question. Was she ready to siphon this curse from the moonstone and potentially have this vicious Klaus guy hunt them all down? No. Was she ready to siphon the curse from the moonstone and save her sister's life? Yes.

"I'm ready," she sighed, grabbing the moonstone from Bonnie's hand.

"Just be careful," Bonnie advised her. "Take breaks. Too much magic will—"

"—overwhelm me," Lucy finished, having heard it before. "Got it."

Lucy wrapped her hands around the moonstone—which eerily matched the stone in her locket—and concentrated. Nothing happened; her hands didn't glow and she didn't feel that small rush of adrenaline she felt every time she siphoned magic from something.

She closed her eyes and tried again with the same result.

It was like the moonstone had no magic in it at all.

"Uh, Lucy, are you going to siphon the curse?" Bonnie asked impatiently.

"I can't, Bonnie!" Lucy exclaimed, slightly hysterical. "Nothing's coming out. It's like there isn't anything in there."

"No, no, that's impossible," Bonnie shook her head, grabbing the moonstone back from her. She concentrated and felt magic pulsing through the stone. "I can feel the magic."

"I couldn't," Lucy insisted. "Which means…"

"It's spelled against siphoners," Bonnie said flatly."

"_Great_."

Bonnie slipped the moonstone into her bag and gave Lucy a small smile, seeing how guilty the younger girl looked. "It's not your fault, Luce. I'll just have to find a way to de-spell it myself."

Lucy frowned. "I'm so sorry, Bon."

"Don't be," Bonnie grabbed Lucy's hand and squeezed it. "Seriously. Come on, we should go tell Elena what's going on."

"Are we still testing her?" Lucy wondered.

When Bonnie nodded, Lucy followed Bonnie out of her room and into Elena's, both of them not bothering to knock. Elena was sitting at her window seat, diary in her lap, with a severely grouchy look on her face.

"Hey," she grumped, standing up and walking over to them. "What's up?"

"I can't siphon the curse from the moonstone," Lucy told her straight away. There was no point in beating around the bush. She had failed, plain and simple.

Elena's face was blank, no sign of surprise, relief, or anger. "So, what now?"

Bonnie sighed and pulled the moonstone out of her bag, handing it to Elena. It was all part of the test she, Lucy, and Jeremy had planned to see if Elena would leave to try to get herself killed again.

The day before, while they were all trying to get the moonstone away from Katherine, Elena had her own mission. She had recruited Rose to take her to visit Slater to see if he could get in touch with Klaus. She wanted to hand herself over so that Klaus wouldn't hurt any of her family…killing herself in the process.

Needless to say, no one was really happy with her actions at the moment.

"Since Lucy can't siphon the curse, I have to see if I can figure out a way to remove it myself," Bonnie told Elena. "If the spell is gone, the stone becomes useless."

"And, according to Katherine, Klaus becomes vengeful," Elena added, pursing her lips.

"Maybe," Bonnie conceded before adding, "If he finds out."

Lucy nodded in agreement, pointing at Bonnie for emphasis.

"Bonnie, can't this wait?" Elena asked, exasperated. "Stefan is stuck in the tomb with Katherine. We've got to get him out."

"Stefan wants us to focus on this," Lucy stated, though she wanted Stefan out as much as Elena.

"Well, don't listen to him," Elena argued. "He thinks that he's protecting me but he's wrong."

Lucy and Bonnie shared a look before Bonnie said to Elena, "We're taking Stefan's side on this one. We're not gonna let you get used in some creepy sacrifice ritual."

As Bonnie ripped the moonstone out of Elena's hand, Lucy added, "I want Stefan out of the tomb as much as you, Elena, but you're life in on the line. Stefan will be there when we figure this out."

Elena gave Lucy an unhappy look but Lucy wasn't going to be swayed. What she said was true and she believed every word of it.

Jeremy popped his head into the room. "What are you guys arguing about?"

Bonnie shrugged, looking at Elena. "We're not arguing about anything," she put the stone in her bag and hopped off the bed. "I need a coffee."

"I'll join you," Lucy said, her and Bonnie both giving Jeremy pointed looks as they left the room. It was up to him to cover the last part of their test.

When they got downstairs, Bonnie went to work on casting a barrier spell that would only affect Elena. It must have been an easy spell because she put it up within a minute, impressing Lucy. She was always so amazed by how great Bonnie was at magic.

"Come on," Lucy ushered Bonnie into the living room to wait for Elena. "She'll probably be down any minute."

Lucy was right, after a minute or so went by, Elena came rushing down the stairs. Bonnie and Lucy popped out in front of her.

"Where are you going?" Bonnie asked her casually.

"Um," Elena gulped. "to see Stefan."

Lucy scoffed lightly and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You're lying," Bonnie claimed, both of them seeing right through her.

Elena shook her head. "No, I'm not."

"Really?" Lucy smirked at her. "Tell your face."

Elena narrowed her eyes at both Lucy and Bonnie. "Are you serious?"

"She took the moonstone!" Jeremy called, walking down the stairs holding Bonnie's bag.

Elena gaped at them. "How did you—"

"We tested you," Bonnie pursed her lips. "and you failed."

Lucy frowned at her older sister; could Elena not see how her death would affect everyone? Didn't she care how much they all loved her?

Elena looked from Bonnie's face, to Jeremy's, to Lucy's; she scoffed and tried to defend herself. "Klaus killed Katherine's entire family just because she crossed him," she said firmly. "I can't let that happen."

Bonnie shrugged and stepped aside—Lucy doing the same—allowing Elena to walk past them. Elena did; she walked down the rest of the stairs and opened the front door, only to be stopped by the barrier Bonnie put up.

She tried to push pas the barrier several times but was unable to do so. She turned to Bonnie, an angry look on her face. "What did you do?"

"It's for the best, Elena," Bonnie assured her.

Elena sighed, aggravated, and stormed back upstairs.

"You trapped her in your house?" Stefan asked Lucy, not able to believe the information that she and Damon had just given him.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "It's for the best. Trust me."

"Elena's on a martyr mission that rivals your greatest hits," Damon told Stefan. "You should be glad the witch and I are getting along."

Lucy glared at Damon. "Her name is Bonnie, dick." She shook her head and turned back to Stefan. "We brought you some things."

Damon held up the bag where he had the things that he gathered for his brother. "Care package," he declared, giving the bag to Lucy to drop behind the seal. "Candles, lanterns, and Twitch brought you lunch."

Lucy shook the bottle of blood she pulled from the bag. "The butcher sends his regards. I think it's cow blood this time."

She went to hand Stefan the bottle but he refused it. "Give that to me and I'm just gonna have to share it with her."

Lucy threw her hands in the air, exasperated, as Katherine appeared and waved at her and Damon.

"Yeah," Stefan agreed with her annoyance.

"You know, you three are surprisingly calm considering Klaus will hunt you down and kill you if you mess with his little plan," Katherine observed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I've been dead before, I got over it," Damon shrugged casually.

"Speaking of the moonstone," Stefan said, giving Lucy a questioning look. "Did you—?"

"No," Lucy sighed, anxiously playing with the bracelet Stefan got her. "I was unable to siphon the curse from the stone."

"But Bonnie's on it," Damon told Stefan, nudging Lucy's arm in support. Lucy appreciated it, surprised by his behavior. "After we deal with the moonstone, we'll figure out a way to get you out."

"Ah, don't worry about me," Stefan said calmly. "Just make sure Elena's safe."

Lucy nodded seriously. "We're on it."

"Yeah, I have next shift," Damon groaned. "Hey, how much should I get paid by the hour? I'm thinking fifty should do it."

"You'll do it for free and you'll like it," Lucy retorted. She gave Stefan a small smile. "Be careful in there."

Stefan grinned back at her. "Stay safe."

Lucy nodded, her heart clenching, and followed Damon out of the chamber.

The day passed quickly, with Lucy looking carefully through her grimoire to see if there was anything that could help her get Stefan out of the tomb. She knew that she promised Stefan that she'd focus on the moonstone, but Bonnie was taking care of it. She was out with the new witch—or warlock, as he liked to be called—in town, Luka. Apparently, he and his father collected grimoires from around the world and he knew of a spell that could destroy the Sun and the Moon curse within the moonstone.

So, with that taken care of, Lucy wanted to get Stefan out of the tomb. However, she was coming up blank. There was absolutely nothing in her grimoire that came close to the strength of the tomb spell.

It frustrated the hell out of her.

"Hey," Elena knocked on Lucy's open door and stuck her head into the room. "Do you know what's going on downstairs?"

Lucy nodded, having heard the commotion that was Jenna trying to get their mom's historical society files out of the closet for some author that was writing a piece on Mystic Falls. "Jenna's looking for Mom's stuff," she told her sister. "I just hope she doesn't mess up my system."

"I'm sure you'll fix it if she does," Elena chuckled. "Come on, let's go see if she needs help."

"Fine," Lucy shoved her grimoire off her lap and climbed off her bed, following Elena downstairs. When they reached their storage closet under the stairs, they found Jenna kneeled next to three open boxes.

"Hey, how are you doing there?" Elena greeted her while Lucy waved with a smile.

"Oh," Jenna sighed happily, handing Elena a box with a smile. "perfect timing."

Lucy peered into the box, seeing that it held some photo albums. "Jenna, this is the wrong box," she informed her aunt. "You're looking for Mom's files from the historical society, right?"

"Yeah," Jenna confirmed, taking the box back from Elena and handing her a different one. "I got roped into helping Mrs. Lockwood. And by roped, I mean very excited to participate."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows, confused by Jenna's change of tone. She went from annoyed to happy, like she wanted to be polite. Her unspoken question was answered when Jenna shut the closet door and revealed that Elijah was behind it.

Lucy choked on her saliva, confused on how Elijah was standing right in front of her and Elena. Last she knew, Damon had killed him with a coat rack.

"_What_ _the hell_?" she hissed under her breath as Elena gasped, shocked by Elijah's presence as well. She knew that Elijah was still alive, but why was he in their house?

"Hey, I'm Elijah," Elijah smiled pleasantly at them.

Lucy just gaped at him, blown away by he looked the same, yet completely different as the man in her memories. The Elijah she saw always had long hair and dressed in clothes that had to be centuries old. He was always polite and courteous in her memories like he was now, but having seen him when he beheaded Trevor, she knew he had a sadistic side.

The thing that shocked her the most that he was alive, though. How was that possible? She saw his body desiccated.

"Elijah's in town doing research on Mystic Falls," Jenna informed her nieces, grabbing the box from Jenna.

Lucy hummed, wearily watching as Elijah walked toward them, hand extended. After Elena hesitantly shook his hand, Lucy did the same to keep appearances for Jenna.

"It's a pleasure, girls," he said, his lips slightly quirked into a smile.

"So, you're welcome to stay here and rummage through this stuff or Elena, Lucy, and I could help you load it into your car," Jenna offered nicely. Lucy smiled at her, though on the inside, she wanted to run.

She didn't want to confront Elijah yet, she was still so shocked that he was alive.

"Yeah, or I can get someone to pick it up tomorrow?" Elijah shrugged casually.

Jenna chuckled. "Also a good plan."

"Well, thank you so much for inviting me into your home, Jenna," Elijah said graciously as he and Jenna walked to the front door. "And girls—" Lucy and Elena turned around as he called for them. "—I hope to see you both again sometime soon."

Lucy nodded shakily, her heart racing. As Elijah walked out the front door, she was already rushing up the stairs to check on Jeremy, Elena on her heels. She was afraid that Elijah had hurt him—he beheaded a man for crying out loud!

"Jeremy!" she called as she and Elena stopped outside his room, frantically knocking on his door.

She went to turn his doorknob when someone grabbed her hand, stopping her. She gasped when she saw that it was Elijah who did so, not Elena. Lucy backed away from him and the door, sighing anxiously when Elijah held out a finger to tell her and Elena to stay quiet.

Jeremy's door opened and Elijah flinched out of sight.

"Hey," Jeremy pulled his headphones down around his neck. "What is it?"

"Uh, Jenna was just asking us to get you to help her with the boxes," Elena spoke up for her sister.

"Oh," Jeremy nodded. "Yeah"

Jeremy didn't even notice Elijah as he walked out of his room and down the stairs to help Jenna. After watching their brother leave, Lucy and Elena slowly turned back to Elijah.

"That was a wise choice," Elijah said calmly.

Elena narrowed her eyes at him and grabbed Lucy's hand. "What do you want?"

"I think it's time we three have a little chat."

Lucy and Elena shared a worried look and Lucy nodded, pulling her hand from Elena's. "Um, yeah," she walked to her room, just across the hall from Jeremy's. "In here is fine."

Elijah looked around Lucy's room, finding it charming for a girl her age. It was neat, like he always remembered Luciana being, and her favorite color was splashed here and there—blue, just like Luciana. What made him almost lose his breath was the corner of the room dedicated to painting. An easel was set up on a clear sheet of plastic, holding a half-finished painting, and multiple painting were hung up on the walls around it, all done by Lucy herself. It astounded Elijah how much Lucy and Luciana were the same.

Lucy painted just like his baby sister had—just how Niklaus showed her—but even better with her older age and better supplies. He knew his brother would be blown away by Lucy's talent, just as he was delighted by it.

Elijah quickly composed himself, knowing that he was coming off as strange to Lucy and Elena. "Please, forgive the intrusion," he told them, turning to Lucy's dresser where pictures of herself with her family, Caroline, Bonnie, Matt, Alaric, and Stefan littered the surface. "I mean your family no harm."

"Um, you're alive," Lucy stated dumbly as Elijah sat on her window seat.

"Yes, for centuries now," Elijah deadpanned, glancing at Elena. "I ran into your sister yesterday."

Lucy sharply turned to Elena. "What?"

"I'll explain later," Elena placated Lucy before facing Elijah. "Why did you kill those vampires when they tried to take me?"

"Because I didn't want you to be taken," Elijah replied simply. "Klaus is the most feared and hated of the Originals but those that feat him are desperate for his approval. If word gets out that the doppelganger and reincarnation exist, there'll be a line of vampires eager to take you both to him…And I can't have that."

Elena gave him a confused look. "Isn't that exactly what you're trying to do?"

"Let's just say that my goal is not to break the curse," Elijah answered.

"So, what is your goal?" Lucy spoke up. If Elijah didn't want to break the curse, why was he here? It couldn't be for a little sibling bonding.

"Klaus' obsessions have made him paranoid," Elijah stated bitterly. "He's a recluse. He trusts only those in his immediate circle."

"Like you?"

If Elijah and Klaus were both original vampires, didn't that imply that they know each other? You can't have two different set of original vampires if one was made before the other…

Elijah hesitated at Lucy's question and then shook his head. "Not anymore."

Elena cocked her head thoughtfully. "You don't know where he is, do you?" Elijah shook his head. "So, you're trying to use us to draw him out."

"Well, to do that, I need you to stay put and stop trying to get yourself killed," Elijah told Elena pointedly.

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" Elena asked sharply.

For Lucy, it was like she knew that she could trust him. It was the same with Katherine, though she knew that trust could be misplaced. She couldn't put all of her trust in Elijah, just in case he decided to pull a Katherine and do something that would make her regret it.

"Well, if I wasn't being truthful, all your family would be dead and I'd be taking both of you to Klaus right now," Elijah said plainly. "Instead, I'm here, and I'm prepared to offer you two a shared deal."

Lucy perked up, intrigued—she knew from her memories that Elijah didn't welch on deals. "What kind of deal?"

Elijah stood up. "Do nothing," he said, walking over to Lucy's bookcase to study the titles on the shelf at his eye level. "Do nothing. Live your lives. Stop fighting. And then, when the time is right, the three of us shall draw Klaus out together and I shall make certain that your friends remain unharmed."

"And then what?" Elena asked cautiously.

Elijah turned away from the bookshelf to face them. "Then I kill him."

Lucy raised her eyebrows. "Just like that?"

"Just like that," Elijah nodded. "I'm a man of my word, girls. I make a deal, I keep a deal."

"How are you going to be able to keep everybody safe?" Elena crossed her arms over her chest.

"You know, I notice you have a friend, Bonnie, is it?" Elijah tilted his head. "She seems to possess the gift of magic. I have friends with similar gifts."

"You know witches." Lucy assumed that his witches included Luka, the new guy in town that was currently with Bonnie, trying to de-spell the moonstone. She guessed that was now a dead end.

"Together we can protect everybody that matters to you both," Elijah proposed. "So…do we have a deal?"

Lucy pursed her lips, thinking quickly. She knew that Elijah didn't back out of deals—he said so himself. But the Elijah she knew from her memories was kind and honorable, which was skewing the way she looked at him now. But if he could save Elena, she had to take the deal.

Plus, if Elijah had powerful witches on his side, she could ask him to get Stefan out of the tomb. She didn't know if he would allow that but it didn't hurt to ask…

"I'll agree to your deal," Elena told Elijah, thinking that it was the best-case scenario for everyone. She noticed that Elijah didn't include keeping her safe in the deal but it didn't matter to her—all she wanted was her friends and family safe.

"Wonderful," Elijah nodded before looking at Lucy for her agreement.

Lucy lifted her chin. "We need you to do one more thing for us."

Elijah's lips quirked into a grin and disappeared so quickly that Lucy wasn't sure he smiled at all. "Are we negotiating now?"

"Yes," Lucy said confidently, knowing that it would impress him more. "We need you to lower the seal on the tomb under the church."

"The tomb where Katerina Petrova is sealed inside?"

Lucy nodded. "The very one. Stefan Salvatore is stuck with her. He's Elena's boyfriend, and my best pal, so that makes him on both of our lists."

Just like Lucy predicted, Elijah was impressed by her negotiating skills. "And if I do this, we have a deal?"

"Yes."

"Well, then," Elijah smirked, holding out his hand for her to shake; Lucy firmly took it. "we have a deal."

Lucy pressed her lips together, not sure at all if this was the right thing to do. For right now, though, Stefan was going to be okay and that was enough for her.


	31. Werewolf Problem

**[2x13; Daddy Issues]**

Lucy sleepily shuffled through the Forbes' household, heading to the kitchen for some much-needed breakfast that Caroline had promised to make for her after plying her with frozen margaritas. Needless to say, Lucy's head pounded and she desperately needed some greasy food to hold off her hangover. The smell of bacon coming from the kitchen seemed promising.

When she entered the kitchen, Caroline was at the stove flipping bacon, a cutesy apron covering her torso.

"Good morning!" Caroline exclaimed, sending her best friend a bright smile.

Lucy mentally cursed Caroline for her talent of being unable to have a hangover. She was pretty sure that was the one thing she hated about Caroline. If Lucy had to suffer from an alcohol-soaked brain, so did Caroline.

Unfortunately, life wasn't fair.

"Morning," Lucy sighed, hopping onto one of the stools by the island. Caroline promptly scooted a glass of apple juice over to her. Lucy mumbled her gratitude and took a sip.

"The bacon's almost done and then you can make those gross bacon sandwiches you like so much," Caroline informed her, waving her spatula for emphasis. "And while you eat, we can talk about what you told me last night."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows in confusion—she had no idea what she told Caroline last night. There was a lot of talking—Caroline had even confessed that Tyler had kissed her—but she didn't remember telling Caroline anything so scandalous that it warranted a next-morning talk.

"Come again?"

The corners of Caroline's mouth quirked as she flipped off the burner and started transferring the bacon onto a plate covered with paper towels. "You know, your crush on Stefan."

Heat flooded Lucy's face and the back of her neck, her embarrassment wanting to choke her. She told Caroline about her feelings for Stefan? She was never going to drink again.

She groaned and buried her face in her hands.

"Oh, calm down," Caroline rolled her eyes at Lucy's dramatics. "You know I would never judge you, Luce."

"Still makes it embarrassing," Lucy's voice was hard to make out through her hands.

"I think it's cute," Caroline admitted. While Lucy hid herself, the blonde took it upon herself to make her a bacon sandwich. She grabbed the mayo from the fridge and smeared a little bit onto a piece of white bread, stacking many pieces of bacon on it, and then smushing the other bread on top of it. Just the way Lucy liked it.

As Caroline pushed the sandwich over to Lucy, she added, "It's totally a friends-to-lovers trope and I happen to love them," she grinned. "I mean, Stefan and Elena are a cute couple, but there's something about you and him that makes me happy."

Lucy pulled her face away from her hands, her lips arranged into a scowl that she aimed at her best friend. She grumpily snatched up the sandwich and took a big bite, begrudgingly humming in approval.

When she swallowed, she said, "This isn't fiction, though, Care. This is real life and you know how horrible it is to fall for my older sister's boyfriend!"

Caroline winced. "It's not good but it's definitely not as bad as you think," she attempted to console Lucy. "And it's not like you're doing anything about your feelings. You're not making any moves."

"True," Lucy conceded, happy that she could at least say that. "But still, if Elena found out…"

"She won't," Caroline stated confidently. She wasn't going to spill the beans and according to Lucy, no one else knew about it. "You just have to get over him, right?"

"Right," Lucy nodded. She hesitated and grimaced at Caroline. "How do I do that?"

"Find a guy, date a guy, sleep with a guy," Caroline said firmly. "The last two can be ordered differently for certain circumstances."

"Caroline, I'm not gonna sleep with a guy I don't know," Lucy rolled her eyes and finished off his sandwich.

"Well, does Joel have any friends?"

"He has a few cute ones," Lucy admitted. "But I'm underage."

"Age of consent?"

"Caroline!"

"Fine, fine," Caroline gave up as Lucy jumped from her stool and started washing the bacon pan. "We'll figure something out, okay? For right now, though, I need your help with Matt and Tyler."

Lucy scrubbed at the pan with a soapy sponge and hummed. "Right, your dilemma. Matt and Tyler both kissed you within the same twenty-four hours."

"Yeah…"

Lucy rinsed the pan and turned to face Caroline with a serious expression. "Want to know what I think?"

"I asked you for help," Caroline reminded her.

"I think you love Matt," Lucy smiled slightly as Caroline nodded. "But I think Tyler's gotten under your skin."

Caroline deflated, ashamed.

"It's understandable, Care," Lucy assured her, walking around the island to wrap an arm around her waist. "You helped Tyler through a really rough time. You were there for him when no one else was. It's understandable that you feel some sort of affection for him….and he's easy on the eyes, too."

Caroline giggled and Lucy winked at her.

"I can't tell you what to do," Lucy continued. "But I know that you're stubborn and you go after what you want. So, who do you want?"

"Matt," Caroline answered without hesitation. "I love Matt."

"All right," Lucy nodded, satisfied that she could help out her best friend. "Now, come on. We gotta get dressed and get to the memorial."

Mystic Falls was hosting a memorial for the many people who were killed by Rose the day before. On the night of the full moon, Rose was bitten by a werewolf in defense of Damon. The legend stated that a werewolf bite was fatal to vampires and they were right; Rose quickly deteriorated. As she slowly died, she was hallucinating and viciously craving blood. She attacked at the charity barbeque and managed to kill a few people before Damon and Elena came to collect her. She died that night after Damon mercifully staked her.

Now, Mrs. Lockwood insisted on the town coming together to remember those who died the past few months. It wasn't a bad idea—the town needed to heal, especially after losing their mayor.

Lucy and Caroline quickly got dressed and left the house, ready to head to town. As Lucy stepped out onto the porch, she was shocked to see Tyler standing on the sidewalk in front of the house.

"Hey, Tyler," Lucy greeted him as Caroline locked the front door. "What's up?"

This situation was already awkward—especially after the talk she and Caroline just had—but what made it worse was weird look Tyler was giving Lucy and Caroline. It was actually sort of creepy and worrying—Tyler looked genuinely mad.

"Hey," Caroline said to Tyler, giggling nervously. "How's it going?"

Tyler just stared at her before saying, "We need to talk."

"Well," Lucy spoke up, giving Caroline a pointed look. "I'll be in the car, then."

She quickly walked past Tyler and opened the passenger door of Caroline's car, grateful that the blonde had unlocked it for her. After she sat in the car and closed the door, she tried not to eavesdrop on Caroline and Tyler's conversation but it was really hard.

She wasn't perfect and she was definitely nosy.

Unfortunately, she couldn't really hear their conversation at all. So, Lucy took to staring. She watched as Caroline spoke to Tyler for a minute or so before walking down the sidewalk. Apparently Tyler said something, because Caroline turned around to face him. Tyler slowly advanced on Caroline, his face contorting furiously.

Then, all of a sudden, Tyler grabbed Caroline by her blazer and forcefully shoved her against the car. Lucy jumped and then opened her door, furiously jumping out.

"Tyler let her go!" she demanded as Caroline apologized to Tyler over and over again.

"I'm sorry, Tyler, I'm sorry!"

Tyler's brown eyes flashed to gold as he snarled in Caroline's face. "I trusted you!"

"Tyler!" Lucy grabbed Tyler's arm and pulled him away from Caroline, grunting from the weight of his struggling form.

Lucy knew this had to be about Mason. Tyler must have found out that Damon killed Mason and now he was taking it out on Caroline. She understood his anger, but Caroline had nothing to do with Mason's death.

Tyler blinked harshly and the gold in his eyes disappeared. He glared once more at Caroline and turned around, not even acknowledging Lucy as he ran away.

Lucy reached for a shocked Caroline and pulled her into a soothing hug. Once she knew Caroline's shock was gone, she stated, "We should probably tell Stefan…"

Lucy and Caroline waited nervously in the foyer for Stefan to arrive. After Lucy texted him and he responded that he'd be there soon, she suggested to Caroline that she wait by the door for him. Caroline was a wreck; she felt so bad about lying to Tyler and she was also worried for the werewolf's safety. It wasn't a full moon so he was no match against Damon or Stefan if he wanted to avenge his uncle.

As soon as Caroline spotted Stefan on her porch, she ripped the door open for him.

"What's wrong?" Stefan worriedly asked the girls as he walked into the house. The tone of Lucy's text was urgent and he was afraid they were in trouble.

"Tyler knows about you and Damon," Caroline told him, her voice panicked. "He knows that Damon killed Mason. I didn't say a word."

Stefan cursed under his breath. This was bad; Tyler was an important person in the town of Mystic Falls, not to mention a new werewolf. If he wanted to retaliate against him and Damon on the night of the full moon, they'd be dead. At the same time, he was also worried about Tyler. If Damon found out that Tyler was pissed, the teenager would be toast. Damon didn't care if Tyler was friends with Stefan or Elena, he was a threat.

"It's that woman, Jules," Stefan muttered angrily. "She had a run in with Damon."

"Tyler was so upset," Caroline breathed. "The look on his face, he was so betrayed."

"This is bad," Lucy commented, exchanging a serious look with Stefan. Both of them knew what Damon was like—if he found out about Tyler—

Caroline turned to Stefan with wide eyes. "You're not gonna tell Damon, are you?"

"No," Stefan shook his head, already exasperated with this situation. "He already wants to kill him. He thinks all werewolves should die."

Lucy thought that was a bit extreme—it was practically genocide. Caroline let out a indignant splutter.

"He's not wrong to think that, Caroline," Stefan stated. "I mean, what if Tyler tries to retaliate? He has every right to."

"He could get himself killed."

"Exactly," Stefan pointed at Lucy in agreement.

"Well, we're not gonna let that happen," Caroline said firmly. Stefan pursed his lips as she continued, "Okay? We have to get to him and reason with him before he does something stupid."

Stefan looked at Lucy, wondering what she thought. Lucy recognized the question in his eyes and nodded, silently agreeing with Caroline. They couldn't let Tyler get himself killed.

"You have to talk to him," Caroline told Stefan. "Just try to explain, you know? You always know the right thing to say, okay? He and I…" she hesitated for a second and Lucy knew that Caroline had more feelings for Tyler than she let on. "…we're friends."

It was silent in the house as Stefan thought it over. Eventually he nodded, resigned. "Fine."

Lucy lazily dunked the fry in her hand into the ketchup on her plate, idly listening to Jenna complain to her and Alaric about John's presence in the house. Her annoying uncle had showed up at Stefan's request and spilled the beans to Jenna about him being Elena's biological father. Now Jenna was rightfully irritated and practically murdering her chicken caesar salad.

"I can't believe it," Jenna mumbled between stabs. "Elena is my sister's husband's brother's daughter and her mother is my boyfriend's deceased wife. Not to mention my boyfriend is my other niece's father…" she shook her head. "You can't make this stuff up."

Alaric gave her a sympathetic look. "It's definitely overwhelming."

"I can't believe that they kept it a secret," Jenna shook her head. "How is it even possible to keep a secret like that?"

Lucy hummed sympathetically but kept quiet, knowing that she and Alaric helped to keep that secret and many others. The fact that Isobel was still alive, the existence of vampires, werewolves, and witches, and the supernatural natures of Joel, Lucy, and Elena were huge things that were kept from Jenna. Lucy didn't want it to be that way, but she had been outvoted by Elena—and what Elena said goes.

Jenna groaned suddenly, her eyes on John as he walked into the Grill. Lucy grimaced as she looked and accidently caught John's eye—now he was going to want to sit with them.

Lucy was right; John walked straight to their table.

"Hey, you three," he greeted them casually. "You think I can join you?"

Jenna picked up her fork and forcefully stabbed a piece of lettuce. "Do you have to?"

"I guess I don't have to but I might as well," John said uncomfortably. He looked up, focusing on the doors. "Look who's here."

Lucy saw Elena and Damon walk into the restaurant and pursed her lips, popping another fry into her mouth. Damon and Elena stopped to talk for a minute or so before walking over to the table.

Lucy was pretty sure that their table wouldn't fit six people.

"John, buddy, how you been?" Damon drawled, faking his politeness.

"I've been all right, Damon," John said in an equally fake tone. "It's good to see you."

Lucy exchanged an annoyed look with Elena and rolled her eyes. It was going to be a long night.

Two hours later and Lucy still had yet to leave the Grill, hanging out with Elena and Damon instead. She hadn't spent much time with Elena lately, so she thought it was best to stick around, even if she had to endure the subtle flirting between the oldest Salvatore brother and her sister.

She and Elena were just talking about the latest episode of a show Elena watched—with Damon barely paying attention—when Jenna walked up to them with her friend, Andie Star at her side.

"So, my friend wants to meet you," Jenna told Damon with a small smile as he twisted around in his chair to face her. "Damon Salvatore, this is—"

"I know you," Damon cut Jenna off, looking at Andie as she gave him a flirty look. "The news lady."

"Yeah, Andie Star," Andie confirmed nicely. "Nice to meet you."

Lucy and Elena watched quietly as Damon gave her an awkward look. Lucy was shocked, normally Damon was quite the lady's man.

"Can I buy you a drink, Damon?" Andie asked, trying to move past the awkwardness.

Damon showed her his glass of bourbon. "My glass is full, Andie. Thank you."

With that, Damon turned back around, practically dismissing Andie. Lucy looked down at the table, feeling bad, and only looked back up when Andie and Jenna walked away.

Elena gaped at Damon. "You totally blew her off."

"I'm steering clear of all women at the moment."

"You didn't have to be rude," Elena persisted.

Lucy thought that the exchange was actually pretty polite for Damon's standards. She considered him to be a pretty rude person most of the time—especially to people he didn't know—but he was okay with Andie.

"Trust me, it's in the best interest of women everywhere," Damon pressed his lips together.

Elena raised her eyebrows at him but Lucy was distracted by her phone ringing. When she saw that it was Stefan, she immediately answered. He was supposed to be with Tyler all day, so hopefully he had some good news.

"Hey, Stefan," she answered her phone, catching the attention of Elena and Damon. "How's it going?"

"_Lucy, Jules has Caroline."_

Lucy froze, not expecting those words to come out of his mouth. "Excuse me?"

"_Jules has Caroline and she's gonna kill her if we don't bring Tyler to the woods outside of Wickery Highway,"_ Stefan repeated himself, already on the way to the meeting place with Tyler. _"I need you to tell Damon to meet me there right now_."

"Yeah, okay," Lucy managed to say, though her mind was going a hundred a minute. "We'll be there."

She hung up before Stefan could argue with her, but she wasn't budging on this. Caroline was hurt and Lucy was going to do anything to get her to safety.

She grimly turned to Damon. "Jules has Caroline."

For some reason, their conversation shook Damon enough for him to bring her and Elena to the hallway just off the bathrooms. Once Damon was sure that no one was around to listen to them, Lucy explained the whole situation to Damon.

Damon and Elena were not pleased to be left out.

"Why am I just finding out about this now?" Damon asked, irritated.

"We were worried that you'd kill Tyler," Lucy said unapologetically.

"Of course I would," Damon said, ignoring Elena's look of disapproval. "That's what needs to happen."

"No, Damon, not Tyler," Elena spoke up. "Do whatever you need to do to get Caroline back but just leave Tyler out of it, okay?"

"Why?" Damon snapped. "He's a werewolf, he needs to die. I'm willing to kill him, it's win-win."

"Damon, please," Elena gently grabbed Damon's arm and looked at him with wide, pleading eyes. "Too many people are dead."

"You need to stop doing that," Damon narrowed his eyes at her.

Lucy sighed; did they really need this much drama? Caroline was going to be killed in fifteen minutes if Stefan didn't hand over Tyler.

Elena glanced down at her hand on Damon's arm and then right back to his face. She slowly pulled her hand off of him and asked, "Doing what?"

"Assuming that I'll play the good guy because it's you who's asking."

Elena sighed heavily. "Be the better man, Damon."

Lucy cleared her throat before a staring competition could start between Damon and Elena. "Yeah, we kind of need to go."

Damon nodded at Lucy as John walked into the hallway. The vampire gave him an annoyed look.

"Do you mind?"

"What's going on?" John asked, looking at Elena.

"Nothing."

"It doesn't look like nothing," John retorted to Elena's sharp response.

"Well, guess what, John, trust works both ways," Damon replied. "Go away."

"We don't have time for this!" Lucy exclaimed, extremely irritated. Did these people not get the urgency of the situation? "We need to get Caroline back."

"Lucy's right," Elena agreed. "Let's go."

"You're not going," Damon told her firmly. "I'll take Twitch and we'll take care of it," he turned to John. "First dad duty: ground your daughter. Keep her here."

As Damon ushered Lucy out of the hallway, they could hear Elena's protests to John. Lucy felt bad for her sister, but what exactly was Elena going to do? Get herself in trouble?

They already had one person they needed to save, they didn't need another.

The woods were always creepy at night time but it was horrifying that night. Normally, there weren't werewolves lurking about and the threat of Caroline's death looming over Lucy's head. The only saving grace was Damon, surprisingly. Once he had used his vampire speed to run them over to the woods off Wickery Highway, he tried to console her.

Emphasis on tried. He actually worried Lucy more than reassured her by saying that if anything, Caroline was more than likely dead already. This did not help Lucy whatsoever.

Over than that, Damon actually made sure that Lucy didn't trip over any fallen branches or roots.

"We're getting closer," Damon whispered about a mile into the woods. "I can hear Stefan."

A little up ahead, Stefan tightly held on to the back of Tyler's jacket as they approached the little trailer that smelt heavily of wet dog. The woman who bit Rose, Jules, was standing outside of it, her cell phone in her hand.

She looked up when she sensed Stefan and Tyler. "I know you're out there."

Stefan rolled his eyes and brought Tyler with him as he walked into view.

"Where's Caroline?" he asked her, hostility easily heard in his voice.

"Locked up tight."

Stefan nodded and though he really wanted to tear the heart right out of Jules' chest, he was going to try to be diplomatic. Usually he didn't have to try so hard, but she was hurting Caroline and he didn't like people hurting his friends. "Let her go and I'll release Tyler. It doesn't have to get any messier than it already has," he doubted that Damon was just going to let her live but he decided not to give that away. "I'm not your enemy, Jules."

Jules scoffed. "It's a little late to be waving a white flag, don't you think?"

"You need to leave town," Stefan ordered, fed up with her already. "No one else has to get hurt."

"I'm not leaving without Tyler," Jules insisted.

"Tyler is free to make his own decisions," Stefan said casually before darkening his tone. "As soon as you release Caroline."

The sound of dead leaves crunching ushered in Lucy and Damon. Lucy was ready to go, having siphoned most of the magic she had in her locket. She knew that this was going to lead to a fight, especially since Damon was involved. Where he went, usually dead bodies followed.

"My brother, the peacemaker," Damon drawled, catching Jules' attention. "Since Stefan got here before us, I'm gonna let him try it his way before I resort to my way, which is a little bloodier."

Lucy narrowed her eyes at Jules. "Give us Caroline."

"Let go of Tyler."

"Give us Caroline," Damon rolled his eyes. "Without a full moon, it's not an even fight and you know it."

Lucy and Stefan smirked at the same time, knowing that if it was just a fight against Jules, the three of them would win.

"We'll take you," Damon finished.

Jules simply blinked at him, not impressed or threatened in any way. "I'm not so sure about that, tough guy."

Jules put her fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly. Lucy, Stefan, and Damon looked around, seeing about six more werewolves appear with various weapons. One guy even had a flamethrower which scared the shit out of Lucy.

Okay, so maybe they wouldn't win…

"Let's try this again," Jules said smugly. "Give us Tyler."

Lucy bit her lip as Damon nodded at Tyler. "You heard her. Go, get over there."

Stefan promptly let go of Tyler's jacket and Tyler scurried over to Jules. Lucy just hoped that he would get inside the trailer and let Caroline out.

"Which one of you killed Mason?" one of the wolves asked.

"Uh, that'd be me," Damon called flippantly.

The wolf pointed at Damon. "Boys, make sure that one suffers."

Damon chuckled and looked around at the werewolves before giving Stefan and Lucy a confident look. "We can take them."

"I don't know about that," Stefan said at the same time as Lucy scoffed, "Are you kidding?"

"Well, then…"

Damon sped away, running straight toward Jules. Jules hopped out of the way, jumping onto the RV while one of the wolves dealt with him. While Damon was distracted with Jules and company, Stefan and Lucy were being herded together by two werewolves with flamethrowers.

Stefan blurred away from Lucy and took a hold of one of the men, wrapping his arms around the guy's chest to have full control of his movement. Lucy ducked out of the way as Stefan fought back the other wolves with the man and his flamethrower.

Lucy's main goal was to get into the trailer and let Caroline out. She figured that if Tyler had done so, Caroline would be out by now, so she'd have to do it herself. However, as she was running toward the RV, she was blocked by two werewolves. Lucy stopped in her tracks and narrowed her eyes at them, concentrating enough to give them an aneurysm at the same time.

The two men cried out in pain and held the sides of their heads as they dropped to their knees. Lucy kept going, incapacitating them so Damon would run by and snap their necks. Once the men were dead, she started walking to the trailer again.

When she was a few feet away from the trailer, someone tightly grabbed her arm. She wasted no time in grabbing their hand and siphoning from them, her hand glowing red with the magic seeping out of them. The werewolf grunted—Lucy flicked her hand and the man flew through the air, landing on the ground in front of Stefan. Stefan snapped the werewolf's neck and kept on fighting.

Luckily, Lucy was able to get into the trailer without any distractions this time. She immediately saw that Tyler was hesitating in front of Caroline who was trapped in a cage and covered in blood.

"Tyler, please!" Caroline begged Tyler as Lucy pushed past him.

"Move out of the way," she snapped at him, furious. She couldn't believe that Tyler would just stand by and keep Caroline in a cage. She had been understanding and now she was just mad.

"Lucy!" Caroline exclaimed in relief when she saw her best friend. "There's a latch. There's a latch right there."

"I got it," Lucy assured her, kneeling down so she could reach the latch easier. She easily undid the latch but the steel bars surrounding Caroline were heavier than she expected.

Lucy grunted as she tried to pull open the gate but it wouldn't budge. She desperately tried again and Caroline joined in, using the last of her strength to try to free herself. Finally coming to his senses, Tyler rushed forward and grabbed the gate, heaving it up long enough for Caroline to escape.

Caroline scrambled out of the cage just as loud gun shots went off right outside. Lucy made sure that Caroline was all right before rushing out of the trailer, hoping that those weren't wooden bullets to the heart.

As soon as she stepped onto the ground, she was pushed up against the side of the trailer, hot metal pressed against the back of her neck.

Lucy grunted, not knowing who was holding her against the trailer or what was pressed against her. She was facing the trailer door, however, and saw the horror on Caroline's face when she saw the situation Lucy was in.

This wasn't good.

Stefan, recovering from a stake to the back, stumbled to his feet. He saw Lucy pressed against the trailer and saw red. He thought Caroline being threatened made him angry, but it didn't compare to this. No one was going to hurt Lucy ever again. Not when he was around.

He hadn't even taken one step toward his best friend when Jules growled at him.

"Take another step and I'll kill her," she threatened.

Stefan froze, his heart breaking as he heard Lucy whimper in fright. Her heart was beating so fast he was surprised she wasn't having a panic attack.

And then, seemingly out of nowhere, Jules dropped the gun pointed at Lucy's head. She screamed in pain and fell to the ground along with the other werewolf that was standing over Damon with a stake.

Caroline looked around, confused, as Stefan ran over to Lucy. "What's happening?"

"What the hell is going on?" Tyler breathed, watching his fellow werewolves writhing in pain on the ground.

Secure in Stefan's arms, Lucy looked around, knowing that it wasn't her casting an aneurysm on the wolves. She wasn't surprised when she saw Jonas—Luka's dad—walking toward them, his palms held out in front of him as he chanted.

When the werewolves fell unconscious, Jonas stopped chanting and looked at Lucy and Stefan. "Elijah made a promise to you. I'm here to see it's upheld. You need to go."

Damon slowly got to his feet, ripping the wooden bullets out of his torso and walked over to Stefan, Lucy, and Caroline. The four of them hesitated in front of Jonas, but the older witch wasn't having that.

"Get out of here, now," he demanded.

They didn't need to be told again; Lucy let Stefan lead her and Caroline away from the campsite, Damon following them.

Blood was something that Lucy had washed off her hands before but when it was someone else's blood it was different. Somehow she had gotten Caroline's blood on her and it was effecting her more than she thought it would.

She couldn't imagine if Caroline had actually been killed tonight, how there might have been more blood covering her. It made her stomach twist violently. She loved Caroline like a sister and it infuriated Lucy that these werewolves just waltzed into their town and hurt her.

Those wolves had tortured Caroline. Caroline had only been able to tell Lucy and Stefan a little bit about what Jules' boyfriend did to her before she fell silent, unable to say anything else. It broke Lucy's heart to see Caroline so withdrawn and hurt.

Lucy wanted to comfort Caroline so badly, but she didn't know what to say. She had to admit it made her a little jealous to see Stefan console Caroline so easily. How come she wasn't able to comfort her best friend after she was tortured? She felt like a horrible friend.

A little part of her knew that it was better that Stefan was the one to comfort Caroline, though. Lucy wasn't a vampire—she didn't know what they went through and Stefan did. Also, Stefan had an amazing talent of calming a person down; he'd done it to her many, many times.

Even with her reasoning, she still felt bad that she wasn't there with Caroline.

"Your skin is going to be raw."

Lucy jumped, startled at Stefan's presence. She ripped her red hands away from the boiling hot water and hurriedly turned off the faucet.

Stefan was concerned for her. Lucy had really impressed him tonight with the way she fought and held her own but she was still held at gunpoint. It had to be scary for her.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," Lucy said casually, drying her hands with a towel. "Um, I was washing my hands."

"I saw that," Stefan studied her face, noticing that she was a little pale. "Are you feeling all right?"

"Yes," Lucy pushed past him and into her room. "I'm just worried about Caroline."

Stefan sighed. "Me too," he admitted. "She went through a lot today."

"Exactly," Lucy pointed at him. "And I don't want her to be alone, you know?"

Stefan nodded as Lucy paused, her face turning thoughtful. He watched as she smiled knowingly and marched over to her dresser, pulling out a set of pajamas. Lucy turned back to him with a grin.

"Will you help me with something?"

Stefan couldn't help but smile back at her. "Of course."

Not even an hour later, Stefan and Lucy were on Caroline's porch, Elena and Bonnie waiting behind them. Lucy had called Bonnie and told her about Caroline and it was Stefan who got Elena on board so that the four girls could have a sleepover at Caroline's house.

Lucy and Stefan knew that Caroline could probably use the company.

Lucy gripped her basket of sundae toppings and ice cream closer to her chest and waved Stefan over to Caroline's front door. As he knocked, she, Bonnie, and Elena hid to surprise their blonde friend.

Lucy watched quietly as Caroline, clad in a black dressing gown and wet hair, answered the door.

After she and Stefan greeted each other, Caroline asked, "What's going on?"

"Uh, I was a little worried about you after everything you went through tonight," Stefan told her honestly. He knew what it was like to be tortured a little and it wasn't fun. It seriously messed with you. And Caroline was young, it would be worse for her.

"I'm fine, Stefan," Caroline insisted tiredly.

"Good," Stefan gave her a small smile. "But just in case, I brought some back up."

Lucy popped out of her hiding place—Elena and Bonnie following her lead—and walked into the house, her eyes stinging as Caroline smiled in relief. She passed Stefan the sundae basket and pulled Caroline into a tight hug.

"We're gonna slumber it," Elena told Caroline as she joined in on her and Lucy's hug.

"We haven't done it in ages," Bonnie added, wrapping her arms around her friends.

Caroline laughed tearfully and squeezed her friends, thankful that Stefan brought them by. She had thought she would be all right, but having Lucy, Elena, and Bonnie by her side made her feel so much better.

Lucy squeezed Caroline back, finding comfort in the fact that Caroline was safe and sound in her arms. She looked back at Stefan—looking ridiculous with the large basket of ice cream and toppings in his hands—and smiled in gratitude.

Stefan nodded back with a warm smile, happy that everyone was safe and sound.


	32. Elijah's Intentions

**[2x14; Crying Wolf]**

"Up, like that," Alaric critiqued as Lucy rearranged her hand into a fist and aimed it toward his open palm. "Make sure your thumb is outside your fist. Okay, go again."

Lucy wheezed heavily and forced another punch to Alaric's hand, doing it the same way that he had taught her. Along with the punching lessons, Alaric forced her to run a mile at his side. Now she felt like she was going to die and she was possibly regretting the fact that she asked Alaric for help.

But she had to know how to defend herself. She couldn't just rely on magic all the time—magic that she didn't really have…

"Okay, let's take a break," Alaric suggested, noticing how red and sweaty her face was; Lucy slumped in relief and braced herself, resting her hands on her knees. "Not bad, Luce."

Lucy scoffed, disappointed in herself. Ever since the cheerleading squad was put on hold after Mr. Tanner died, she hadn't been exercising like she should have been. She was desperately out of shape for a cheerleader.

"I'm out of shape," she shook her head. "I used to be able to run a mile easily. Look at me now."

"Don't be hard on yourself. No one's perfect," Alaric patted her shoulder and handed her a bottle of water. "A little more work and you'll be back in shape."

"Hopefully."

"To be honest, I'm glad you came to me," Alaric admitted somewhat sheepishly. "Damon told me about what happened last night. I don't want to overstep, but…I want you to be more careful. I worry about you."

Lucy smiled at Alaric, unable to describe the way she was feeling. Ever since she found out that Alaric was her birth father, she had been worried that he was going to try to take her dad's place but that hadn't been the case. Alaric had always been respectful to the roles that Grayson and Miranda had in her life and Lucy really appreciated it.

Lucy was glad that Alaric was in her life because she knew how much he loved her, even if they had only known each other for a few months. He was beginning to be a parent to her just as much as Grayson, Miranda, and even Jenna.

"You're not overstepping. I appreciate you looking out for me," Lucy assured him as he returned her smile. "And I want to be more careful, too. That's why I want to learn to protect myself. I can't rely on magic I don't even have. I don't want to be the damsel in distress."

Alaric nodded, impressed. There weren't many people in her position who would ask for help and take charge of their own safety. It was important to both of them that Lucy could protect herself, so he would teach her.

"Then we won't stop practicing until you can throw a mean right hook," Alaric declared, laying an encouraging hand on Lucy's shoulder. "I used to get into bar fights in college, I know a little something about brawling."

Lucy rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Oh, my God, Ric!"

Lucy adjusted her blazer as she walked into the Grill, looking around for the table that Bonnie and Caroline got for them. Luckily, she spotted them quickly and grinned when she saw that they had already ordered her a cheeseburger and fries.

Truth be told, she was starving after her session with Alaric and she didn't want to eat the nasty finger sandwiches that one of the Fell women made for the Historical Society tea party that she was supposed to be at in half an hour. She loved the Historical Society, it was her mom's baby, but she didn't like tea unless it was ice-cold and loaded with sugar and just the thought of cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off made her feel nauseous.

Not enough to sway her from eating her cheeseburger, though…

"Hey!" Lucy greeted her friends with a bright smile, sitting down in the seat next to Bonnie. "Thanks for ordering for me."

"No problem," Bonnie hesitantly smiled at Lucy as she pushed the plate of food toward her. "So, Caroline and I were talking and…"

Bonnie paused and gave Caroline a nervous look. Caroline nodded, encouraging Bonnie to continue. Lucy, even though she was busy devouring her food, caught the exchange.

Her friends were up to something and since Elena had gone to their lake house with Stefan, now was probably the best time for Bonnie and Caroline to do whatever they were planning. Lucy didn't know exactly what the plan was, though, and that worried her.

"Tell me what your plan is," she demanded, shocking Bonnie and Caroline.

"What?"

"You have some big witchy plan, right?" Lucy raised her eyebrows as she looked between them. When they nodded in unison, she said, "So, tell me."

"Okay, so we still don't know the extent of what Elijah's up to," Bonnie stated.

"Elijah's going to use Elena and I to lure Klaus out of hiding so he can kill him," Lucy reminded them. "I told you that already."

"Yeah, but has he said anything about _why_ he's going to kill Klaus?" Caroline asked.

"Well, no—"

"And has he said anything about _how_ he's actually going to kill Klaus?"

Lucy pursed her lips, disliking the fact that she didn't know the answers to those questions. She was a nosy person and she didn't even think to ask Elijah about his motive and means for killing Klaus. She was so distracted about Stefan being stuck in the tomb and her memories of her previous life with Elijah that she threw all common sense out the window.

She had to get her priorities straight.

"Fine," she sighed. "We don't know everything that Elijah's up to."

"Exactly," Bonnie and Caroline exchanged a satisfied look before Bonnie continued, "So, I'm gonna ask Luka to tell me what he knows."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows. "But—"

"And since Luka probably won't tell Bonnie anything," Caroline said, practically reading Lucy's mind. "she's not going to ask."

Lucy raised her eyebrows at Bonnie, impressed. "Bonnie!"

The three of them fell into silly giggles, eventually stopping when Caroline's eyes darted behind Lucy and her smile fell into a frown.

"What?" Bonnie asked Caroline as she and Lucy turned around to see what ruined Caroline's mood.

Lucy saw Matt in his uniform, giving Caroline an equally angsty look. He turned away when he caught them staring and walked into the back of the restaurant.

"What was that about?" Lucy turned back to face Caroline.

Caroline bit her lip. "I don't know. I thought that we were…" she shrugged helplessly. "I don't know."

"Do you want me to talk to him?" Lucy asked her best friend, feeling sympathetic. "I can see what's going on."

"I appreciate it, but no," Caroline shook her head with a sad smile. "I'm going to talk to him. I'll be right back," she stood up and then faltered for a second, looking at Lucy. "Have fun at the tea."

"I'll try," Lucy promised. "Good luck."

As Caroline walked away from the table, Bonnie sighed. "I hope they'll be okay."

"Me too," Lucy agreed with a frown, watching as Caroline hesitantly approached Matt. "I mean, how is supposed to tell him she was tortured by a vengeful werewolf all night?"

"You don't."

"I wish we had normal lives."

"Me too," Bonnie nodded, turning her attention to Lucy. "So, what's this tea party for, anyway?"

"It's a fundraiser and a chance for Mrs. Lockwood to show off for Elijah," Lucy explained with a sigh. "He's sticking with his historical author persona and Mrs. Lockwood is eating it up."

"If you run into him, don't—"

"Of course I won't," Lucy interrupted Bonnie, knowing that she was asking Lucy to play it cool and not let Elijah know what they were up to. "Just let me know what you find out, okay?"

"I will."

Classical music wasn't Lucy's favorite genre but she had to admit it fit the tone of the event. The Founder's Hall was decorated nicely and everyone—mostly the ladies of Mystic Falls and the Founder's Council—were dressed casually yet elegantly. There were those cucumber sandwiches that Lucy wouldn't touch but the cookies and little cakes made up for it.

In all honesty, Lucy was sad to be at the party without her mom. When Miranda Gilbert wasn't planning town events or having meetings with the town council, she spent most of her time working on the Historical Society. It meant everything to Lucy's mom so it was very important that Lucy stepped up to honor her.

She cleared her throat, her eyes stinging slightly, and reached for a tea cake.

"Good afternoon, Luciana."

Lucy swiftly turned around, coming face-to-face with Elijah. She knew that she would probably run into him at the party but she hadn't expected him so soon. It threw her off her game a little.

"Lucy," she reminded him politely.

She didn't necessarily like being called Luciana but she understood that Elijah knew her by that name and had probably been calling her that for a thousand years. Old habits were hard to break.

"My apologies," Elijah said sincerely. "It's hard to remember that your name is something different."

"It's fine," she gave him a closed-lip smile. "I know it must be hard to separate me from Luciana…"

Lucy paused for a second, conflicted. She knew that Elijah probably had some ulterior motives for making a deal with her and Elena but she needed to know more about her previous life. She had a strong feeling that Elijah could clear up some of her questions.

She saw Elijah waiting patiently for her to continue speaking. "Um, do you think that you could tell me more about…uh…"

"I'd be more than happy to," Elijah said. "However, it would be better if we took our conversation to another room."

"Of course," Lucy agreed.

As Elijah led her to one of the offices just off the main party room, she saw Alaric giving her a worried look over his cup of tea. She gave him a slight nod, silently reassuring him that she'd be okay with Elijah.

"So, what would you like to know?" Elijah asked Lucy as soon as she shut the French doors behind her, separating them from the party.

"My main question is why I've been reincarnated," Lucy crossed her arms over her chest. "Katherine said I was needed to break the curse."

"She is correct," Elijah nodded, his face hardening at the mention of Katherine. "This may be hard for you to hear, Luciana—I'm sorry, Lucy," he grimaced at his mistake and Lucy just waved him off. "but the reason you are needed to break the curse is because you're the reason it exists."

Lucy gaped at him, bewildered. How on earth was she the reason that a curse was put on the whole of the vampire and werewolf species? She tried to think clearly but if she was the origin of the Sun and the Moon curse, did that mean she was responsible for putting Katherine and Elena in danger?

Elijah saw the conflict and confusion on her face and stared to explain, "First, you must understand that werewolves and witches were on this Earth far longer than vampires. Compared to them, we're a relatively new species."

Lucy nodded, intrigued. She hadn't known that and it was surprising; vampires generally acted like they were much better than witches and werewolves—the ones she had met, anyway.

"Over a thousand years ago, you and I lived with the rest of our siblings. There were seven of us in total," Elijah continued. "We lived among werewolves; they were our neighbors and we all lived peacefully. One full moon, one of our brothers took your twin brother, Henrik, out to peek at the werewolves. Unfortunately, Henrik was attacked and did not make it."

Lucy frowned, remembering one of the memories she had of Henrik. She hadn't realized that they were twins, but it should have been obvious. Despite being different genders, she and Henrik looked very much alike and had similar temperaments. The memory was sweet; she and Henrik had been young and were playing together in a field of flowers under the watch of a blonde woman she assumed was their mother.

"Our family was distraught, but our misfortune was not yet over. You see, our mother was a witch—one of the strongest I've seen in a thousand years—and she wanted to make our family indestructible. With that, the first vampires were born."

"So, our mother created vampires?" Lucy cocked her head.

"Correct, we all changed except you and our mother," Elijah confirmed. "The next full moon, when the werewolves were changed, you and our brother, Niklaus, were out. You were attacked and killed, much like Henrik," his jaw clenched and Lucy could tell that it was hard for him to remember such a moment. "Mother was devastated and furious with Niklaus for taking you out at night. She sought to get revenge against werewolves _and_ vampires."

"She used what was left of your blood and the Petrova doppelganger's blood to cast the Sun and the Moon curse. She used a moonstone to lock it in place and split it," he pointed at the locket around Lucy's neck and she gasped in shock. "After the curse was finished, Mother cast a spell to make sure you'd be reincarnated into the Petrova line so that each time a doppelganger was born, you'd soon follow."

"So your first death was the reason for the Sun and the Moon curse?" Caroline asked Lucy as they wandered around her house, gathering candles for Bonnie. Lucy nodded with a frown. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know," Lucy answered honestly, grabbing the two candles sitting on Liz's piano. "How am I supposed to deal with the fact that I'm pretty much the reason that Katherine is a vampire and Elena's being hunted by some psychotic vampire?"

"Okay, you are definitely not the reason Elena's being stalked by Klaus," Caroline gave Lucy a firm you're-being-ridiculous look. "And don't you dare blame yourself for Katherine. She chose to turn into a vampire, not you."

"I know you're right," Lucy conceded. "It just feels like I'm somewhat responsible."

"Well, you're not. And I get that you feel guilty and that's okay because you're stupidly compassionate sometimes, but Luciana died hundreds of years ago," Caroline smiled comfortingly at her best friend. "and you may be her reincarnation but you're not her."

Lucy wanted to agree but she couldn't. She _was_ Luciana that was what her friends and family didn't understand. They knew she had the same name, face, personality, and birthdate and they also knew she was having memories of her previous lives but they didn't know everything Lucy was going through.

There were moments when she sometimes didn't know what year she was in. When she was driving over to Caroline's house only moments earlier, she was shocked at how there were vehicles instead of horses and the modern clothing she wore. It was like she was back in the body of Lucia and she had to pull over to the side of the road to pull herself together. Sometimes, her memories were mixed up and she couldn't determine whether it was Luciana's, Lucia's, or her own.

Lucy was Lucia and Luciana and they were her. If someone asked Luciana a question, she would answer it the same way Lucy would now. They weren't separate people or personalities; they were all one.

"Come on," she sighed. "Let's get these candles to Bonnie."

While Lucy had been at the tea party, asking Elijah questions, Bonnie had drugged Luka with some kind of herb. Caroline, Bonnie, and Jeremy dragged him back to Caroline's house where Bonnie was going to perform a spell to get into his head and ask questions about Elijah and his intentions.

"Okay," Caroline said as she and Lucy walked into the living room where Bonnie and Jeremy waited with an unconscious Luka. "we only have an hour or two before my mom gets home."

"And these are all we could find," Lucy added, holding up the candles.

Jeremy took some of the candles from Lucy while Bonnie said, "Place these evenly around the room."

Lucy, Caroline, and Jeremy got to work, doing as Bonnie said. Once the ten candles were carefully placed, they turned back to Bonnie.

"How does this work?" Jeremy asked.

"I'll put him in a trance and ask him questions," Bonnie told them with a shrug. "It's like hypnosis."

Jeremy gave her a worried look. "Are you sure you're strong enough for this?"

"That's what the candles are for. I'll draw power from the flames."

"I'll get the matches," Caroline volunteered, the matches having slipped her mind.

"I got it," Bonnie closed her eyes and concentrated; Lucy and the others smiled when all the candles were lit, their flames flickering and casting shadows around the room.

Jeremy chuckled fondly. "I'm never gonna get used to that."

"Oh, come on," Caroline smirked suggestively at him. "That's pretty hot and you know it."

Jeremy raised his eyebrows cheekily and grinned, looking down at Bonnie. Lucy looked between her little brother and one of her best friends, seeing how bright Jeremy was when he looked at Bonnie. It was like she was his whole world.

It confused her—when had he and Bonnie become so close—but she didn't hate the idea of Jeremy and Bonnie. Bonnie was a great girl and Lucy loved her; she'd be good for Jeremy and Jeremy would be good for her.

Bonnie smiled awkwardly and asked Jeremy to get her a bowl of water. Jeremy nodded and left for the kitchen. As soon as he was out of hearing range, Bonnie gave Caroline a pointed look.

"Okay, what was that?" she asked. "_It's hot?"_

"He is so crushing on you," Caroline explained herself as she and Lucy took a seat on either side of Bonnie.

"So…?"

"So, what, you'd rather be with traitor warlock over here?" Caroline gestured to Luka.

"I'm not into Luka," Bonnie said firmly. "It's just, you know, he understood me and he was new and different."

"And you've known Jeremy since forever and you only see him as mine and Elena's brother," Lucy spoke up and watched with amusement as Bonnie gave her a nervous look. "It's all right, Bon, I'm cool with it. I can see he really likes you."

"Besides," Caroline added. "You're a witch, Lucy's a siphon, and I'm a vampire. You know, it's not like we're in any position—"

"To be picky?"

Caroline shook her head chuckled. "No, to judge."

Lucy nodded in agreement while Bonnie smiled, considering Caroline's words. Jeremy took the opportunity to walk into the room with the bowl of water, setting it down in front of Bonnie.

"Looks like he's waking up," Jeremy nodded at Luka, who was slowly opening his eyes.

Bonnie glanced at Luka and dipped her hands into the water before placing them against his head. Luka winced and when the candles flared around the room, he began to breathe heavily, as if in pain.

Bonnie cast the spell, whispering under her breath as she fought to get into Luka's mind. The flames of the candles were still high and bright and the candles themselves were burning down the longer Bonnie fought with Luka. Lucy, Caroline, and Jeremy watched on worriedly, not making any sound so they wouldn't disturb Bonnie.

Caroline glanced at the clock on the wall, seeing that nearly an hour had passed. "How long is this gonna take?" she asked Bonnie.

"I don't know," Bonnie answered, her voice calm and collected. "He's fighting me."

Luka jerked around in Bonnie's hold, his pleads panicked, "Please stop. Please."

Bonnie exhaled and Luka slumped, his eyes slowly closing.

"All right, there," Bonnie opened her eyes and looked down at Luka. "Why are you working with Elijah?"

"Klaus," Luka told her. "We both want him dead."

Lucy, Caroline, and Bonnie exchanged confused looks.

"You want to kill Klaus, too. Why?"

"Because he has her and we have to get her away from him."

"Who are you talking about?"

"My sister."

"Sister?" Jeremy spoke up, cocking his head.

"Why does he have her?" Bonnie asked Luka.

"He's searching for a way to undo the curse without the doppelganger," Luka answered. "He's forced generations of witches to help him for centuries."

"What has Elijah promised you?"

"If we help Elijah kill Klaus, he's promised to return her to us."

"And how do you kill Klaus?" Bonnie prompted. "How do you kill an original vampire?"

Luka winced and blinked heavily, trying to fight against the trance Bonnie put him under. "He'll kill me if I tell you," he protested. "Don't make me."

"It's okay, Bonnie," Lucy gave Luka a sad look, realizing that he was in as much trouble as the rest of them. He just wanted to help his sister; wasn't that what they were trying to do? "We can find another way."

"No," Bonnie said firmly before speaking to Luka, who was back in his trance, "How will you kill Klaus?"

Luka had no choice but to answer. "After the sacrifice, Klaus will be vulnerable, weak. It's our only chance."

Lucy stiffened and shared a panicked look with Jeremy. If they could only kill Klaus after the sacrifice, that meant that Elena had to die.

"After the sacrifice?" Caroline spoke up, making sure she heard him correctly.

"What do you mean, after?" Bonnie tagged on.

"Klaus will be vulnerable," Luka repeated himself.

"But Elena will be dead."

"Yes," Luka confirmed. "Elena has to die."

Lucy clenched her eyes shut and grabbed Jeremy's hand, squeezing it tightly.

She hadn't known when she made that deal with Elijah that he wasn't going to protect Elena. If she had known, if she had known that Elijah was going to let Elena be sacrificed, she wouldn't have made the deal.

But know that they knew Elijah's intentions, they had to stop him. There was no way that Lucy or anyone else was going to let Elena die. They couldn't lose her.

They just couldn't.


	33. Isobel Returns

_**Mystic Falls, Around 1000 A.D.**_

_Tears coursed down Luciana's already damp cheeks as she cradled her head in her hands. Next to her, her twin brother was passed out from exhaustion, his red face pressed against his arms as he laid on his stomach to ease the ache of the beating he took from their father, Mikael. Luciana couldn't yet fall asleep—though she envied Henrik's small state of oblivion—as she thought of the events that transpired only moments before. _

_It was a mistake, an accident, but Mikael did not believe his youngest children. He had taken one look at their mother, saw the shock and pain on her face, and had exploded, using his rage that he normally saved for Niklaus. He had beat them, Henrik taking the blunt of his aggressions to protect Lucy, and neither of them were in good shape. _

_But it was an accident. Luciana and Henrik had no intention of hurting their mother. They had no idea what was happening as their skin turned red as they hugged their mother and they felt power rush through their veins. They had no idea what was happening when Esther shouted in pain and pushed away her twins, looking at them in shock. _

_Luciana was confused and injured and sad that none of her siblings were able to visit them while they were in trouble. Only Esther remained in their little hut, bustling around the table with a bowl full of the usual herbs she did her magic with. _

_She didn't even notice when Esther finished her work and walked over to her, crouching down so she could look Luciana in the eye. _

"_Luciana, darling," she said quietly, reaching forward to brush the tears off of Luciana's face. "Drink this. It will help with your pain."_

_Luciana didn't question her mother, knowing that Esther was a powerful witch and knew many things. It was not uncommon that her mother would ply her children with pastes, drinks, and herbs that could cure any of their illnesses or injuries. She took the cup and drank the herb and water mixture, grimacing from the familiar, yet gross, taste. _

_Esther took her discarded cup and set it on the floor before sitting down. She maneuvered Luciana so her head was in her lap and started taking down her braid for the night. She hummed a tune as she worked, relaxing Luciana with their familiar routine. _

"_Mother," Luciana spoke up, her voice slurred from exhaustion. "Why did that happen? What did Henrik and I do to you?"_

"_It was an accident, darling," Esther said soothingly. "Do you know how Ayana and I are witches?"_

"_Yes."_

"_And how Kol has tapped into his magic?"_

"_Yes," Luciana replied patiently, remembering when her older brother started his lessons with Esther and Ayana. _

"_Sometimes, magic is passed on," Esther explained. "My magic was passed onto you and the rest of your siblings, whether they use it or not. However, there are instances when those with magical blood cannot use magic of their own and they have to take it from others."_

_Luciana furrowed her eyebrows, though her mother could not see. "They take magic?"_

"_Yes, my darling," Esther brushed her fingers through Lucy's brown curls. "You and Henrik are that kind of witches. We call them siphoners. When they are unable to control themselves, they siphon magic without meaning to. I believe that is what happened with you and Henrik today."_

_Luciana frowned and buried her head into Esther's skirt. When she spoke, her words were muffled, "I hurt you."_

"_I am fine and there was no harm done," Esther assured her. "I will start training you and your brother as soon as I talk with your father."_

"_And I'll learn to control it?"_

"_Yes, darling. You'll control it."_

_**Bulgaria, 1485**_

"_Bisera, grab the place settings," Ana Petrova ordered her daughters' nanny as she rounded the large table where their family dined in the mornings and evenings. "Hurry, hurry."_

_Lucia Petrova watched anxiously as Bisera hurried around the room, grabbing five plates, cups, and bowls, all made from the finest pottery. Her nanny balanced them cautiously and placed them on the table in front of Ana. _

_Ana simply nodded at Bisera and turned to her daughters. Katerina and Lucia were eleven and nine, respectively, and Ana wished that she didn't have to subject them to the same situation that she was in with their father, but she had little to no choice. Her husband, Andon, was growing impatient with the lack of progress Katerina was taking with her studies and demanded that his wife teach Lucia as well. Ana had no choice but to teach her daughters their place in their future households—a silent woman with nothing to do other than obey her husband. _

_Oh, how she wished that things were not this way. _

"_Katerina, Lucia, a few years from now, you will likely be married," she told them, watching as Lucia's face scrunched in disgust and Katerina frowned. "You are to be the perfect wife and mother. Your husbands will not likely be lenient if you make mistakes."_

"_That is why I will be taking over your studies from Bisera," she gestured toward their nanny. "We'll begin with dining."_

_Lucia listened dutifully as her mother explained that, while they would likely have servants to set their table, it was good to learn yourself. She learned how to set the table correctly and how to serve food, starting with the head of the house followed by the other males. It was only after every man was served food that women were allowed to have food on their plates. _

_Lucia didn't find this fair—why were they not considered as important as men?_

"_Mother," she spoke up, ignoring the worried look Katerina sent her. "why is it that we must cater to men? Are we, as women, not as important?"_

"_Lucia!" Katerina hissed, wishing her sister would just stay quiet and listen for one lesson. _

_Feminist ideals were not tolerated in this household—Katerina would know. Her father beat her raw the last time she questioned his orders. Andon Petrova was not a patient or merciful man. _

"_Katerina, it is fine," Ana assured her oldest daughter and then turned to Lucia. "The world we live in is not kind to us. While we are human and deserve the same rights as the men, we will never have them. As much as I wish it wasn't true, we are to be submissive and quiet."_

"_I don't want to live like that," Lucia declared with a frown. "Am I not meant for something more? And what of Katerina? We are more than mothers and wives."_

"_You are," Ana agreed as she walked over to her daughters, wrapping an arm around each of their shoulders. "You, my loves, are beautiful and smart women and I have no doubt that you are meant for something more. The world doesn't think the same as you and I but that does not matter."_

_Katerina gave her mother an appraising look. "What are we to do?"_

_Ana squeezed their shoulders. "You are to fight. Fight for other women and, most importantly, fight for yourself."_

_Lucia smiled and swore to herself that she would make her mother proud. _

_**Mystic Falls, 2005**_

"_STRONG AND WILD, SLOW AND EASY, HEART AND SOUL, SO COMPLETELY—"_

_Lucy kept singing at the top of her lungs, ignoring the pounding and shouting at her door from her fifteen-year-old brother. _

"_Lucy, shut up!" Joel shouted. "God, you're so annoying!"_

"_AND I COULD LIST A MILLION THINGS I LOVE TO LIKE ABOUT YOU BUT THEY ALL COME DOWN TO ONE REASON—"_

_The music cut off abruptly and Lucy turned to her stereo, an angry frown on her face, to tell off Joel for interrupting her. To her surprise, her mom was standing next to her dresser, a sympathetic look on her face that made Lucy want to scream. _

"_Why'd you turn it off?" she pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. _

"_It's eight in the morning, sweetheart," Miranda told her. "Joel and Elena aren't very happy with your singing this early."_

"_I don't care if they're happy. Everyone should be as miserable as me," Lucy said crossly as she crossed her room and sat on her bed with a huff. _

"_Oh, Lucy," Miranda sighed and sat next to her, brushing the hair out of her face. "I know being without Peter—"_

"_Don't say his name!"_

"_Okay, I won't say his name…I know you're hurt and maybe you're mad," she smiled as Lucy scoffed lightly and leaned into her embrace. "and I know that you don't want to hear this, but life will move on."_

"_I doubt it," Lucy mumbled bitterly. _

"_Honey, you're only eleven—"_

"_I'm almost twelve, thank you."_

"_You're almost twelve," Miranda correctly herself, rolling her eyes at how stubborn her youngest daughter was. "and you have so much life left. Peter—" she ignored Lucy's unpleased grunt. "will not be the last boy you love. I guarantee it."_

"_But he was epic."_

"_You will have more than one epic love in your life," Miranda insisted. _

_Lucy shook her head, doubting herself. No one liked her like they liked Caroline or Elena. She was the youngest in her grade and boys didn't like girls who were smarter than them. _

"_You will," Miranda said firmly and Lucy looked at her, shocked by her tone. Her mom wasn't mad but she looked like she wanted Lucy to believe her. "Lucy, one day you'll fall in love with someone who appreciates you as you are. They're going to love your paintings and how blunt you are. They'll learn to make cheesecake in every flavor and they'll make you laugh. They'll be there for you through the hard and good times, they'll be your rock, and they'll love you more than anything."_

_Lucy leaned her forehead against Miranda's shoulder, allowing her shirt to soak up her tears. She wanted to believe what her mom said, but it all seemed so impossible at the moment. Her little heart was torn with her very first heartbreak and she was miserable. She didn't even want to love anyone else but Peter. _

_Miranda clicked her tongue and wrapped her arms around Lucy, holding her tightly. "You'll be all right, sweetheart. You will."_

_Lucy didn't know if she would but, in her mother's arms, she didn't think she could feel any safer._

_**Mystic Falls, 2007**_

"_I'm gonna beat you," Lucy declared, staring at Jenna with a triumphant smirk over her cards. _

_Jenna scoffed. "You're not seeing my cards, Luce. I think I have a good chance of beating you."_

_Lucy shook her head and eyed the cards in her hand. She had two blue cards, one green, two yellow, one wild card, and one draw-four. With it being her turn, she placed down one of her blue cards and raised her eyebrows at Jenna, urging her to take her turn. _

_The rest of the Gilbert-Sommers family was gone, taking a long drive to the nearest amusement park. Lucy wanted to go so badly but she fell sick the day before. Grayson and Miranda didn't want her to feel left out, so they called Jenna and had her come from Whitmore to spend the day with her. _

_Lucy still wasn't happy with missing out on the fun with her siblings and parents but at least she had her aunt to give her company. She adored Jenna and looked up to her, admiring her sense of humor, stubbornness, and academic achievements. _

_They spent the morning watching rom-coms and one scary movie that Jenna insisted they check out. After the horrible move, they ordered pizza and started playing board games. They were both competitive and had each won a game, which led to Uno being their ultimate tiebreaker. _

_Lucy and Jenna laid down cards one after the other, drawing, reversing, and skipping as need be. When they were down to the last of their cards, the competition started to heat up. _

"_Skip you," Lucy declared, setting down her card and ignoring Jenna's frustrated expression before putting down the draw-four card she had been saving. "Draw four. Uno."_

_Jenna smirked and triumphantly put down her own draw-four card. "Draw eight, sucker!"_

_Lucy gaped at her aunt in frustration and shock. She had thought she had Jenna just where she wanted her but it seemed her aunt knew her strategy was waiting to counter her attack. "Jenna!"_

"_Draw eight, Lucy-Goosey!" Jenna crowed. _

_Lucy huffed and grabbed eight cards from the deck, her declaration of Uno long gone. _

_Jenna smirked and placed down a reverse card. "Uno!"_

"_No way—"_

_Jenna slammed her last card on the discard pile. "Uno out!"_

_A loud screech escaped Lucy's lips as she slammed her cards down on the table while Jenna laughed triumphantly. _

"_Jenna!"_

"_I won! I won! In your face, Lucy!"_

"_Jenna!"_

"_Bow down to the winner, loser!"_

"_Jenna!"_

"Jenna," Lucy softly knocked on her aunt's door, hoping that Jenna would open up for her. "Jenna, please."

"I don't want to talk to you," Jenna's voice was muffled by the door.

Lucy frowned, guilt making her want to drown. It had been less than a week since they found out about Elijah's intentions to use Elena in the sacrifice so he could kill Klaus. Since then, Elijah was daggered by Alaric and then Elena, Bonnie lost her magic, Katherine was out of the tomb, Luka and his dad were killed by Damon and Stefan, and Bonnie got her magic back, along with a plan to kill Klaus.

And then Isobel showed up and things went from bad to worse.

Jenna was not happy that somehow Isobel was still alive. It wasn't that she was alive, per say, but it was the fact that she was alive and everyone knew about it but her. She was hurt that Alaric, Elena, and Lucy had told her nothing of Isobel, especially the fact that Lucy and Elena had already met her.

She was refusing to speak to anyone and Lucy couldn't blame her. No matter how much she wanted Jenna to let her apologize, if she was in her aunt's position, she wouldn't be happy, either.

She hated that Jenna was hurting and that she was part of the reason.

"I'm so sorry, Jenna," Lucy told her earnestly. "I'll leave you alone, okay? I'm just so sorry. I love you."

She tapped Jenna's door three times and then walked away, going downstairs to let Elena know that Jenna was talking to her. The doorbell rang as she was walking down the stairs and when Elena opened it, Alaric stepped into the house.

"Hey," he greeted them anxiously. "Is she up yet?"

"She won't come out of her room," Lucy told him as Elena shut the door.

"What'd you tell her?"

"Nothing," Elena said for herself and Lucy. "She won't talk to us."

"Girls, we have to fix this," Alaric pointed out, almost urgently.

Lucy and Elena nodded in agreement; they had to do whatever it took to make this right. This whole year they had left Jenna out of this mess and now it had done nothing but hurt her. They should have told her from the start what was happening.

It was then that Jenna appeared, hurriedly walking down the stairs with a packed bag at her side. Lucy and Elena greeted her eagerly but Jenna just ignored them.

"Jenna—"

"I don't want you here, Ric," Jenna cut off Alaric. "You need to go."

"Okay, listen, I can't imagine what you must be feeling right now—"

"Rage and betrayal would pretty much cover it," Jenna said sharply as she pulled on her jacket.

"Where are you going?" Elena asked as Lucy bit her lip anxiously.

"I'm going to stay on campus with Joel," Jenna informed them, her voice hard. "I have a thesis to write and I don't want to be in this house."

Lucy frowned. "Jenna…"

"Jenna, please just stop," Alaric pleaded. "Let us explain to you exactly what is going on."

"Lucy," Jenna addressed Lucy, who stiffened nervously; was Jenna about to tell her off? "I need you and Elena to go to the Lockwood's today and accept the historical society's check for your mom's foundation."

Lucy nodded. "Okay, but Jenna, please just—"

"I don't have it in me to hear any more lies for any of you," Jenna interrupted her before slamming the door shut behind her.

"Jenna, just please—"

John cut off Elena as he walked into the foyer. "Let her go," he advised, getting annoyed looks from Lucy, Elena, and Alaric. "It's better that she's not here, what with everything that's going on. But maybe, had you been a little more honest with her from the beginning, this—"

John didn't get to finish his condescending comment as Alaric lunged toward him, slamming his fist into his face. John reared back from the blow as Elena and Lucy gasped in shock.

Lucy had to admit that John had it coming. He'd been taunting Alaric about his relationship with Jenna for far too long and now he had messed everything up for all of them.

"Sorry, girls," Alaric apologized to Lucy and Elena before walking out of the house.

Lucy couldn't help but chuckle as she turned back to her uncle. She ignored the blood running from his nose, finding that she didn't much care when he deserved it so much. "You know this is your fault, right?"

John pressed his lips together. "Right."

_**Lucy's Room, one week earlier**_

_Lucy's mind was running a thousand miles per hour as she thought about what had happened with Luka while he was in Bonnie's trance. Her guilt was now worse than ever because, while before she thought it was her fault that Katherine and Elena were supposed to be sacrifices, it really hit home now. Elijah never planned to let Elena live and Lucy had made the deal with him, anyway, not having the forethought to think that something was up with the deal. The deal was too good to be true and now she knew why. _

_And the frustration that she felt made her want to scream. She was starting to trust Elijah and maybe she knew that it was a bad idea, she hadn't listened to her gut. Between their talk at the tea party and the memories she was having of him, Lucy actually liked the vampire. She found him to be a surprising yet calming presence and she knew that it was because of her life as Luciana. The lines in her mind between her lives was getting blurrier each memory she had, so she—as Lucy—loved Elijah as if he was Joel or Jeremy. _

_He was her brother but he wanted to kill her sister. How was she supposed to deal with that?_

_Lucy's phone rang and she picked it up, answering when she saw that it was Stefan. "Hey, Broody."_

_Stefan didn't greet her back. "_How could you do it?" _he asked and she could hear the anger in his voice. "_Why did you make that deal with Elijah_?"_

_She guessed that Damon had told Stefan about Elijah's plan. _

"_I didn't know, Stefan," Lucy said honestly. "I was stupid and assumed that Elijah meant he'd protect Elena."_

"Well, your stupidity and Elena's martyrdom are going to ruin your lives,"_ Stefan told her firmly and Lucy flinched_. "Elena has her whole life left to live and you two just want to throw it away."

"_No, I don't, Stefan!" Lucy protested, shocked that he would think that. "She's my sister, I love her."_

"If you loved her, you wouldn't have taken the deal."

"_I didn't know," she repeated herself, her sight going blurry from her tears. "I didn't know, Stefan, I swear. I wouldn't have taken the deal if I had known."_

"Would you?"

_Lucy didn't bother to respond to him; she ended the call and threw her phone, watching as it bounced off her bed. A sob escaped from her throat as she buried her head into her pillow. _

_She couldn't believe that Stefan actually thought that she took the deal knowing Elena would have to die. The last thing she wanted was for her sister to be sacrificed; Stefan, of all people, should have known that. _

_If he thought that of her, maybe he didn't know her at all. _

"_I can't find him anywhere,"_ Caroline told Stefan over speaker phone as he paced back and forth in Elena's room. _"He's not at home. He's not answering his phone."_

Lucy frowned, placing with the throw blanket settled in her lap. The night before, while Jonas was terrorizing the Grill, Matt was injured. Caroline had to heal him with her blood and when he woke up, he learned about vampires. According to Caroline, he flipped out and started asking about Vicki's death before running off.

Stefan sighed in frustration. "How could you let him go?"

"_My mom walked in_," Caroline defended herself. "_He took off. I didn't know what to do."_

"Did your mom hear anything?"

"_No. She just thinks we're fighting but he knows about me and he's freaking out about Vicki."_

"All right, listen. You have to find him and calm him down," Stefan told her. "Compel him if you have to. Is he still on the vervain?"

"_I slip it into his soda when he's at work but I didn't get to last night,"_ Caroline explained. "_So it's out of his system. He's at a catering shift at the Lockwood's today. I'm gonna try there."_

The call ended and Stefan sighed heavily, sitting next to Elena on her window seat. Lucy's eyes shifted from him to Elena as she wondered what they were going to do. Everything was going bad—it was like they were on a train that was doomed to crash.

"This is bad," Elena said anxiously. "First it was Isobel and Jenna and now it's Matt."

"It's disaster bad," Lucy added quietly.

Stefan nodded in agreement. "Yeah."

Lucy, Elena, and Stefan looked over to Elena's door as John walked into the room. His face was neutral but, honestly, Lucy didn't trust him.

"Elena, Lucy, could you come downstairs, please?" he asked politely. "I need to talk to you."

Elena scoffed. "We have nothing to say to you."

Lucy nodded in agreement and sent her uncle a glare.

"Please, it's important," John insisted. "You too, Stefan."

Lucy and Elena shared a look before they both silently agreed to go downstairs. The three of them followed John into the living room and were shocked to see that Isobel was waiting for them.

Lucy instantly took a step back, bumping into Elena as they all watched her cautiously.

"I asked John for a do-over," Isobel declared, looking at Lucy and Elena.

Lucy pressed her lips together and glowered at John. "You invited her in?" she asked him angrily.

She didn't like Isobel when she first met her and she didn't like her now. There was nothing that her biological mother could do that would make Lucy believe she was in Mystic Falls to help.

"She has information about Klaus," John said patiently. "Please, just listen to her, okay?"

Lucy shook her head while Elena and Stefan exchanged nods.

"All right," Stefan spoke up, narrowing his eyes at Isobel. "What do you know?"

"Since I was last here, I've been doing everything possible to find Klaus," Isobel informed them as they all took seats around the living room. "We knew our best chance was to find him before he could find you two."

"Best chance at what?" Stefan asked harshly from Elena's side.

"Keeping Elena alive," John said, glancing at her.

Elena shook her head. "You don't get to talk, okay?" she scolded him. "Not after everything you've done."

Lucy bit her lip and played with her bracelet as she looked back at Isobel. "Were you able to find Klaus?"

"No," Isobel shook her head. "Nobody knows where he is but there are rumors that are flying around. That a doppelganger and reincarnation exist."

"Which means any vampire that wants to get in favor with Klaus will be lining up to capture you two," John added, looking between Lucy and Elena.

Lucy's eyes widened and she looked over at Elena, who just shook her head.

"I'm not buying any of this," she declared, looking at Isobel. "The last time that you were here, you made it clear that you didn't give a damn about us. Now all of a sudden, we're supposed to believe that you want to help?"

"Isobel's been helping all along," John defended Isobel. "Klaus has been obsessed with finding Katherine for centuries. All it would take was any one of those 1864 tomb vampires to spread word around that Katherine was still alive and it would bring him straight to Mystic Falls where you were bound to be discovered…so we killed them."

"And almost killed Stefan and Damon in the process!" Elena argued, gesturing to her boyfriend.

John shrugged, unbothered. He didn't care if Stefan and Damon were killed. It would be better for Elena if they were dead.

"I have a safe house that I can take you to," Isobel spoke up. "The deed is in both of your names. No vampires can get in without your permission, not even me. Let me help you."

Lucy bit her lip thoughtfully, trying to take everything in. In theory, going to this safehouse sounded like a good plan and they'd be safe from Klaus—but they couldn't trust Isobel. She had hurt Alaric, Jenna, Matt, and Jeremy and she killed Joel and turned him into a vampire. Lucy didn't want to put Elena's life in Isobel's hands because her gut was telling her they'd be betrayed.

She shook her head at Elena, who nodded in agreement.

"You wanna help?" Elena asked Isobel. "Then get the fuck out of my house."

"Do you really think that Isobel's telling the truth that word's gotten out about Elena and I?" Lucy asked Stefan and Damon after she and Elena went to the Boarding House to check on Damon's progress with finding the place where Emily Bennett and many other witches were killed.

"Look, I don't trust a word that she says but I think we'd be stupid to ignore the warning," Stefan replied and Lucy nodded, conceding his point.

"You know, both of you should just stay here," Damon suggested, kicking his feet up onto the couch. "It's better for us to keep an eye on you."

"What, in the house that any vampire can enter?" Stefan scoffed, shaking his head. "No, their house is safer."

"Well, then we'll stay there."

"So, is that the plan?" Elena spoke up, her tone slightly sarcastic. "Neither of you will let us out of your sight again?"

Damon gave her an equally sarcastic smirk. "Let me know when you come up with a better one."

Elena rolled her eyes. "Fine," she stood up and put her hands on her hips. "Then one of you two bodyguards is gonna have to come with us to the Lockwood luncheon."

For the first time, Lucy hoped that it would be Damon volunteering. She was still hesitant around Stefan and, while he had apologized for getting angry her, it still hurt her feelings that he thought she'd be so careless about Elena's life. He was her best pal and he should have known that Lucy wouldn't have dealt Elena's life away knowingly.

Unfortunately, Stefan smiled at Elena. "That'd be me."

"Not me," Damon shook his head as he looked over at Lucy, who had unhappily pursed her lips. "I have witch stuff to attend to with Bonnie."

Lucy gave him an appraising look. "Does that mean that you're taking her to the—"

Damon shushed her quickly before she could say anything about the witch house. Lucy nodded and winced, glad that he had stopped her; for the moment, none of them wanted Katherine to know about the witch house. If she happened to resume her previous plan of handing Elena and Lucy over to Klaus, she wouldn't know about Bonnie and the witches' power.

Speaking of Katherine…

"Don't get quiet on my account, sis," Katherine drawled as she walked into the room. "If you have a plan to combat the impending vampire doom, please do tell."

Lucy pressed her lips together and looked at Damon, watching as he shook his head. She kept her eyes on him, knowing that if she looked at Katherine for too long, she'd see right through her. Many of her memories of Lucia included Katherine—or Kit, as Lucia called her—knowing when she was lying.

"Seriously," Katherine said flatly. "what is the plan to get us out of his mess, hmm? I delivered you a moonstone, a werewolf, and the dagger to lure and kill Klaus and right now, all you have is a moonstone…or, so you tell me."

"No, we have it," Damon confirmed.

"Where is it?"

"It's in a very safe place."

Katherine scowled. "I've been honest with you. Time to return the favor."

"Let me be honest with you. Don't mistake the fact that we haven't set you on fire in your sleep for trust," Damon retorted with a sweet smile.

"Fine," Katherine crossed her arms over her chest as Elena smirked at her. "be that way."

An hour later, after Lucy and Elena got ready for the luncheon—both in nice dresses that were pre-approved by Jenna a week before—the sister, plus Stefan, arrived at the Lockwood mansion. There was a large crowd already gathered, making Lucy a little nervous about standing in front of the crowd to accept the money for her mom's scholarship. Usually she was fine with crowds, especially since she's a cheerleader, but you didn't have to speak in front of the people coming to see the football game.

She looked around, trying to spot Caroline to get an update on the Matt situation. She hadn't seen either of her blonde friends around until they turned a corner and saw Caroline talking with her mom and Mrs. Lockwood. Caroline quickly excused herself and walked over to them.

"Hey," Stefan greeted her. "Any luck finding Matt?"

"None," Caroline said anxiously. "What if he tells somebody? What if he tells everybody?"

"Well, we just have to find him and make sure that doesn't happen," Lucy said soothingly, grabbing Caroline's hand and squeezing it in comfort.

Stefan turned to Elena, thinking that she could possibly have an idea where Matt was. "Do you have any idea where he would be?"

"I wish I did," Elena said grimly. "but he wasn't really one to run."

Caroline squeezed Lucy's hand and made a disgruntled noise. "This wasn't supposed to happen, you know? I was supposed to tell him at the right moment in the right way and he was supposed to be okay with it because he loves me."

"We'll help you find him, Care," Lucy promised. "We just have to accept our mom's scholarship."

Caroline nodded. "All right. Well, call me when you're done and I'll be out looking for him," she let go of Lucy's hand and walked away, leaving the luncheon.

Stefan sighed and placed his hand on Elena's upper back. "Maybe he'll come around," he hoped, looking down at his girlfriend. "You did."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Matt's sister was killed by a vampire, so I'm thinking it's a little different," she commented flatly, giving Stefan a pointed look. "Come on, it's starting."

She walked away, leaving Stefan and Elena to stare after her in astonishment. Elena furrowed her eyebrows and looked at Stefan, wondering what was going on. Usually Lucy and Stefan were all buddy-buddy but she hadn't seen her sister speak to him more than a few times in the last week.

"What's going on with her?" she asked him, feeling weird that she had to ask _him_ about _her_ sister. "Did you do something?"

"I don't think so," Stefan shook his head, a frown marring his lips. It wasn't like Lucy to be so quiet with him and send him a dig about Vicki's death. "Let's just go."

"And, here to accept the donation to the Miranda Sommers-Gilbert scholarship fund, is Elena and Lucy Gilbert," Mrs. Lockwood announced with a perky smile.

The audience clapped as Lucy and Elena walked up to the front where Mrs. Lockwood stood. Lucy smiled politely and let Mrs. Lockwood hug her while Elena took the envelope with the donation. Pulling out of the hug, Lucy went up to the microphone and began speaking about her mom.

"My mom loved history," she began. "She loved how you could transport yourself back in time with a little reading, or how you could study how different countries deal with different problems. She thought it was brilliant how you could study the past and see the same pattern repeating in present time."

"Most importantly," Lucy continued, smiling fondly at the memories that she had with her mother, listening with rapt attention as she went on one of her rambles about history. "she loved the history of Mystic Falls. I know she would be so happy that her love will be passed down to students in need. Thank you."

The crowd clapped as Lucy smiled sheepishly and stepped back from the microphone, letting Elena say something in honor of their mother.

"The historical society was our mom's baby," Elena grinned at the crowd. "She considered all of you family and would be honored and touched by this gift—"

A loud clatter interrupted Elena and everyone turned to look as someone tumbled down the stairs in the foyer. Lucy furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as the crowd started rushing toward the injured person, Stefan, Liz, and Mrs. Lockwood in the lead.

She and Elena were about to follow the crowd out of the large room when Katherine approached them, a smirk on her face.

"Nice dress," she said to Elena. "Mind if I borrow it?"

"Katherine, what the—" Katherine slapped a hand over Lucy's mouth and grabbed Elena, dragging both of them out of the room. Lucy didn't even see where they were going before she was hit in the head with a painful swing and she lost consciousness.

As Lucy woke up, her head pounded and she was pretty sure she could hear her heartbeat. Her eyesight was blurry when she opened her eyes but after blinking a few times, her vision cleared up.

In the seat next to her, Elena was awake, staring ahead of her with hard eyes.

Lucy followed her gaze and gasped softly when she saw Isobel in the row in front of her. They were all in a large SUV and as she sat up, she saw a sign for a town only a half-hour away from Mystic Falls, Grove Hill.

"I'm sorry, Katherine," Isobel said into the phone. "I had to do what I was told. He wanted the moonstone and he wanted you."

Soon, they pulled into a large cemetery and drove to the back, pulling up to a small cluster of headstones. The driver got out and opened Isobel's door for her.

Isobel slid out of her seat and looked back at Lucy and Elena. "Just because you can't be compelled doesn't mean I can't force you to come with me."

Elena got out of the car and Lucy sighed but followed her lead. The three of them walked only a few feet before stopping in front of a headstone.

_**In Loving Memory**_

_**ISOBEL FLEMMING**_

_**January 18, 1978—May 4, 2007**_

"So is that what happened?" Elena asked Isobel, not noticing what was written on the headstone. "You were compelled to betray Katherine?"

"If I was, I couldn't tell you," Isobel replied blankly.

"So you lied. You did find Klaus, didn't you?" Elena looked closely at Isobel, looking for any sign of dishonesty. "He knows where we are now. Are you taking us to him?"

Isobel didn't answer as she crouched down and cleared the bottom of the headstone of dead flowers. She rearranged the fresh flowers that already laid there before standing back up and looking down at her own grave with what actually looked like sadness.

"What is this?" Elena finally read the headstone.

"My parents, your grandparents, they put it here when it became clear that the police weren't gonna find my body," Isobel told Lucy and Elena. "They visit every week and they bring flowers even though there's no one buried here."

"The Isobel they knew is dead," she looked back at Lucy and Elena. "So maybe there's a part of me that's buried here, the human part. The part that I abandoned when I chose to become a vampire," she smiled sadly. "the part that used to dream about the day that she'd know her daughters."

Lucy frowned. "What?"

Isobel shrugged, twisting her lips. "And, instead, you got to meet the other part. The part that would betray her own flesh and blood."

Isobel's phone started ringing; she pulled it out of her coat and answered it.

"Yes," she said into the phone after a long pause. "Let them go?"

Lucy raised her eyebrows and exchanged a confused look with Elena. If Isobel wasn't taking them to Klaus, what exactly were they doing here?

"I'm done?" Isobel smiled in relief.

She sighed happily as the call finished and she stuffed her phone back into her pocket.

"Who was that?" Elena asked cautiously.

"I'm so sorry, Elena," Isobel said to Elena before turning to Lucy. "I'm sorry, Lucy, that I was such a disappointment to you."

Lucy blinked, her eyes stinging as tears slid down her cheeks. Isobel sounded so heartfelt that she actually believed her. All the bad that she had done, there was a part of her that was apologetic. Isobel was her biological mother and if Lucy couldn't give her a chance, was she really the person she thought she was?

She thought she hated Isobel; she thought that there wasn't anything that could be done to redeem her.

Maybe Lucy was wrong…

Isobel reached up, grabbed her daylight necklace, and—before Lucy or Elena could stop her—ripped it off her body. Lucy gasped in horror as Isobel started to scream, her body turning red and smoking from the sun's rays.

Isobel's body caught on fire and she screamed again; Lucy grabbed Elena's arm and buried her head into her shoulder as Isobel sobbed in pain until, finally, she stopped and her body fell to the ground.

Lucy didn't look; she just held onto Elena and cried.

Lucy sat in the library at the Boarding House, staring into the fire as she turned Isobel's necklace over in her hands. She couldn't stop thinking about Isobel and how her body burst into flames much like the ones in the fireplace only a few feet in front of her.

She didn't even like Isobel yet she was sad that she was gone. Maybe it was because Alaric's connection with her or because she had shown that she was sorry for what she had done. Either way, Lucy mourned what could have been.

She had many mother figures in her life; Esther-her first mother, Ana—her second mother, Miranda—her third mother, and Jenna—her aunt. She felt like she didn't have the room for anymore and that even if she did have room, she wouldn't give it to Isobel. Now that she was gone, Lucy wouldn't even have to make that choice.

Maybe she should be relieved but, somehow, she wasn't.

"Hey."

Lucy looked up with a weak smile as Stefan entered the library and sat down on the couch next to her. "Hey, where's Elena?"

"Talking to John," he informed her. "He woke up. I guess he knew nothing about Isobel being compelled."

"I'm sure he didn't," Lucy agreed honestly, looking down at Isobel's pendant.

John was an asshole but at the end of the day, he loved his family. She truly didn't believe he would have it in him to betray her and Elena—especially since Elena was his daughter.

"Is that Isobel's?" Stefan asked, gesturing to the pendant.

"Yeah," she confirmed before scoffing sadly. "You know, this morning, I started out hating her. I was sure there was nothing she could do that would change my mind about her…I know she betrayed us, I know that," she nodded. "but somehow, I'm sad she's gone."

Stefan smiled sadly and wrapped a comforting arm around her. "She was your mother."

"No, she wasn't," Lucy shook her head; Miranda was her mother—Esther and Ana were her mothers. "Not really."

"She wasn't," Stefan agreed. "but you can still be sad about what could have been. You just can't dwell forever."

Lucy sniffed in agreement and buried her head in his shoulder, breathing in his calming scent. She had missed Stefan so much over the past week but he had really hurt her feelings. Though, now that she needed him, he was there.

He was always there.

"I'm sorry."

Lucy pulled her head back from him. "What? For what?"

"For last week. I know I apologized but, I know you, Luce," he smiled and brushed some of her curls from her face. "I know you're mad and I get it. I shouldn't have accused you of being so careless with Elena. You would never knowingly put your sister in danger—I should have trusted that."

Lucy pursed her lips and lowered her eyes. "You really hurt my feelings."

"I know. And I'm so sorry," he said earnestly. "I'm the worst pal ever, huh?"

Lucy snorted. "Yeah, you are."

"Okay, now that's too far," Stefan scoffed jokingly and poked her side, making her squirm. "I'm your bestest pal."

"You're my only pal."

"Which makes me the bestest," Stefan declared with a large smile.

Lucy laughed loudly and shook her head before her smile slowly faded. Though she felt better laughing with Stefan, she wasn't sure it was the best idea. They had a horrible day—Isobel was now a pile of ashes and Klaus knew where they were.

Klaus had let them go.

"Stefan…"

"Hmm?" Stefan's joyful smile faded at the seriousness in her voice.

"Why did they let us go?"

Stefan shook his head. "Anything John told Isobel, we have to assume that Klaus know, right?" he said. "So, he knows that Elena's not gonna turn herself into a vampire and he knows that you guys have us keeping you safe."

"He knows that we're not gonna run," Lucy added, Stefan's theory making sense to her.

Elena walked into the library, her face red and damp, followed closely by Damon, who held a stack of papers in his hand.

"Which is why we need to take some precautions," Damon proclaimed as he handed the papers to Lucy. "'cause we got played. All of us."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows and flipped through the papers quickly, not taking anything in. She looked up at Elena—who seemed to know exactly what was going on—Stefan, and Damon. "What's this?"

"It's the deed to our house. It's in Zach's name," Stefan explained, crossing his arms over his chest. "As soon as you and Elena sign it, it'll be in your names."

Lucy's eyes widened. "You're giving us your house?"

"Isobel had the right idea with the safe house," Elena spoke up.

"You'll just stay here until it's all over," Stefan added. "That way, you both can control who gets invited and who doesn't."

"Although, I'll be super pissed if you lock me out," Damon winked at Lucy.

Lucy scoffed; that was exactly what she was going to do.


	34. Niklaus

**[2x18; The Last Dance]**

"Please sign here and here."

Lucy did as Mr. Henry told her, writing her signature on the two lines he pointed out. Next to her, Elena did the same, scribbling her name down quickly. Bonnie watched them, bewildered by the change of events.

"So, you guys own his place?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows. "They just gave it to you?"

"For now," Elena confirmed. "As the owners, we're the only ones who can invite—" she gave Mr. Henry a hesitant glance and revised her words. "—a certain type of person in here, if you know what I mean."

"Your own personal safe house."

Lucy nodded. "That's the idea."

Bonnie hummed and looked around the library, taking in the massive room. "Wouldn't want to clean it."

Lucy scoffed in agreement as Elena giggled.

They finished up signing the deed to the Boarding House and once Mr. Henry notarized it, only Lucy and Elena could invite vampires into the house—it was officially theirs. Having a safe house to stay in really helped Lucy feel better, especially with Elena being protected from Klaus. It was the best option for her—and even Lucy—and it was very nice of the Salvatore brothers to let Elena and Lucy have the deed until everything was over with.

Elena, Lucy, and Bonnie led Mr. Henry out of the house.

"Thank you, Mr. Henry," Lucy said graciously as Elena opened the door to let him leave; Mr. Henry shook her hand and bustled away from the house, passing Stefan, Joel, and Damon on his way out.

Stefan, Joel, and Damon went to walk in but were stopped at the threshold. Lucy smirked; it looked like signing the deed had actually worked as plan.

"I'm sorry, I completely forgot," Elena giggled, turning back to the door. She looked at Stefan with a large smile. "Would you like to come inside my house?"

Stefan smiled fondly as he walked into the house. "I would love to. Thank you."

"Joel, come on in," Lucy waved Joel into the house; he walked forward, giving Damon a pleased smirk.

"What?" Damon complained. "You're inviting him in before me? What, are we twelve?"

Elena's smile fell. "One of us is," she said firmly. "If I let you in, do you promise to obey the owners of this house?"

"_No_."

"Seriously, Damon? My way," she reminded him. "You promised. I call the shots. No lies, no secret agendas, remember?"

"Yes, Elena," Damon rolled his eyes. "Sure."

"Then, please, come in."

Damon walked into the house and sent Lucy a smirk before scowling at Stefan and Joel, who were both looking at him in amusement. "Shut up."

Bonnie walked up to Elena and passed her jacket to her. Elena thanked her and put it on as Lucy grabbed her bag from one of the couches.

Stefan saw Lucy swinging her bag over her shoulders and furrowed his eyebrows. "Wait, where are you going?"

Lucy gave him a weird look. "To school…?"

"Huh?"

"No, no, no," Damon objected, walking over to join their group. "We didn't create a safe house for you guys to leave it."

"Guys, Klaus is still out there," Joel reminded them, firmly on the Salvatores' side. "We know that."

"Right," Elena agreed, fixing her hair. "but where? No one knows. Look, I really appreciate what you guys are doing and I'll be able to sleep at night knowing that we'll be safe here, but I'm not going to be a prisoner."

"Plus, I have to help Caroline with the decade dance," Lucy spoke up. "There's no way I'm missing that."

Damon rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. "Your way, Elena."

"Don't worry," Bonnie assured Damon, Stefan, and Joel. "I'm ready. If he shows his face, I can take him. I know how."

Lucy smiled at Bonnie and turned to her brother, Stefan, and Damon. "Next to Bonnie is going to be the safest place for Elena," she said confidently. "I know it."

The girls started to walk out the door, hardly stopping when Stefan volunteered to come to school with them.

Lucy rushed down the English hallway, cursing Caroline for making her leave the gym a few minutes late. They had been decorating for the decade dance since Lucy got to school and continued until the end of third period, when Lucy excused herself to make it to Alaric's class. Caroline wanted her opinion on one more playlist before she was able to go.

She turned into the history hallway and ran right into someone's chest. Lucy grunted in surprise and felt hands steady her. Luckily, when she looked up, she saw a familiar face that assured her she wouldn't get a detention for being tardy for class.

"Sorry, Ric," she apologized lamely as she steadied her grip on her textbook. "I'm heading to your class now, I swear."

Alaric was silent, causing Lucy to look up in concern. He was just staring at her with wide eyes, his expression a mixture of sadness, awe, and happiness.

"Um, are you okay, Ric?"

Alaric shook his head minutely, pulling himself together. "I'm fine," he assured her with a small smile. "I was just glad to see you."

Lucy raised her eyebrows in surprise. "You saw me yesterday, remember? Before the whole Isobel thing."

"Well, that's why I'm glad to see you," Alaric stated. "I'm glad you're safe."

"How are you feeling, by the way?" Lucy gave him a concerned look. "Damon said he told you about Isobel. I know it must be hard. I mean, I hardly knew her and I was effected by her death."

Alaric frowned sadly. "I'll get through it. Thanks, Lucy."

"No problem."

"We better get to class," Alaric suggested.

Lucy chuckled. "Good idea."

Together, Lucy and Alaric walked down the history hallway and entered the classroom just as the final bell rang. Lucy hurried into her seat in front of Stefan and gave him, Elena, and Bonnie small smiles in greeting.

"Hello, class," Alaric greeted everyone. "What are we learning today?"

"With the decade dance tonight, we've been covering the sixties all week," Dana—one of the girls on the cheer squad—answered Alaric eagerly from the seat in front of Lucy.

"Right," Alaric nodded and Lucy frowned, thinking that he looked a little off guard. "The sixties."

As Alaric turned toward the board, Lucy pulled out her notebook and flipped to the next blank page. Already they had gone over the Cuban Missile Crisis, JFK's assassination, the Civil Rights Act, Martin Luther King Jr.. She was eager to keep the ball rolling.

Alaric cleared his throat and wrote on the board. "The sixties," he sighed, turning back to face them. "I wish there was something good I could say about the sixties but, actually, they kind of sucked. Except for the Beatles, of course. They made it bearable."

"Uh, what else was there?" he asked himself as he started pacing behind his desk. "The Cuban Missile thing, the—we walked on the moon. There was Watergate."

Lucy raised her eyebrows at him; they had gone over most of the things he listed already and he got the Watergate dates wrong. What was up with him today? Was he hungover or was he mourning Isobel more than he let on?

"Watergate was the seventies, Ric," Elena corrected him; she grimaced when some of the students gave her weird looks. "I mean, Mr. Saltzman."

"Right. It kind of mushes together up here, the sixties, seventies," Alaric smiled sheepishly. "Thank you, Elena."

Elena nodded and Alaric continued his lecture, going over JFK like they hadn't already had the lesson before.

"Did Ric seem strange to you?" Lucy asked Elena as they walked through the cafeteria line, grabbing their lunch. "I mean, we went over JFK already."

"Yeah, that was kind of weird, but I thought he seemed fine," Elena shrugged as she picked up an orange from the fruit bin. "Maybe he's just having a hard time with Isobel and Jenna being gone."

"Yeah," Lucy nodded, grabbing a pudding cup. "You're probably right."

Elena and Lucy grabbed sandwiches to finish off their lunch and paid for their food. Once they were through the que, they found Bonnie and Jeremy sitting at a table and made their way toward them.

As they got closer, Lucy saw that Jeremy looked upset about something. His mouth was set in a frown and his eyebrows were furrowed as he quietly spoke with Bonnie. Unfortunately, when she and Elena walked up to them, he fell silent so she couldn't figure out what was going on.

"Hey, Jere," Lucy smiled at him as she sat down at the table.

"How are you doing?" Elena asked him. "Are you okay at the house alone with John?"

Lucy wished that Jeremy wasn't at the house by himself with John but, for now, he couldn't really go anywhere else. Jenna was still at Whitmore and Joel had taken up residence at the Salvatore Boarding House with Lucy and Elena until John left. He wasn't taking any chances alone with a man that hated vampires, even if he was their uncle.

Jeremy scowled as he got up from his seat. "It's not ideal."

"Have you heard from Jenna?" Lucy asked him.

"It looks like she's staying on campus instead of coming home," he told her something she already knew. "I'm late for class."

Lucy narrowed her eyes as Jeremy practically ran away from them. She couldn't help but wonder what was going on with him.

"What's going on?" Elena asked Bonnie, noticing her brother's behavior as well.

"I told him he had to dress up tonight and he got all uptight," Bonnie excused him.

Lucy and Elena laughed; that did sound like Jeremy. Ever since he was little, he hated occasions where he had to dress up. The month leading up to Founder's Day was torture when their parents were alive because Grayson always made sure that Jeremy was in attendance; Jeremy threw so many fits over the years that Lucy lost count.

"Elena, Lucy, there you are," Lucy, Elena, and Bonnie looked up as Dana approached their table with a happy smile. "Okay, this is going to sound freaky but this totally hot guy just asked me to ask you if you guys were going to the dance tonight."

Bonnie furrowed her eyebrows as Elena chuckled. "Tell him she has a boyfriend."

"I'm not interested," Lucy said bluntly, opening up her pudding cup.

"Well, you could meet him at least," Dana insisted. "He'll be at the dance tonight. Look for him. His name is Klaus."

Lucy stiffened as she processed Dana's words. Klaus was here? Klaus was here and he compelled Dana to ask them about the dance. Klaus was here somewhere in the school and they had no idea what he looked like.

"I'm sorry, what did you just say?" Elena asked her, shocked.

"His name is Klaus," Dana looked confused. "I know the name's stupid but I swear he's hot."

Lucy's heart started to race as she looked around the cafeteria, trying to spot someone she didn't know. There was no one new that she could see and that freaked her out.

Where was he?

"Where is he?" Bonnie asked Dana. "Is he here?"

Dana blinked and shrugged. "I don't know."

Lucy pressed her lips together and looked at Bonnie and Elena, whispering, "She's compelled."

"Elena, he wants to know if you'll save him the last dance," Dana continued, unaware that she was delivering bad news. "How cute is that?"

"So we go to the dance and we find him," Damon said as he walked into the living room where Stefan, Lucy, Elena, Joel, and Bonnie were waiting for him, almost too casual about Klaus being at the school and compelling Dana to give them a message.

"Really?" Stefan raised his eyebrows at Damon. "How are we going to do that? We don't even know what he looks like."

"Something tells me he's not going to be sixteen and pimply."

"He could be anywhere at any time," Joel reminded everyone, scratching his chin. "He compelled somebody at school."

Stefan gave Elena and Lucy a pointed look. "I guess it's not as safe as you guys thought, huh?"

Lucy rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, save your I-told-you-so for someone who cares, Broody. The fact is, no one could have known he was going to show up at school."

Stefan pressed his lips together and gave her an annoyed look as someone knocked on the door. Alaric slipped into the house without an invitation and joined the group, smiling sheepishly.

"There you are."

"Sorry, I'm late," Alaric excused himself to Damon.

Damon waved him off. "Hey, I need you to put me and Joel down as chaperones at the dance tonight," he requested. "Klaus made his first move."

Alaric raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Okay, so we find him and then what, hmm?" Elena spoke up anxiously. "What's our plan of attack?"

"Me, I'm the plan," Bonnie said, looking around the group. "He has no idea how much power I can channel. If you can find him, I can kill him."

"That's not going to be that easy," Alaric chuckled nervously. "I mean, he is the biggest baddest vampire around."

"Ric's right," Lucy agreed. "They said Klaus is worse than Elijah and Elijah literally beheaded a man in front of me and Elena."

"True," Damon pointed at Lucy. "I mean, what if he—"

Damon didn't finish his sentence as he used his vampire speed to rush at Bonnie. Bonnie casually lifted her hand and Damon went flying, crashing into one of the tables on the other side of the room.

Everyone gave Bonnie impressed looks.

"Well, I was impressed," Stefan commented, smirking at Damon as he got up and joined them once more.

"It doesn't matter if he's an Original," Bonnie declared, shuffling closer to Elena. "I can take down anyone who comes at me," she looked at Elena, promising, "I can kill him, Elena. I know I can."

Elena nodded and smiled at Bonnie.

Joel clapped his hands. "Well, then, I guess we better get ready to take down Klaus."

Lucy pouted at the mirror in the bathroom attached to the room she was staying in, carefully applying a layer of bright red lipstick to her lips. Once she was sure that her make-up was perfect, she settled a cream beret on top of her curls.

She was nervous for tonight, almost impossibly so. For some reason, now that Klaus was actually in Mystic Falls, everything felt real. This man—an original vampire who was just as scary as Elijah—was here to sacrifice her sister and he wasn't going to leave until Elena was dead. It terrified her and she wasn't even the one being sacrificed, so she couldn't imagine how Elena must feel.

Their plan for Bonnie to kill Klaus was a good one but Lucy couldn't help but be worried. They didn't know what Klaus looked like or if he had anyone on his side. Who knows if he had a few witches that could step in and overwhelm Bonnie. What were they going to do then?

She hated feeling so useless. If she had her own magic, she would be able to help Bonnie protect Elena. She had nothing to offer as far as being useful.

There was a knock on the door; Lucy called for the person to come in as she adjusted the sleeves of her rainbow striped long-sleeve shirt.

"Did you see the Salvatore's store of vintage clothing?" Joel asked as he walked in. "I'm pretty sure they still have stuff from the eighteen hundreds."

"It wouldn't surprise me," Lucy laughed as she examined Joel's era-appropriate polo shirt and khaki pants. "It looks like you found something, though."

"Yeah," Joel nodded and gestured to her overall dress. "You too, huh?"

"Caroline and I found this when we went shopping," Lucy informed him. "I wanted to be Jackie-O but Caroline wanted to dress up with Matt, so…"

She shrugged and went to walk past him, out of the bathroom, but Joel grabbed her arm.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Lucy flashed him a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Just nervous, I guess."

"It's okay to be nervous," Joel assured her with a comforting smile. "Just know that Stefan, Damon, and I are gonna protect you guys and Bonnie's going to kill Klaus. This will be all over by tonight."

Lucy gave Joel a small smile and exhaled shakily. She wished that he was right; Klaus was going down tonight or they were all screwed.

Lucy and the others arrived at the school only twenty minutes after the dance had started. Damon and Joel went ahead of them so they could register as chaperones and Lucy, Stefan, Elena, Bonnie, and Jeremy gathered in front of the school. Once they all complimented each other's outfits—mostly it was Lucy, Elena, and Bonnie who gave out the compliments—they entered the dance and met up with Joel and Damon.

The gym was crowded as they entered, couples slow dancing in almost every inch of space. Lucy was glad that the dance had turned out to be such a success, as she and Caroline worried that the sixties was going to be a decade no one would enjoy. Everything was on theme, from the decorations and food to the slow song playing over the speakers.

Lucy and the others made their way into the thick of the dance floor, each one of them keeping a look out for anyone they didn't recognize.

The slow song finished playing and Dana, on behalf of the dance committee, went up to the microphone to make an announcement.

"Thanks for being here, everybody!" she exclaimed, causing everyone to clap. "We have a special shout-out tonight. This is for Lucy and Elena from Klaus."

Everyone started cheering again as Lucy stiffened and looked at Dana, bewildered. Klaus had undoubtedly compelled her again just so they would know that he was here and ready to meet. It scared the shit out of her and she definitely wanted to leave.

'_Dedicated to the One I Love'_ by The Mamas & the Papas started playing as everyone around them started dancing again. Lucy's heart started racing as she continued to look through the crowd for whoever seemed to be Klaus.

"That was a lame, cheap shot," Damon scoffed, unimpressed. "He's just trying to bait us."

Elena looked around, shaken. "I know everyone here."

"Me too," Lucy added.

"Maybe he's not here," Stefan suggested, trying to comfort her and Elena. "He just wants us to believe that he is."

Lucy doubted that was the case. If Klaus was as obsessed with breaking the curse as Elijah said he was, he was probably going to want to make sure that Elena and Lucy knew he was ready for them. She didn't doubt that Klaus liked to play mind games, she just didn't think he was doing right that moment.

"It's a party, people," Damon caught everyone's attention. "Blend. Let him come to us."

"Good idea," Bonnie nodded and grabbed Jeremy's arm, pulling him away so they could dance.

"No, no, I don't really feel like dancing," he tried to object but Bonnie wasn't hearing it.

As they walked away, Damon nodded across the gym. "There's Ric," he pointed out and Lucy followed his gaze to see Alaric standing in the middle of the dance floor, watching over the couples swaying to the music. "I'll be back."

Lucy sighed anxiously and searched for the refreshment table. "I'm going to stuff my face."

"I'll come with you," Joel volunteered, not willing for Lucy to go off by herself when Klaus was in the building.

Lucy nodded and they made their way to the table stacked with food and drinks. Lucy headed right to the punch bowl and poured herself a cup, swallowing it down in one gulp. She wished that someone had spiked the punch but she guessed her luck was sucky that day.

"You need to calm down, Lulu," Joel clicked his tongue as she shoved a cookie in her mouth. "Your heart is racing a mile a minute."

"Leave me alone," her words were muffled by the treat in her mouth.

"Since when do you stress eat?"

Lucy swallowed and picked up another cookie. "I usually don't. I stress clean and I stress plan. Since I can't do either of those right now, I'm gonna eat my weight in these sucky sugar cookies."

She emphasized her statement by shoving the cookie into her mouth.

The song that Klaus requested for Lucy and Elena eventually died down. Lucy was in the middle of picking up some potato chips—much to Joel's disapproval—when Stefan approached them.

He held out a hand for Lucy to take. "Dance with me."

Lucy forcefully choked down her chips. "I don't really feel like dancing."

Stefan raised an eyebrow at her. "Since when am I the one who has to convince you to dance?"

"You have before," she reminded him of the night of the masquerade party where they plotted to kill Katherine.

"Please just dance with me, Goofy," Stefan arranged his lips into a cute pout that had Lucy practically melting.

"If you must," she sighed like it was a burden to dance with him and gave him her hand, allowing him to lead her onto the dance floor.

A quicker paced song came on and Lucy started bouncing to the beat, letting Stefan twirl her around and pull her back to his chest. The longer they danced, both of them in sync to the rhythm, Lucy couldn't help but let a smile engulf her face.

She could be having the worst day ever and Stefan could probably still put a smile on her face.

"You look beautiful," Stefan complimented her earnestly as they bopped from foot to foot. "The sixties really suit you."

Lucy flushed as Stefan pulled her to his chest and twisted her out again. "Thank you," she managed to say. "And I think you already know how good I think you look in a suit."

"Well, it's always nice to hear," Stefan cocked his head playfully. "

Lucy chuckled. "I think you're getting too cocky, Broody. I thought Damon was the conceited brother," she shook her head and sighed, looking around at the couples surrounding them. "Speaking of Damon, where is he?"

Stefan pulled Lucy closer to him and let her rest her chin on his shoulder, sliding his hand down her back as they danced in a circle. "He's dancing with Elena."

"Why aren't you dancing with Elena?"

"Because I wanted to dance with you."

Lucy pulled away from his shoulder, looking him in the eyes. His forest-green eyes were serious but somehow soft as he stared back at her, causing her heart to race. She sighed, convincing herself that Stefan just wanted to dance with her because she was his best friend. They had danced plenty of other times so it was sort of a tradition with them.

Lucy awkwardly looked away, trying to find anything to change the subject and get her mind off of Stefan's warm hand on her lower back. Thankfully, she spotted Caroline—dressed in a pink outfit inspired by Jackie O—and Matt walking through the crowd.

"Caroline's here," she quickly told Stefan. "She doesn't know what's going on. We should probably tell her."

Stefan nodded and twirled Lucy around one last time. "Let's go then."

The two of them made their way through the crowd to where Caroline and Matt had just started dancing.

"Hey, guys," Lucy greeted them with a smile.

"Hey, Luce," Matt looked relieved to see her.

"You guys look so freaking cute," Lucy happily looked between Caroline and Matt. "Matty, do you think Stefan and I could talk to Caroline for a second?"

"Sure," Matt nodded and turned to Caroline. "I'll get us something to drink."

"Thanks," Stefan told him as he walked off to the refreshment table.

As soon as Matt was out of hearing range, Caroline turned to Stefan and Lucy worriedly. "What's wrong?"

"Klaus is here," Stefan informed her.

"What?" she hissed, grabbing Lucy's wrist; Lucy rearranged her hand so she could slip it into hers properly, squeezing it for comfort and for reassurance.

"Yeah."

Caroline looked around suspiciously. "Where?"

"We have no idea," Stefan sighed. "but keep your eye out for anything that might be weird, okay?"

Caroline nodded firmly. "Of course," she agreed and gave Lucy a worried look. "Be careful, okay?"

"I will," Lucy squeezed her hand.

As Matt came back with drinks for him and Caroline, Stefan and Lucy left to meet up with Elena. When they got to her, Jeremy was leaving her side, looking upset about something.

"Is everything okay?" Lucy asked her sister, looking at her little brother's back for a brief second.

Elena followed her gaze. "I'm not sure," she turned back to them and addressed Stefan, "Can you go after him? Make sure he's okay?"

Stefan nodded and took off after Jeremy, leaving Lucy and Elena alone. The sisters chatted for a few seconds and Lucy made sure to tell Elena that Caroline was on the look out for anything suspicious. It was only a couple minutes later that Stefan came back to them, looking worried and mad.

He quickly told them what exactly was going on with Jeremy. According to their brother, when Bonnie received her extra powers from the dead witches, she always got a warning that if she used too much power, she would die. Bonnie hadn't told anyone but Jeremy and he was crumbling under the burden of knowing that Bonnie was going to die to save Elena's life.

Elena and Lucy were upset but Lucy could tell that Elena was also kind of mad. She understood; if Caroline—or even Bonnie—was going to sacrifice her life for Lucy, she wouldn't want that. She'd do anything she could to keep her friends safe, happy, and alive. But she understood Bonnie's point of view, as well. How could she not? Lucy would die over and over again if it meant protecting the people she loved.

"We need to talk to her."

"How could you not tell us?" Elena asked Bonnie as they—along with Lucy—walked out of the school.

"Because I knew how'd you react."

"No. No way," Elena shook her head firmly. "It's not an option."

Bonnie shook her head in disagreement. "It's our only option."

"Then we'll find another way," Lucy spoke up. "Magic is always changing and developing, right? Maybe we can find something in those grimoires—"

"I've already looked, Lucy," Bonnie interrupted her. "It's this. This is our one chance to stop Klaus."

"Bonnie, you're not dying to save my life!" Elena objected.

"I have the power to save you!" Bonnie stated passionately. "If I don't use it and something happens, that would kill me more."

Elena shook her head frantically, eyes filling with tears. "I can't let you."

"Just answer one question," Bonnie requested. "If the situation was reversed, would you do it for me?"

Elena didn't answer but she didn't have to. There was no question whether or not Elena would sacrifice herself to save Bonnie or anyone that she loved. When it came down to it, Bonnie and her friends and family were all she had. Lucy knew that and she understood more than most would; she thought the exact same way.

Bonnie nodded understandably. "So you know why I have to."

Tears finally fell from Elena's eyes and it took Lucy all her power not to join her. This was about Elena and Bonnie and she didn't want to take that away from them. It just hurt her that Elena and Bonnie had to go through something like this and had to make one of the most difficult choices that she could ever think of.

"No," Elena choked on her tears. "No!"

Bonnie didn't get to plead her case any longer. Alaric had rushed out of the school and came running up to them, an urgent look on his face.

"Elena, Lucy!"

"What is it?" Elena asked him.

"He has Jeremy."

"What?" Lucy, Elena, and Bonnie exclaimed at the same time.

"Yeah, Klaus has Jeremy," Alaric confirmed. "Come on."

Alaric took off running and Bonnie, Lucy, and Elena exchanged worried looks before following after him. He opened the door for them and let them run into the school first before shutting the door after them. Alaric quickly took the lead once more, leading them to where Klaus and Jeremy were.

They ran through the English hallway and passed the cafeteria before Elena spoke up, "Okay, so where are you taking us?"

"Just a little further," Alaric said casually, as they turned down the history hallway.

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows as she studied Alaric. All day he had been acting weird; from their run-in before class, to him not knowing the subject they were studying and giving a lecture he already had, and then now, he was way too casual about Jeremy being taken by Klaus. Alaric saw Jeremy as a son and would be a lot more worried.

"Wait, something's not right," she murmured as Alaric sent them down yet another hall.

"Where's Jeremy?" Bonnie demanded as Alaric slowly stopped walking.

He chuckled and sighed loudly. "I just had to get away from that dance," he said, turning around to face them. "The sixties, _ugh_. Not my decade," he scoffed. "I mean, whose call was that, anyway? I much prefer the twenties. The style, the parties, the jazz…"

Lucy could have slapped herself for not realizing that something was up with Alaric. He could have been compelled by Klaus, but Lucy didn't think that was it; there was nothing robotic about him, as if he was on autopilot. It was like Alaric had a personality, just not his.

Lucy wracked her brain for an explanation.

"Alaric, are you on vervain?" Elena asked him cautiously.

"Now why would you ask me that question, Elena?"

Elena turned to Bonnie and Lucy. "He's being compelled."

"Nope," Alaric smirked. "Try again."

Alaric confirmed that he wasn't compelled, so Lucy moved on. Hadn't he just said that the sixties weren't his decade? Alaric was born in the seventies, and he _had_ said that the twenties were his favorite decade. That could be the history teacher in him but Lucy doubted it. These were the words coming from a man who had lived through the twenties himself.

"What's going on?" Bonnie asked, stepping in front of Lucy and Elena protectively.

"It's Klaus," Lucy breathed in realization. "He's Klaus!"

Alaric—Klaus—beamed at her. "Surprise!" he exclaimed. "I knew you'd figure it out, _Luciana_."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows as Elena freaked out about Klaus being inside Alaric. The only other person she met in this life who had called her Luciana was Elijah. Other than that, her the memories she had of her siblings in her first life were the only other people who knew her by that name.

Was Klaus…? Was he…?

Lucy felt like an idiot once more as she realized that Klaus sounded much like Niklaus. Niklaus, as in one of her older brothers in her first life. The fact that another one of her siblings was trying to kill her older sister made her want to scream.

She had such a fucked-up life.

"Just relax," Klaus soothed Elena, waving his hand flippantly. "I'm not here to hurt you. You're not on my hit list tonight and I would never harm a hair on Luciana's head," Lucy shivered as his eyes glinted when his gaze fell on Bonnie. "But you are."

Klaus lunged at Bonnie and she acted fast, flinging him against the wall of lockers. He groaned as he crawled to his feet, staggering slightly.

"Now, did I mention that I knew a witch?" he chuckled. "You're gonna have to hit me a lot harder than that."

Bonnie thrust out her palm again and Klaus flew down the hallway, crashing into the display case and shattering glass everywhere.

"By all means, fire away!" Klaus goaded Bonnie. "If you kill this body, I'll just get a new one. Maybe Jeremy."

Lucy inhaled sharply; she didn't want Alaric to die because she just knew that he was still in his body deep, deep down but what were they supposed to do?

"Go," Bonnie insisted, backing up toward Lucy and Elena. "Run. Run!"

The three girls took off, rushing down the hallway to get away from Klaus. Bonnie closed the doors behind them with her magic and they kept going as fast as they could until they ran into Damon.

"What happened?" he asked them urgently.

"Klaus is in Ric's body," Lucy told him breathlessly.

"What?!"

"He's possessing it or something," Bonnie tried to explain.

"Go find Stefan and Joel," Damon said immediately, looking at Elena and Lucy. "Now."

"Okay."

"Now."

Elena and Lucy took off running again, making their way to the gymnasium. They ran into Caroline as they searched for Stefan and Joel and simply told her to stay with Matt before they continued looking. It was then that Stefan and Joel actually found them.

The four of them found Damon…without Bonnie by his side.

"There you are," Damon greeted them casually.

"What are you doing?" Elena exclaimed. "Where's Bonnie?"

"She's doing what she has to do."

Elena gasped. "What?"

"Where is she?" Stefan asked his brother.

"Stefan, let her do this."

"Damn it, Damon, where is she?" Joel asked the older vampire harshly.

Stefan stiffened all of a sudden, his eyebrows furrowing; he started running out of the hallway, Elena and Lucy following after him. They ended up outside of the cafeteria and when they crashed into the doors, they discovered that they were locked.

Lucy pounded on the door at the same time as Elena. By the time she siphoned the spell away from it, Bonnie was on the floor.


	35. Klaus' Curse

**[2x19; Klaus]**

_Luciana sat patiently on the stone floor of her family's hut, watching as her older brother mixed together red berries and some other ingredients—he had explained to her what they were but she hadn't paid much attention—into a thin paste. Once Niklaus was finished with his creation, he sat back in satisfaction. _

"_And that, my dear Luciana, is how you make a lighter red," he told her with a gentle smile. _

_Luciana grinned and leaned forward, dipping the tip of her finger into the red paste. She smeared it on the piece of fabric Niklaus had pulled out, admiring the beautiful color it left behind. _

"_I like red," she decided happily. "Can you teach me to mix blue next, Nik?"_

_Niklaus smiled fondly. "You and blue," he shook his head and pulled a nearby bowl in front of him. There were blueberries already in the bowl, along with yellow dandelions and green leaves. _

_Niklaus set to work, grinding the ingredients together while Luciana watched curiously, memorizing every step he followed. When he was finally finished, Luciana was delighted with the darker blue paint that he produced. _

"_It is beautiful, Nik!" she exclaimed as Niklaus brushed some of the paint on the same strip of fabric. "Will you paint me a picture?"_

"_Even better, love," Niklaus straightened the fabric so it was centered between them. "I will teach you to paint."_

_Luciana beamed at her older brother and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. "Thank you so much, Niklaus!"_

"_There is nothing I would not do for you, Luciana."_

"Lucy!" Lucy heard someone hiss through the memory she was having of Luciana and Klaus. "Lucy, wake up!"

Lucy grunted and rolled over, burying her face into her pillow. She yelped as she was forcefully pulled away from it and her blanket was ripped out of her grasp. She popped her eyes open to see Elena hovering over her.

"Lena, what are you doing?" she groaned.

"Shh!" Elena hissed quietly. "Get dressed. Elijah's downstairs waiting for us."

The weariness left Lucy's brain as she sat up and gave Elena a wide-eyed look. "Elijah?" she whispered. "Lena, what did you do?"

It didn't take a genius to figure out what Elena did; she obviously undaggered Elijah but the question was why. Elena was all for daggering Elijah a few weeks ago—but that answer was kind of obvious, too. No one—other than Katherine, who was missing or dead—knew how to deal with Klaus. Elijah was their only option.

Still, did Stefan and Damon know about this?

"Get dressed," Elena urged her. "Hurry and meet me in the car."

Lucy nodded and, after Elena left the guest room she declared as hers, got dressed in some casual jeans and a sweatshirt. She finished getting ready and snuck into the kitchen to grab some fruit snacks—Stefan had stocked up on them since Lucy was staying there—before leaving the Boarding House.

Elena and Elijah were already in the vehicle; she slid into the backseat and ripped open her fruit snacks as Elena started driving away.

"Hi, Elijah," Lucy greeted him with a small, sheepish smile. She hadn't wanted to dagger him, but she hadn't exactly objected to it, either. "Sorry about the whole, um, dagger thing."

Elijah didn't reply but Lucy didn't blame him because he was currently sucking down the second of three blood bags that Elena had stolen for him. He finished the blood and calmly tore open the third, far less frantic as he drank from it.

Elena eventually pulled off to the side of the roads near their neighborhood.

She turned to Elijah with a hesitant expression. "You look better."

"Where did you get the dagger?" Elijah asked bluntly.

"We'll tell you everything," Elena promised, exchanging a look with Lucy, who nodded in agreement. "but we have to work together, Elijah. I need your word."

"Your ability to make demands has long passed."

"We're not making any demands," Lucy leaned forward so her head was between their seats. "We want your help in exchange for ours. No threats, no secret plans, no dagger."

Elijah's eyes darted between the sisters. "And why should I even consider this?"

"The same reason that you haven't killed me," Elena said confidently. "You need my help to kill Klaus and we need you."

Lucy's phone started buzzing, vibrating against her thigh. She sighed when she saw that Stefan was calling her and answered the call, quickly putting it on speakerphone so Elena could hear what her boyfriend had to say.

"Hey, Stefan…"

"_Where are you guys?"_ Stefan asked immediately. "_Elena's not answering her phone and neither of you are here. Are you okay?"_

Lucy rolled her eyes at his rapid questioning. "We're fine, Stefan. Elena, say hello."

"Hey, Stefan."

"_Where's Elijah?"_ Stefan's voice was firm.

"He's right here," Lucy answered. "Safe and sound in Elena's passenger seat."

"_I'm on my way."_

"No, Stefan," Elena objected strictly. "Elijah, Lucy, and I need some time alone."

"_Both of you listen to me. He can't be trusted_," Stefan tried to convince them to come back. "_He'll use both of you to get to Klaus."_

"Elijah is a noble man, Stefan," Elena looked straight at Elijah as she spoke. "He lives by a code of honor. We can trust him. He knows that we'd be incredibly stupid to betray him again. By removing the dagger, I have proven myself."

"_You can't do this alone."_

"It's my decision, Stefan," Elena pressed her lips together. "Please respect it."

"And make sure that Damon doesn't do anything stupid," Lucy added. "Talk later, yeah?"

"_No, Lucy—"_

Lucy hung up the call and looked pointedly at Elijah. He nodded slightly and expectantly held out his hand toward her phone. Lucy sighed and placed her phone in his hand, Elena giving up hers as well.

"So why take the dagger out now?" Elijah asked Elena once he put their phones in his pocket.

"He's here."

"Klaus is here?" Elijah breathed, his nostrils flaring.

Lucy nodded. "He's taken over Ric's body."

"Of course," he sneered. "One of his favorite tricks."

"Well, what are his other tricks?" Elena asked. "What is he going to do next? You're the only one who knows him."

Elijah sighed. "Yes, I am," he confirmed. "but first, I'm in need of a change of clothing."

Ten minutes later, the three of them stood at the door of the Lockwood mansion, waiting for Mrs. Lockwood to let them in.

The door opened to reveal Mrs. Lockwood. "Elijah!" she exclaimed in surprise. "Elena, Lucy, what are you doing here?" her eyes swept Elijah up and down, seeing his ruined suit. "What happened?"

"I've had a bit of an incident, Carol," Elijah said politely as Lucy gave Mrs. Lockwood a closed-mouth smile. "I'm hoping you could help."

"Well, I'm on my way to a meeting, so I—"

"_We won't take a minute of your time,"_ Elijah cut her off, compelling her to let them inside.

Lucy gaped at them; Mrs. Lockwood had probably worn vervain for almost her whole life.

Mrs. Lockwood smiled perkily and let them into the house. "Of course. Anything you need."

"Thank you," Elijah smiled pleasantly as Lucy and Elena followed him into the house. "Well, first things first, I'm going to need a change of clothing."

"Well, we can try one of my husband's suits," Mrs. Lockwood suggested. "I haven't boxed them up yet."

Elijah grinned. "Wonderful."

Mrs. Lockwood smiled back before heading upstairs to pick out a suit for Elijah.

"How did you know she's not on vervain?" Elena asked Elijah when she was out of sight.

"I'm the one who got her off it," Elijah answered simply. "Right before you and your friends killed me. _Twice_."

Lucy grimaced; it looked like Elijah was still irritated about the whole daggering him thing.

"If you'll excuse me, I'll be done in a moment," Elijah excused himself, going upstairs to change.

"So, I assume that the Martin witches are no longer with us," Elijah, dressed in a clean suit, stated as he picked up the cup of tea Mrs. Lockwood set out before she left for her meeting.

Lucy frowned, remembering the witches that Elijah brought with him. Jonas and Luka just wanted their family back—and Lucy understood that—but unfortunately, it didn't come to be.

"No," she whispered. "I'm sorry."

"And Katerina?" Elijah continued, looking unbothered by the loss of Jonas and Luka. "She would have been released from my compulsion when I died."

"Klaus took her," Elena informed him. "We think that she may be dead."

Elijah shook his head. "I doubt that. It's not Klaus' style. Death would be too easy for her after what she did."

"I don't understand," Elena looked confused. "You say that you want Klaus dead, but you still made Katherine pay for betraying him."

"I have my own reasons for wanting Katerina to pay," Elijah said, his eyes hard but somewhat vacant, liking he was reliving a memory. "There was a time I'd have done anything for Klaus."

"Because he's our brother," Lucy spoke up, catching surprised looks from Elena and Elijah.

"What?" Elena breathed in shock. "Lucy, are you sure?"

The surprised look on Elijah's face fell as he looked at Lucy with a sort of understanding. She assumed that he knew she had been having memories of their family and had put together that Klaus was, indeed, Niklaus, their brother.

It shocked Lucy at first, too, but over the last few hours, especially before she went to sleep, she came around to it. It wasn't exactly that she wanted Klaus to be her brother because he had tried to kill Bonnie only a few hours earlier—and almost succeeded if it wasn't for the fact that Bonnie put a protection spell on herself—and he absolutely wanted to sacrifice Elena. It was just tough separating the timid yet gentle older brother, Niklaus, and the terrifying original vampire, Klaus.

"Yes," Elijah confirmed. "Klaus is our brother."

"I heard that," Elena said, looking between Lucy and Elijah, her mind trying to wrap around this new piece of information. "I'm still processing."

"Yes, I'm a little behind on the times but I believe the term you're searching for is '_O.M.G.'_" Elijah took a sip of his tea to emphasize his statement.

Lucy bit her lip to hide the smile that was threatening to appear. None of this was funny but the casual way that Elijah delivered that line was so amusing that she wanted to laugh.

"So there's a whole family of Originals?" Elena asked Elijah as he stood up to walk over to the fireplace.

Lucy leaned forward, eager to learn more about her first family. She had memories, of course, but she was having trouble putting all of them together. As far as she knew, she had six siblings—Finn, Elijah, Niklaus, Kol, Rebekah, and Henrik—and her parents, Esther and Mikael. She wanted to know everything, though, and this seemed like a good place to start.

Elijah straightened his tie as he looked into the mirror above the mantle. "My father was a wealthy land-owner in a village in Eastern Europe," he informed them. "Our mother bore eight children, including Luciana."

"So, your parents were human?" Elena raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Our whole family was," Lucy spoke up; this was something that she actually knew.

"Our origin as vampires is a very long story," Elijah stated. "Just know, we're the oldest vampires in the world. We are the Original family and from us all, vampires were created."

"Right, but Klaus is your brother," Elena said. "And you want him dead?"

Elijah stared blankly at her. "I need some air," he finally declared. "I'm still feeling a tad dead. Come."

Lucy and Elena obliged, following Elijah out of the parlor and into the large backyard. The Lockwoods owned acres of land that stretched out and was nicely maintained. It had been the host of many town celebrations that Lucy had planned and attended.

"So, as you've seen, nothing can kill an Original," Elijah continued his story as they walked through the yard. "Not sun, not fire, not even a werewolf bite. Only wood from one tree—a tree my family made sure burned."

"That's where the white ash for the dagger comes from," Lucy assumed, knowing that the ash was the only thing that could slow down an Original.

"Yes," Elijah confirmed. "The witches won't allow anything truly immortal to walk the earth. Every creature needs to have a weakness in order to maintain the balance."

"So, if the sun can't kill an Original, why is Klaus so obsessed with breaking the Sun and the Moon curse?" Elena questioned, becoming frustrated.

Elijah stopped walking and turned to Lucy and Elena, a small smirk on his face. "Right," he mused. "the curse of the Sun and the Moon. It's all so…biblical-sounding, don't you think?"

Elena gave him a confused look. "What's so funny?"

Elijah quickly told them a tale from years ago when he and Klaus reminisced about creating sketches and stories about the Sun and the Moon curse.

Lucy's mind raced with this new information. If Klaus and Elijah told stories of the curse, did it actually exist? Why were they the ones drawing sketches in caves and telling tales if the curse didn't affect them at all?

"I don't understand," Elena shook her head. "So, Klaus drew the Aztec sketches about the curse?"

"Roman scrolls, African tribal etchings, and any other culture or continent we felt like planting it."

"But why?" Elena cocked her head curiously.

"The easiest way to discover the existence of a doppelganger, our reincarnated sister, or to get your hands on some long-lost moonstone is to have every single member of two warring species on the lookout."

"So, it's not Aztec at all?"

Lucy rolled her eyes, amazed that Elena wasn't keeping up. It was simple once you thought about it. "Lena, it doesn't exist."

Elena looked between Lucy and Elijah. "What?"

"Luciana is right," he confirmed. "the curse of the Sun and the Moon is fake. It doesn't exist."

"_What_?"

"Klaus and I faked the Sun and the Moon curse dating back over a thousand years," Elijah explained as he continued walking again.

"But if there's no curse…" Elena struggled to find words as she and Lucy followed him again.

"There's a curse," Elijah led them over to the pond so they could walk around it. "Just not that one. The real one's much worse. It's a curse placed on Klaus."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows, remembering what Elijah told her the day of the historical tea party. "What are you talking about?"

There was a loud buzz from Elijah's suit as he answered, "Klaus has been trying to break it for the last thousand years. You two are his only hope."

The phone buzzed again as they all stopped walking once more.

"What is his curse?" Lucy wondered.

Obviously Elijah had lied to her about the curse's origins, but maybe something he said was actually true.

The phone buzzed again.

"Your phone will not stop its incessant buzzing," Elijah spat as he pulled it from his pocket and handed it to Elena. "Answer it, please."

Elena answered the call and pressed the phone to her ear. "Stefan—what's wrong?" she asked worriedly. "No, no, no. Okay, we'll be right there."

"What happened?" Lucy looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"Klaus went after Jenna," Elena told her; Lucy gasped worriedly and Elena turned to Elijah. "We have to go to her."

"I'm afraid that wasn't part of today's arrangement."

"She's our family, Elijah," Elena pleaded. "We have to."

"I'll stay," Lucy volunteered and looked at Elena. "Just—just tell Jenna everything. Tell her I'm sorry, okay?"

"Lucy…" Elena shook her head but sighed when Lucy gave her a firm look. "I'll be back," she promised Elijah. "You have my word."

"That doesn't mean anything to me until you live up to it," Elijah responded.

Elena sighed and ran off, making her way up to the house so she could check on Jenna.

"Will you tell me everything?" Lucy asked Elijah once they walked back into the Lockwood mansion and entered the parlor. "About Klaus' curse, about everything? No lies."

"Of course," Elijah agreed and gestured for her to sit; Lucy sat down on the couch facing the fireplace. "Luciana, please understand that I gave you a version of the truth to protect you."

"Protect me?"

"Yes, I figured that the less people who knew the truth, the better," Elijah explained his reasoning. "You see, Henrik did die and it was our mother who turned us into the first vampires—excluding you, of course—to protect us…"

"You see, our family was quite close but Niklaus and our father did not get on too well," Elijah stated. "I'm sure you remember some of this."

"I've seen things," Lucy confirmed, remembering multiple memories where Mikael would take out his anger on Niklaus.

"When we became vampires, we discovered the truth," Elijah went on. "Klaus was not our father's son. Mother had been unfaithful many years before. This was her darkest secret. Klaus is from a different bloodline."

Lucy sighed and rubbed her forehead; it would make sense that maybe Mikael sensed that Niklaus was not his son. It didn't give him permission to beat his son black and blue and threaten his life too many times, though.

"Of course, when Father discovered this, he hunted down and he killed Mother's lover and his entire family. Not realizing, of course, that he was igniting a war between species that rages until this day."

"A war between species…" Lucy murmured thoughtfully. "Niklaus' real father was a werewolf?"

Elijah nodded.

"So that would make Niklaus a…?"

"He's a hybrid," Elijah supplied. "A hybrid of a werewolf and a vampire would be deadlier than each of them."

"How did Mother and Father find out about Niklaus, though?" Lucy tried to understand everything. "You break the curse by killing someone, right?"

"Do you recall how I told you that you were attacked by a werewolf?" Elijah asked; Lucy nodded. "It was an accident, of course. Klaus had taken you out on the night of the full moon and you tripped and cut yourself. Niklaus lost control and when he came to, it was too late. You were dead and his curse was broken."

Lucy rested her head on her palm as she soaked in this new information. It was Klaus that had killed her a thousand years ago. In the memories she had with Niklaus, he had always given her most of his attention and he doted on her more than any of his other siblings, Rebekah included. It was clear that he loved her and Elijah had said that his killing her was an accident.

Lucy wasn't mad about Klaus killing her. He had killed her accidentally and she had seen from Stefan—and sometimes Joel—that bloodlust could be too overpowering sometimes. And if they were the original vampires, they were sure to have more bloodlust than others. She wished it wouldn't have happened but she understood.

"Nature would not stand for such an imbalance of power," Elijah went on. "Therefore, the witches—the servants of nature—saw to it that our brother's werewolf side would become dormant."

"So that's the curse Klaus wants to break," Lucy assumed. "The one where my blood and that of a doppelganger was used?"

"Yes."

Lucy went to ask another question but the front door to the mansion opened. Seconds later, Elena walked into the parlor and took off her jacket, sitting on the couch next to Lucy.

"Welcome back," Elijah greeted her, surprised to see that she kept her promise.

"Tell me," Elena said flatly. "What's Klaus' curse?"

Elijah immediately went to tell Elena what he had just told Lucy, leaving out the parts that were private to their family, like Henrik and Lucy's deaths. Elena listened patiently, asking questions about what happened here and there.

"…He wants to trigger that part of him that's a werewolf," Elijah finished. "If allowed, Klaus would sire his own bloodline. He'd build his own race, endangering not just vampires, but everyone."

"And you helped him at first?" Lucy asked quietly.

"I helped him because I loved him," Elijah admitted. "That's changed. Now, he must die."

Elena stood up. "We have the dagger now," she said. "We can stop him."

Elijah shook his head. "When a werewolf is wounded by silver, it heals," he informed them. "An Original can't be killed by anything but white oak ash on a silver dagger. So, you see the conundrum. The dagger does not work."

"What, are you saying that Klaus can't be killed?" Elena scoffed.

"There's one way to kill any supernatural species…at the hands of the servants of nature themselves."

Lucy perked up at Elijah's information. "A witch," she said. "If they can channel that much power."

"But it would kill them," Elena pointed out with a sigh.

"The curse must be broken during the full moon. When Klaus is in transition, that is when he'll be at his most vulnerable," Elijah told them. "A witch with enough power can kill Klaus."

Lucy and Elena exchanged looks, silently asking each other if they should tell Elijah about Bonnie. Elena eventually nodded and Lucy agreed with a sigh; if Klaus was vulnerable, maybe Bonnie didn't have to use all her power to kill him. She wouldn't die that way.

But Lucy couldn't help but wonder about Elena.

"What if I told you that we knew a witch that could channel that much power?" Elena asked Elijah.

"Then I would tell you there's one more thing that you should know."

Lucy and Elena listened carefully as Elijah recalled what he had procured from some of his witches before Katherine ran and became a vampire. According to him, he had an elixir that would save Elena's life.

"You found a way to save the life of the doppelganger?" Elena asked in amazement.

"Yes, Elena, I did," Elijah nodded. "But unfortunately, Katerina took matters into her own hands first. I believe you already know how that played out."

Lucy softened at the subtle look in Elijah's eyes. He looked hurt and it made Lucy wonder what really went on between him and Katherine all those years ago.

"You cared about her, didn't you?" she asked him quietly.

Elijah sighed. "It's a common mistake, I'm told," he stiffened, straightened his suit jacket. "It's one I won't make again."

When Lucy, Elijah, and Elena walked into the Boarding House—after Lucy invited him in—they immediately heard a commotion going on in the library. They made their way to the room and were surprised to see Stefan and Damon at each other's throats.

Lucy guessed that they were fighting about Elena.

"Stop!" Elena shouted, catching the brothers' attention.

Stefan and Damon immediately broke away from each other and stared at the Gilbert sisters and the Original beside them. Damon's eyebrows started to furrow and his mouth turned into a sneer while Stefan gave them a confused look.

"Now you've invited him in?" Damon asked Elena angrily.

"Elijah, Lucy, and I have renewed the terms of our deal," Elena declared.

"Really?"

"The two of you will come to no harm at my hands," Elijah promised. "I only ask for one thing in return."

Damon raised one eyebrow. "What?"

"An apology."

"A what?" Damon scoffed.

Stefan, it seemed, had no trouble understanding Elijah's simple words. He stepped toward the Original and apologized, "I'm sorry for the part that I played in your death. I was protecting Elena and Lucy. I will always protect them."

Lucy smiled at Stefan, her stomach flipping at his words.

Elijah nodded. "I understand."

"The sacrifice is going to happen, Damon," Elena spoke up, staring at the oldest Salvatore. "Bonnie will be able to kill Klaus without hurting herself and Elijah knows how to save my life. I told you I'd find another way and I did."

Damon pursed his lips together and raised his eyebrows. "Is that true?"

"It is."

Damon looked away from Elijah after he responded and stared at Elena. "And you're trusting him?"

"I am."

Damon was quiet for a few seconds before he scoffed. "You can all go to hell."

He sped out of the library like a toddler having a tantrum; Stefan sighed and turned back to Elijah.

"He's angry with me right now," he excused his brother. "but he'll come around."

Elijah stared at the doorway that Damon left through. "Perhaps."


	36. Love for Jenna

**[2x20; The Last Day]**

"Tonight is the full moon," Elijah declared, looking around the library where Lucy, Joel, Stefan, and Elena sat. "We should assume that Klaus is prepared to break the curse."

"Lucy said that the Sun and the Moon curse is fake?" Stefan spoke up curiously. "That it's actually just a curse placed on Klaus."

"Klaus is a vampire born of a werewolf bloodline," Elijah explained his brother's origins. "The curse has kept his werewolf aspect from manifesting. But, if he breaks it, he'll be a true hybrid."

Damon walked into the library, a grumpy look on his face. "Then why are we letting him break the curse? We can kill him today," he claimed, looking at Elena pointedly. "With Bonnie."

Stefan sighed. "Damon…"

Elena glared at the oldest Salvatore. "No, Bonnie can't use that much power without dying."

"I'll write her a great eulogy."

"It's not an option, Damon!" Elena snapped.

"All right," Joel spoke over the glares Damon and Elena were sending each other before turning to Elijah. "how do we break this curse?"

"Well, the ritual itself is relatively straightforward," Elijah said. "The ingredients, so to speak, you already know."

"The moonstone and my locket," Lucy volunteered, holding her locket tightly between her fingers.

Elijah nodded. "A witch will cast a spell to unlock the magic within the moonstone and your locket so you can siphon the curse out of them," he told Lucy her part of the ritual. "Once you have siphoned the curse, you will give your blood. A witch will then use your blood and the power of the full moon to continue the ritual. Klaus, being both werewolf and vampire, will sacrifice one of each."

"And where do I fit into it?" Elena asked quietly.

"The final part of the ritual," Elijah opened the box that he had brought with him to the Boarding House. "Klaus must drink the blood of the doppelganger to the point of death."

Lucy and Joel winced as Elena nodded in acceptance and took Stefan's hand. "And that's where you come in."

Elijah pulled out an old vial filled with red liquid. "This is an elixir that I acquired some five hundred years ago for Katerina," he informed everyone. "It possesses mystical properties of resuscitation."

"So, I'll be dead?"

"And then you won't," Elijah finished.

"That's your plan? A magical witch potion with no expiration date?" Damon scoffed at Elijah before turning to Elena. "You want to come back to life, what about John's ring?"

"The Gilbert rings only work on humans, Damon," Lucy sighed, biting her lip. "Elena's a doppelganger."

"Odds are, the ring won't work," Elijah added.

"I'll take those odds over your elixir," Damon snapped at Elijah, looking at Elena once more. "What if it doesn't work, Elena?"

"Then I guess I'll just be dead," Elena stated blankly, shrugging her shoulders.

Joel let out a large exhale at the mention of Elena dying and Lucy bit her lip nervously. Damon looked over at Stefan for help but Stefan just shrugged; his opinion was clear—this was all Elena's choice.

Damon shook his head in disgust and left the room.

Elena sighed and asked Elijah, "Do we know if Klaus has everything he needs to do this? Does he have a werewolf?"

"Klaus has been waiting to break this curse for over a thousand years," Elijah knew his brother would be prepared. "If he doesn't already have a werewolf, my guess is by tonight, he will."

Lucy stared down at her sketchbook, eyes narrowed in focus. She concentrated on the lines she drew, making sure that her strokes were light enough that she could erase mistakes without a mark.

Elena's face slowly came into focus; Lucy made sure that she got her sister's smile lines just right. This drawing had to be perfect.

Her anxiety was through the roof. She wasn't worried about herself—all she had to do was donate a couple drops of blood—no, she was terrified for Elena. She didn't know if she trusted Elijah's elixir and if it didn't work like Damon suspected, Elena would be dead forever. She wouldn't be coming back.

Lucy couldn't lose Elena, she just couldn't. She loved her older sister so damn much and it broke her head just at the thought of Elena dying. Jeremy, Joel, and Lucy had already lost their parents, they couldn't be without Elena, too.

"She looks good," Lucy looked up as Joel walked into the kitchen where she was hiding. He looked at her sketch with a fond smile. "Elena's gonna love it."

"If she's alive to see it finished," Lucy mumbled, moving onto Elena's hair. She made sure her lines were straight, copying Elena's signature hair style.

"She will be," Joel's voice was confident as he sat at the table next to her.

Lucy shook her head; she couldn't understand how Joel was acting like this wasn't going to be one of the worst days of their lives. Their sister was going to be sacrificed by Klaus and they were putting all their faith in an elixir that was five hundred years old.

"How are you so positive about this?" she asked him. "I feel like I'm falling apart."

"I don't know," Joel shrugged, giving her a small smile. "I guess I have hope that Elena will live. Don't get me wrong, Lou, I'm scared. I'm so scared that we're gonna lose Elena but I can't dwell on it. Because if I do, I wouldn't be able to be strong for you and Jeremy."

"You don't have to be strong for us."

"Yeah, I do," Joel insisted and Lucy's eyes watered at the passion in his voice. "And I don't mind because I love you guys. If I can't protect Elena from this, I can at least be strong for you and Jeremy so I can protect you."

Tears dripped from Lucy's eyes as she leaned toward Joel and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm scared," she cried into his shoulder; Joel tightened his grip on her. "I'm so scared. I'm always scared."

"It's okay," Joel murmured into her hair. "I'm here. Everything's going to be okay, Luce."

"I don't want Elena to die."

"I know…" he rubbed her back soothingly and Lucy was reminded when their dad did the same thing to her when she was upset. "I know…"

A loud _thunk_ coming from the front of the house caught their attention. The surprise caused Lucy's cries to stop and she wiped her tears as she pulled away from Joel's embrace.

"What was that?" she asked her brother.

As if the universe was answering her question, they heard Jenna's loud voice. "Get out!"

Lucy and Joel exchanged a wide-eyed look and jumped up from the table, rushing from the kitchen to the foyer. They arrived to see that everyone was already gathered and Jenna was aiming a crossbow—Lucy didn't even know where her aunt got that—at Alaric, who had his hands up defensively.

"Jenna, put the crossbow down, okay?" Alaric coaxed her. "It's me."

Jenna glowered at Alaric. "Stay away from me."

"What's going on?" Lucy asked, looking from Alaric to Jenna and hoping that Alaric wasn't still possess by Klaus.

"It's me, Lucy, I swear," Alaric declared, looking around the room. "He let me go. _Klaus_ let me go."

"Prove it," Damon dared him, tilting his chin up.

"Okay, uh," Alaric looked to Jenna to prove himself. "the first night that you and I spent together, Jeremy walked in right when I was about to—"

"It's him," Jenna cut him off, looking mortified.

Lucy grimaced while Joel groaned in disgust.

"Why did he let you go?" Stefan spoke up wearily.

"He wanted me to deliver a message," Alaric informed everyone. "The sacrifice happens tonight."

"So, you don't remember anything that happened?" Stefan asked Alaric after they ushered him into the living room so they could question him.

"No," Alaric shook his head. "It's like I blacked out and woke up three days later. Katherine was there."

"She's under compulsion," Joel told him. "Damon snuck her some vervain but she can't leave until Klaus tells her she can."

"Where is Damon?" Elena asked, noticing Damon's absence.

"He went upstairs," Lucy told her.

Elena nodded and got up from her chair, leaving the room to, presumably, speak to Damon.

Alaric looked back at the others. "So, what else did I do?"

"Let's see," Joel crossed his arms over his chest. "You attacked Bonnie, you spilled the beans about everything to Jenna, and you also threatened her with a knife."

Alaric bowed his head, squeezing his eyes shut.

"It wasn't you, though," Lucy comforted him. "Klaus was in your body. You had no control over anything."

Alaric gave her a grateful smile but he didn't look convinced.

Next to her, Stefan suddenly stiffened. He stood up and used his vampire speed to race out of the room, leaving everyone to stare at his seat in confusion. Only seconds later, they heard a loud commotion coming from upstairs.

Lucy, Joel, Alaric, and Jenna were already on the move; they ran upstairs and followed the noise, entering Damon's room. They were greeted with the sight of Damon plunging a large shard of wood into Stefan's chest.

As Stefan slumped to the floor, groaning in pain as his lungs collapsed, Lucy siphoned magic out of her locket. Holding up a hand, she made Damon fly across the room, several feet away from Stefan. Not letting up, Damon screamed in pain as Lucy gave him a never-ending aneurysm.

"Get out!" Lucy yelled at him. "Get out of here!"

"What the hell did you do?" Alaric asked Damon as Lucy turned her eyes away from him, her magic depleted.

"Get him out of here!" Elena glowered at Damon as she rushed to Stefan's side.

Alaric reached down to help Damon up but Damon struck out at him like a wild animal, causing Alaric to flinch back. Damon slowly walked out of the room, still glaring at Stefan.

Lucy dropped to her knees on the other side of Stefan and ignored the blood pouring out of his chest as she gripped the end of the stake protruding out of him. She quickly pulled it out, making soothing noises as Stefan groaned loudly at the pain.

"Joel, go get some blood bags from the basement," Alaric ordered him. "Go!"

"Yeah, okay," Joel nodded and sped away in a blur.

Stefan collapsed in Lucy's lap as Elena leaned forward and held his face in her hands. Lucy made sure he was comfortable as possible while Elena comforted him, soothing him with reassurances.

"I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. It's okay."

Within moments, Joel was back in the room with two blood bags in his hands. He quickly handed them to Elena, who opened one and held it to Stefan's lips. By the time he was done with the first bag, his stomach was healing and he was able to sit up out of Lucy's lap.

Stefan took the second bag and drank the blood quickly, throwing it on the floor when it was empty.

"Are you okay?" Lucy asked him quietly, hoping that his wound was fully healed with all the blood he consumed.

"I'm fine," Stefan assured her. "Thank you," he looked at Alaric, Jenna, and Joel as he added, "All of you."

"Yeah, well, we'll be downstairs," Alaric excused them awkwardly.

Lucy rubbed Stefan's back and stood up, leaving with the others. As Jenna and Alaric started flirting awkwardly, she and Joel quickly left.

Lucy laid her head on Jenna's shoulder as they sat on the couch in their living room, staring blankly at the movie they were supposed to be watching on the television. The sweet scent of Jenna's vervain and rose perfume comforted her and calmed her down, though she was still anxious about the upcoming night.

Elena had vampire blood in her system now; she would come back for sure, but she'd be a vampire. Everyone knew how much Elena didn't want to be a vampire, so Stefan took her on a little date before the sacrifice went down. Joel and Alaric had gone to the Grill to talk to Damon and Lucy and Jenna decided to watch their favorite movie.

"_She's the Man_ just isn't the same when I'm worried about my sister's life," Lucy sighed, throwing some popcorn into her mouth.

Jenna made a noise of agreement. "Tell me about it. Hey," she sat up, making Lucy's head fall off her shoulder. "Can you explain how you happen to be related to Katherine, Klaus, Elijah, Elena, and Alaric all at the same time?"

"It's complicated, I guess," Lucy sighed but continued, not wanting to leave Jenna out of anything more than she already had. "I was born into Elijah and Klaus' family but because I was reincarnated to be part of the Petrova line, I was born a few years after Katherine in 1477. My name was Lucia then and I was killed when I was fifteen because I was a siphoner."

Jenna nodded, now understanding exactly what Lucy was.

"I was born again because Elena was," Lucy continued. "And I'm a siphoner now because I guess I still have the genes that I shared with my first mother, who was a witch. I'm guessing that if you looked at my blood, I'd share DNA with each of my siblings and Ric."

Jenna shook her head, bewildered. "It's just so weird," she confessed. "You've had three different lives."

"It is weird," Lucy agreed. "I mean, there are moments where I forget where I am or who I'm with. One time I thought that Joel was one of my other brothers, Kol, and I couldn't figure out that he wasn't who I thought he was."

"Wow," Jenna grabbed Lucy's hand and squeezed it tightly, seeing the upset look on her niece's face. "Have you told anyone about this?"

"No, we've got a lot more to deal with right now. My screwed-up head isn't exactly a priority of mine," Lucy grimaced. "And, I don't know, I just feel like this isn't something I can talk about."

Jenna sighed at Lucy's confession and wrapped her arms around Lucy's shoulder, bringing her in for a comforting hug. Lucy snuggled her face into Jenna's cardigan, glad that her aunt was there for her.

"I'm sorry, Luce," Jenna spoke into her hair. "You can always talk to me, okay? I'm always here for you. I love you so much."

"I love you, too," Lucy sniffed, pulling away with a small smile.

Jenna giggled and Lucy joined in, both of them quieting when Jenna's phone started to ring. Jenna picked it up and answered it with a casual greeting, though her expression soon turned down into panic.

"Elena, what's wrong?" she asked urgently, causing Lucy to give her a questioning look. "What? All right, I'm on my way."

As Jenna hung up, Lucy asked her, "What did Elena want?"

"She said she and Stefan are in trouble," Jenna told her. "Come on, let's go."

Lucy nodded and hurriedly followed Jenna out of the house. Jenna was locking the door when Lucy heard a male speak up from behind her.

"Hello, my dear."

Lucy whipped around and gasped when she saw Niklaus standing in front of her. He looked different from her memories, his hair shorter and modern, and he was wearing a red button-up and black jacket.

He was smirking and it sent chills down Lucy's spine.

"Jenna, run!"

Lucy reached for her locket but everything went black.

When Lucy woke up, her head pounded and everything was pitch black. The only thing she could hear were crickets and the gentle sloshing of water. She could feel cool grass under her cheek but she couldn't figure out where she was.

And then, there was light. Fire erupted around Lucy and she could finally see where she was. She had been at Steven's Quarry too many times not to recognize it at first glance, even if it was still too hard to see even with the fire.

Lucy gasped when she laid her eyes on Jenna curled up on the ground a few feet away from her. She slowly got onto her hands and knees, gasping in pain from the ache in her head, and crawled over to Jenna.

"Jenna?" she whimpered, tears already blurring her eyes. "Jenna, are you okay? Jenna!"

Lucy pressed her fingers to Jenna's neck, trying to find her pulse; there was none.

"Jenna, no!" a sob ripped from her throat as she laid her head on Jenna's. "I'm so sorry."

Her chest ached as she grabbed Jenna's cold hand, wishing that she would squeeze back in reassurance. Jenna didn't move, though, and Lucy could swear that her heart was breaking in half.

She loved Jenna so much and she couldn't help but think she hadn't spent any time with her lately. She couldn't remember the last time they had a game night or spoke about their shared love of rom-coms or had boy talk. She had been so preoccupied with everything that was going on that she let her family slip through the cracks and now Jenna was gone. She'd never hear her voice again.

"Jenna!" she suddenly heard Elena's voice. "Lucy!"

"Elena," she cried, looking up to see her sister running toward them. "She's dead. Jenna's gone. I should have—I should have—"

"Shh," Elena rubbed her back soothingly as she teared up herself. She looked at Greta and asked, "He killed her? Why? I did everything that he asked!"

Lucy and Elena jumped as Jenna let out a loud gasp and sat up, looking around wildly.

"She's not dead," Greta grinned in satisfaction. "She's in transition."

Lucy's sigh of relief was cut off and she lowered her head in realization. Sure, Jenna was alive and that was great but it also meant that she was going to be a vampire. Something had happened that made Klaus want to punish them because Jenna was supposed to be Klaus' vampire sacrifice.

Either way, Jenna was going to die tonight.


	37. The First Hybrid

**[2x21; The Sun Also Rises]**

Lucy had always heard that when someone was faced with a dangerous situation adrenaline would kick in and if you were injured, you wouldn't be in pain because you're body's working so hard for you to fight. She wasn't sure that what she heard was correct, though; she was a math and history girl and didn't pay much attention to her biology class.

Lucy wasn't injured, of course, but she _was_ in a dangerous situation. If adrenaline was pumping through her veins at that very moment, she wouldn't feel it when she had to cut herself for this stupid sacrifice. There would be no pain.

She wondered if adrenaline numbed your emotional pain as well.

"Oh, my head," Jenna groaned loudly, brushing her hair out of her face. "What's wrong with me?"

Lucy inhaled and exhaled slowly, trying to calm down as she rubbed Jenna's back, trying to comfort her. She couldn't afford to freak out right now, she had to be strong for Jenna.

She understood what Joel meant during their talk earlier. If she couldn't protect Jenna, she had to be strong for her. It wasn't really the same but it still was something that comforted her, even for a minute.

"Do you remember what happened?" Elena asked Jenna softly.

"Lucy and I were watching a movie and then you called me," Jenna recalled, looking at Lucy for confirmation; Lucy nodded. "Ugh, I should have realized it wasn't you. The second we walked out of the house, someone grabbed me. A vampire."

"It was Klaus," Lucy whispered.

Jenna nodded. "He made me drink his blood and I don't—" she shook her head. "I don't remember anything after that. Where are we? What happened?"

"We're at Steven's Quarry," Lucy told her. "He brought us here."

"Why don't I remember anything?"

Lucy sighed and looked to Elena, hoping that her sister would be the one to tell Jenna what had happened.

"Jenna, do you remember when I told you how someone becomes a vampire?" Elena asked.

Jenna nodded. "Yeah, if you die with vampire blood in your system, it…" she trailed off in realization. "Oh, God. He killed me."

Tears pricked Lucy's eyes as Jenna freaked out. "Jenna, listen to me," she grabbed her aunt's hands and squeezed them tightly. "Everything's going to be okay. Elena and I…we'll get you out of here, okay?"

Jenna couldn't seem to focus and Lucy couldn't blame her; it was a lot to take in.

"I'm a vampire?" she whimpered.

"And I bet you're hungry."

Lucy, Jenna, and Elena looked over as Greta walked over to them. There was a smirk on her lips that made Lucy's blood boil and would have loved to do nothing more than to wipe it off the witch's face.

Elena suddenly lunged to the side, reaching for a large rock she had spotted; Greta held up her hand and Elena went flying twenty feet away, groaning as she hit the hard ground.

And then Lucy was soaring through the air, too. When she hit the ground, a circle of fire erupted around her.

Lucy scrambled to her feet and saw that Elena was surrounded in a ring of fire, as well. Lucy got close to the flames and flinched away from the intense heat as they flared up.

"Don't bother trying to get through," Greta hummed as she picked up the rock Elena was trying to get. "I spelled the circles. You're both trapped, no matter what you do."

"Greta, please just let her go," Elena pleaded as Lucy bit her lip worriedly.

Greta sliced her wrist horizontally. "Klaus chose her," she told them as she held out her arm for Jenna. "Drink it."

"Jenna, don't!"

Jenna stared at Greta's wrist hungrily, breathing in the delicious scent. "I can't…"

"Let her go!" Lucy shouted at Greta.

Elena shouted as Jenna chomped down on Greta's wrist, sucking the blood from her flesh. Jenna moaned as she continued drinking the blood and, when Greta pulled her wrist away from her, growled in anger, dark veins trailing from her eyes.

"That's enough," Greta scolded her before walking away and igniting a circle of fire around Jenna.

Eventually, Greta left them and Lucy assumed that she was going to get the werewolf that Klaus was going to sacrifice. Jenna had calmed down from her bloodlust for the moment was sat in the middle of her circle, hugging her knees to her chest.

"How are you feeling, Jenna?" Lucy asked.

"I feel like myself, only not," Jenna breathed. "Everything is brighter. The fire's hotter. Part of me is terrified but there's a part of me that doesn't want to feel anything."

"Vampires can turn off the part that's human," Elena informed her. "That's the part that hurts."

Jenna nodded slowly and Lucy could see that she was starting to cry. "I'm gonna die, aren't I?"

"No! Jenna, we're not gonna let that happen," Elena promised her. "I don't care what we have to do."

A twig snapped as Greta came back to the clearing, causing them to look over at her. She was pulling a screaming woman behind her and when Lucy got a closer look, she saw that the werewolf Klaus was sacrificing was Jules, the woman who tortured Caroline and threatened to kill her.

"Who's that?" Jenna asked fearfully when Greta threw Jules to the ground a few feet away from her.

"It's the werewolf," Elena whispered.

"What's happening to me?" Jules cried while her bones snapped gruesomely under her skin.

"I cast a spell to slow down your transformation," Greta informed her matter-of-factly. "Your insides are trying to tear themselves free."

She raised her hand and a ring of fire surrounded Jules.

Lucy shook her head in disgust as Greta smirked at the pained werewolf. "Witches are supposed to maintain the balance in nature," she spat at the witch. "It's your duty to them to keep this curse sealed."

"My duty is to Klaus!" Greta snapped. "The new order."

Lucy rolled her eyes when she saw Klaus walk into the clearing. As if this man needed a bigger ego because of some stupid witch that was probably in love with him for no reason.

"Glad to know I still have a dance partner," Klaus commented before looking around at Lucy, Elena, Jenna, and Jules. "Hello, my lovelies. Are we ready?"

"The reincarnation first," Greta said as she walked to the outside of the clearing where she had placed a stone basin. The fire around Lucy faded away; Lucy sent a fearful look at Elena, who nodded and gave her a reassuring smile.

Lucy appreciated how strong Elena was being because she was currently faltering.

"Well, Luciana, it's time to help your big brother break his curse," Klaus stated as he walked over to Lucy, holding out a hand for her to take.

Lucy narrowed her eyes at him and ignored his hand, scrambling to her feet by herself. Klaus simply rolled his eyes as they started walking over to Greta together.

"Why did you turn Jenna?" Lucy asked him bitterly. "We did everything you wanted us to do."

"Well, you can thank Damon for Jenna's involvement," Klaus told her. "He took the werewolf and vampire I had originally planned to use, so I had to go with my backups. Backup werewolf, backup _vampire_…"

Only a few feet away from Greta and the stone basin, Lucy grabbed Klaus' arm to stop him. "Let Jenna go," she pleaded. "I can't lose my sister and my aunt. Please, Niklaus."

Klaus' eyes softened for the briefest second before Lucy saw the emotion flit away. He gently pulled her hand off of his arm and placed it back at her side before pressing against her upper back so she would start walking again.

"Do this without any complaints and I might let Jenna go."

Lucy pressed her lips together and turned her head, looking back at Jenna and Elena; they were both watching her and she nodded at them. If all she had to do was go along with her part to save Jenna, she would do so without a word.

They stopped by the stone basin and Klaus took the moonstone out of his pocket. "I spent five hundred years looking for this," he said as he handed it to Lucy. "I hate to part with it."

"Take off your necklace," Greta ordered Lucy, gesturing to her locket. "After I cast the spell to release the magic, you will have to siphon the curse from the moonstone and the locket. Once it's released, you're going to have to donate some blood."

Lucy nodded with a grimace, reaching behind her neck to unclasp her locket.

Greta turned her attention to the sky and grinned when she saw the light of the full moon. "The moon has passed its apex," she smirked at Klaus. "Remember everything you need to do?"

Klaus nodded. "I remember."

Greta held out her hands toward the moonstone and locket in Lucy's hands. She closed her eyes and declared, "_Ostendo_!"

The moonstone sparked in Lucy's hand and the locket followed a second later, both of them glowing brightly and then fading. Lucy closed her eyes and started siphoning, feeling the tell-tale wave of power flowing into her veins.

The last time Lucy had felt power like this was when she was trying to siphon the seal from the tomb. This curse, though, was more powerful—and it was taking a lot out of her.

Tears dripped down Lucy's face and her body shook from the force of the magic entering her body. It was painful—so, so painful—but there was a euphoric element to it as well. Underneath all that pain, Lucy felt powerful.

And then, she stopped. The curse had been successfully siphoned from the moonstone and the locket. She opened her eyes, looking at Greta expectantly for her next move.

"Place the moonstone and the locket in this basin," Greta ordered her.

Lucy did as she was told and when the moonstone and the locket were at the bottom of the basin, her arm was forcefully grabbed and pulled toward Greta. Lucy grunted in pain at the tight grip Greta had around her wrist.

Klaus clicked his tongue as Greta pulled out a knife. "Careful, Greta."

Greta didn't seem to heed Klaus' order; she harshly sliced Lucy's wrist, drawing a squeal of pain. Lucy gagged as blood started to pour out of the wound, dripping down on the moonstone and the locket. Both of them were fully submerged and Lucy was getting lightheaded when Greta let go of her arm.

Before Lucy fainted, all she saw was the basin bursting into flames while Greta chanted.

When Lucy came to, Jules was dead.

She lifted her head from where it was resting on the grass and saw that she was, once again, surrounded by a ring of fire. Jules' dead body was lying on the ground a few feet away from her, Klaus was by Greta's side, and Elena and Jenna were waiting for Lucy to wake up.

"Are you okay?" Jenna asked her worriedly.

Lucy groaned and sat up, her vision going blurry for a brief moment. "I'm fine," she finally answered. "Just a little lightheaded."

Jenna sighed in relief and braced herself on her knees. "The day that the lawyers called to tell me that I was going to become your guardian, you know what my first thought was?" she glanced between Elena and Lucy. "Isn't there someone else who can do this?"

Lucy sighed, tears welling up in her eyes. "Jenna, there was no one else who could have gotten us though all of that."

Jenna shook her head sadly. "Just the thought that I almost passed up taking care of you."

"But you didn't," Elena said soothingly. "You put your entire life on hold to help us."

"Look around, Elena," Jenna's voice was firm. "I failed you."

"No, you didn't," Elena disagreed. "I failed you and I'm so sorry."

Jenna pressed her lips together sadly; Lucy wished she would have done more to assure her aunt that she was great for her and her siblings. She told the truth before; without Jenna, who knows where they'd all be?

"Jenna, listen. Being a vampire, it intensifies you guilt but it also makes you stronger and faster," Lucy said quietly, hoping that Klaus was distracted enough that he would overhear. "You can fight back."

She didn't trust that Klaus was going to just let Jenna go.

"We're gonna get through this," Elena added. "We'll be okay. I need you to believe that. Just promise, when you get the chance, _run_."

Jenna nodded, silently promising to fight.

It was only moments later when Klaus made his way over to Jenna's circle.

"Hello, Jenna."

Jenna slowly rose to her feet, staring Klaus down.

"Let her go," Elena begged Klaus. "I understand that I have to die but she doesn't."

She walked closer to the flames surrounding her and the flared brightly; Elena reared back from the heat.

"Careful," Klaus chided her.

"Elena," Jenna gave her a warning look. "don't."

"Klaus," Lucy spoke up when Elena clenched her jaw angrily. "You said you wouldn't use Jenna if I cooperated."

Klaus cocked his head thoughtfully. "I said I _might_ let her go," he corrected her. "It's too late to find a replacement vampire now, love."

Lucy felt her heart drop; even though she thought that Klaus wouldn't go through with his words, she still held out hope that Jenna was going to get out of this mess. She felt sick to her stomach and she was pretty sure it wasn't from the blood she lost.

Lucy scrambled to her feet, giving Klaus a furious look. "Klaus, please don't!" she pleaded. "Please."

"I followed your rules and I did everything you asked!" Elena joined in tearfully. "I didn't run. _Please_."

Klaus' gaze was critical as he looked from Elena to Jenna and, finally, to Lucy. He cocked his head and Lucy hoped that he was coming around.

"Well, well," he drawled, turning to stare at the cliff overlooking the quarry. "I don't recall you being on the guest list."

Lucy gasped when she saw who he was talking to. Stefan stood on the cliff above them and was apparently speaking because Klaus made a comment and disappeared from the clearing. Seconds later, he was right next to Stefan.

"What's going on?" Jenna asked worriedly as all three of them stared up at Klaus and Stefan.

Lucy shook her head. "I don't know."

"You can hear them," Elena remembered, looking over at Jenna. "Your senses are heightened. You can hear anything. Just focus on them."

Lucy stared anxiously at Jenna as she concentrated, staring up at Klaus and Stefan.

"What are they saying?"

"I can't—" Jenna shook her head. "I can't make it out."

"You can do this," Elena breathed. "Just relax."

Jenna nodded and narrowed her eyes, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I can hear him. I can hear Stefan…" she trailed off, listening to their conversation before gasping. "Oh, my God."

Lucy stiffened. "What is it?"

"He wants to take my place."

Lucy paced around her circle of fire, biting her bottom lip so hard she could taste a nauseating hint of her blood. She ignored Jenna trying to comfort Elena as she thought about what she could possibly do to get all them out of this mess.

No matter how many scenarios she ran in her head, nothing came out right. She couldn't siphon the fire around her without being injured, so she couldn't get out. None of the curse that she siphoned was left, so she couldn't do magic to do anything.

She couldn't save Jenna. She couldn't save Stefan. She was _useless_.

"Quite the predicament," Klaus spoke up as he walked into the clearing, Stefan trailing after him. "You know, it's funny. All this talk about preserving family and here's Stefan, granting your wish."

"Stefan…"

Stefan smiled at Elena. "It's okay."

"Well," Klaus looked at Elena for a decision. "Who's it going to be, Elena?"

Elena shook her head. "_No_."

Klaus clicked his tongue. "Oh, don't worry," he said softly. "There's actually no choice."

Klaus was a blur as he sped over to Stefan, pulling out a stake and plunging it into his back. Lucy and Elena shouted in surprise as Stefan grunted and fell to his knees, unable to fight back.

Lucy's heart raced in her chest as her vision of Stefan blurred. She could feel the start of a panic attack coming on but she had to focus. She couldn't freak out right now. She could do that later.

"I have other plans for your boyfriend," Klaus told Elena, breaking the stake in Stefan's back so he couldn't get it out. "but, for now…" he swiftly snapped Stefan's neck, rendering him unconscious.

"Whenever you're ready, Greta!" Klaus called to his witch, staring down Jenna. As the fire around Jenna died, he smirked. "Your turn."

"No," Lucy breathed shakily, her chest aching. "No, Jenna…"

Jenna looked at Lucy and Elena, a look of resolve starting in her eyes. "It's all right, girls," she assured her nieces. "I know what I have to do."

Lucy watched, tears streaming down her face, as Jenna sped away, appearing right behind Greta. She chomped down on the witch's neck and drank as much as she could, ignoring her victim's screams. Jenna was only with Greta for two seconds before Klaus appeared behind her.

Klaus stabbed a stake through Jenna's back as he pulled her off Greta. Jenna screamed in pain and a sob ripped out of Lucy's throat as she collapsed on the ground. She looked at Elena and Lucy with wide eyes.

"Turn it off," Elena cried over Lucy's sobs. "Turn it off. You won't be scared anymore."

Klaus stepped toward Jenna and turned her over, hovering above her. He held up the stake and plunged it into her heart, causing her to gasp loudly.

"No!" Lucy shouted through her cries as Jenna's body slowly turned a sickening gray. "No, Jenna, no!"

She fell to her knees and clutched her chest, almost hyperventilating from the strength of her sobs. Unable to watch as Klaus pulled the Jenna's heart from her chest, she ducked her head and covered her eyes with her bloody hands.

Jenna was dead. She was dead and Lucy would never see her again. Never again would they have game nights and watch rom coms together. Never would Lucy hear Jenna's sarcastic comments and playful quips. She loved Jenna so much and now she lost her.

Now she knew that adrenaline didn't numb pain the way everyone said it did.

Lucy didn't listen as Greta continued chanting to break the curse and she didn't notice when Stefan woke up and apologized to Elena. She didn't care when he told her sister that they were going to kill Klaus.

When the fire around Elena dimmed, Lucy looked up, glaring at Klaus with hatred.

"It's time," Klaus announced, holding out a hand to Elena.

Elena glowered at him and ignored his hand, standing up by herself. She walked past him without a word, causing Klaus to roll his eyes in annoyance.

Lucy knew that Elena would come back, thanks to Damon's blood, but it was still nerve wracking to watch as she stood next to Greta to await her fate. She buried her head in her hands as Klaus approached Elena and whispered something to her.

It was only seconds later that she heard a body drop to the ground.

"No, no, no," Lucy whimpered wetly, pressing her palms forcefully against her eyes.

Now Elena was gone, too.

The fire in the basin disappeared but Lucy could still feel the heat surrounding her. She kept her hands over her eyes as Klaus started to shout in joy and his bones stared cracking disgustingly. The first hybrid was shifting.

And then he was screaming and someone was chanting.

Lucy looked up to see Bonnie stalking toward the clearing, her hand held out in front of her as she shouted curses at Klaus, who writhed in pain. The wind was blowing furiously around them and thunder boomed as lightning touched down.

The ring of fire around Lucy disappeared as Damon sped over to Greta and snapped her neck. As Damon picked up Elena's body, Lucy was on the move, running to Jenna. Joel appeared next to her, his eyes shining as he pulled Lucy into his chest and stared down at his aunt.

While Damon left the quarry with Elena and Bonnie stopped chanting, Joel stood and picked up Lucy, cradling her to her chest. He was about to speed away, but Lucy protested strongly.

"No!" she cried desperately. "What about Jenna? We can't leave her here."

"I need to get you out of here, Luce," Joel told her. "I will come back for her. I promise."

"You promise?"

"I wouldn't leave her."

Lucy stared blankly at the shiny black pumps Caroline had put out for her, wishing that she didn't have to wear them. After her parents died, she had never wanted to go to another funeral, but here she was. They were burying Jenna and John—who gave his life to Elena—today.

She felt sick to her stomach. She didn't want to do this but she owed it to Jenna and John to be there. They protected her and her siblings. They loved Lucy, Elena, Joel, and Jeremy and they took care of them. The least they could do was give Jenna and John a funeral to say goodbye.

Lucy looked up as Caroline walked into her room, dressed in a nice outfit and a small frown. Caroline didn't say a word as she walked over to Lucy's bed and sat down next to her but Lucy could tell she wanted to say something.

It didn't take long for Caroline to crack. "I'm so sorry, Luce."

Lucy shook her head and leaned to the side, laying her head on Caroline's shoulder. No tears had come to her eyes and she was glad; she didn't want to cry anymore. From this moment forward, she wanted to heal. She knew Jenna and her parents would want that.

"Life's too short," she sighed as Caroline leaned her head against hers. "You think you have forever with people and you don't and it sucks. Jenna's not coming back and it hurts but I don't want to dwell on the fact that she's not here anymore. I just want to remember the times she made me smile or laugh or when I felt loved by her. Does that make sense?"

Caroline sniffed wetly—Lucy's words had made her tear up. "Yeah, it does," she agreed. "When did you get so smart, Luce?"

Lucy chuckled and Caroline giggled along with her. Their laughter trailed off when Joel entered Lucy's room, eight red roses clutched in his fist. He smiled slightly at the sight of Lucy and Caroline pulling themselves together and looking at him sheepishly.

Even when most things changed, some things stayed the same.

"Are you ready?" he asked his little sister, holding four of the roses out to her.

The roses were for Jenna, John, and her parents. Joel, Jeremy, and Elena would have their own to give, as well. Lucy was so grateful Caroline had stepped up to plan a funeral for Jenna and John overnight.

Lucy took the roses and brought them to her nose, inhaling the sweet scent that reminded her of Jenna's perfume.

"I'm ready."


	38. The Confession

**[2x22; As I Lay Dying]**

"Does Joel like mustard?"

"Yeah."

"Pass the mustard, then."

"Passing the mustard," Lucy smirked at Caroline, pushing the bottle of mustard down the counter where she was making Joel's sandwich. "And onion."

"Ew," Caroline wrinkled her nose but sprinkled onions onto the sub. Finishing it up, she placed the top bun on and rolled it up in some paper. "Okay, next?"

"Elena's ham and cheese," Lucy answered dutifully, pushing over Elena's sub, which was waiting for condiments. "You know, we should get jobs at Subway."

"Both of us are too bossy to take orders from a Subway worker," Caroline answered without missing a beat. "We'll have to be our own bosses someday."

Lucy nodded. "Girl bosses."

"Exactly," Caroline put some lettuce, tomato, and mayo on Elena's sub before wrapping it up. She placed all five sandwiches into the packed picnic basket and clasped it shut. "Can you bring this out to my car? I need to change."

"Sure," Lucy picked up the picnic basket and hesitated. "Thanks for doing this, Care. We all appreciate it."

"You know I'd do anything for you, babe," Caroline winked at her.

Lucy playfully clutched her chest. "_Babe_!"

They both giggled before setting out to do the last few tasks before they could meet up with Elena, Joel, and Jeremy at the court square. The town was having a movie day and Caroline insisted on bringing the Gilbert siblings to watch _Gone with the Wind_. It was one of her favorites and she was hoping that they would cheer them up a little bit.

Lucy was halfway to Caroline's car when she noticed two figures watching her. She pursed her lips angrily and set the basket on the sidewalk next to the vehicle before turning toward her brothers.

Even though they had a plan for killing Klaus, they didn't succeed. Elijah screwed them over at the last moment and sped away, dragging Klaus with him. So, not only did Klaus get away with killing Jenna—and Elena, or so he thought—but he probably out for revenge.

Lucy wouldn't give him the satisfaction of being afraid. "What do you want?" she snapped at them. "Did you come to kill what's left of my family?"

Klaus rolled his eyes and if Lucy had the power to hurt him, she would. Did he not have any decency?

"Of course not, Luciana," Elijah said politely. "Niklaus and I have come to see how you are."

"Well, let's see. One of my brothers killed my aunt and my sister," Lucy muttered sarcastically. "And another screwed me and my friends over. I guess you could say my life is pretty screwed up, thanks. How are you?"

"Luciana, family is everything," Elijah stated, trying to see things from his point of view. "I didn't not want to betray you but Niklaus ensured that he would take me to our siblings. Can't you understand that?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes at Elijah, unable to believe that he was really speaking to her about the values of family. "I can't believe you just said that to me."

"Enough, sister. A thousand years and yet you're still so dramatic," Klaus drawled, earning himself a venomous look. "I'm taking Elijah to our siblings. Are you coming or not?"

Lucy bit her lip thoughtfully; she did want to see Rebekah, Kol, and Finn…But she had already planned to meet up with Elena, Jeremy, and Joel and they needed her more right now than a couple of original vampires.

"Not this time," she declined his invitation. "I have plans. I would like to meet them, though."

Klaus nodded and Elijah seemed to accept her reasoning.

"If you change your mind, we'll be at Alaric Saltzman's apartment," Klaus informed her. "Farewell, Luciana."

Lucy cleared her throat and nodded. "Bye."

Lucy blinked and Elijah and Klaus were gone. She sighed and picked up the picnic basket, scolding herself for being so polite. Klaus deserved worse than a couple of sarcastic comments and hard glares.

What he deserved was a kick up the—

"Hey, are you okay?" Caroline asked, holding a bundle of blankets, as she walked out of her house. "I saw Elijah and Klaus leave. Did they bother you?"

"They were asking me if I wanted to meet the rest of my siblings," Lucy explained as Caroline shoved the blankets in the backseat. "I told them I had plans that I couldn't miss."

"Aww," Caroline cooed with a large smile. "I knew you loved _Gone with the Wind_."

Lucy scoffed. "I wouldn't go that far, Care."

"You brought me to see a girl movie," Jeremy said flatly as he glared at the large banner declaring the movie choice.

Lucy bit her lip to hold back her laughter while Caroline rolled her eyes and got to work spreading out the blankets so the five of them could sit. Joel helped her, setting the picnic basket on one of the corners so the blanket couldn't fly away with the wind.

"We had to get out of the house, Jere," Joel said. "This is our three-hour distraction from reality."

"Is that what we're doing?" Jeremy scoffed. "Pretending like our lives aren't screwed up?"

"We need to do this, okay?" Elena sighed, taking a seat once Joel and Caroline were done. "Breath, eat, sleep, wake up, and do it all over again until one day, it's just not as hard anymore."

"Well said, Lena," Lucy plopped down next to her sister. "So, who's hungry?"

"Are we really doing this?" Jeremy groaned in annoyance.

"Yes, we are really doing this," Caroline said sternly. "We are going to take a page from Scarlett. We made it through the war. You guys went through hell and my mom knows that I'm a vampire, so basically, it's like Atlanta has burned. And yet, despite of everything—" she raised her fist in the air triumphantly. "we persevere!"

Jeremy exchanged looks with his siblings, receiving nods from all three of them. Finally, he sighed and sat next to Joel. "All right."

Lucy grinned. "All right, Jere!" she cheered as her phone went off. "Oh, hold on. Hello?"

"_Hey_," Stefan's voice greeted her. _"Can you meet me?"_

"Yeah," her eyebrows furrowed in concern at the way his voice wavered. "Are you okay?"

"_I'm all right,"_ Stefan assured her. "_I just…I need your help. Can you meet me at the old witch house?"_

"Of course. I'll be right there," she confirmed before hanging up. She turned to Caroline and asked, "Can I borrow your car? I have to do something really quick."

"Yeah but where are you going?" Caroline pulled her keys out of her jeans and handed them to her.

"Thank you so much. I'll be right back," Lucy said, ignoring the questioning looks she was getting from her siblings. "I won't miss intermission."

Fifteen minutes later, she was in the basement of the old witch house with Bonnie and Stefan. The reason that Stefan had called was because Tyler bit Damon on the night of the full moon and he was only hours away from death.

It concerned Lucy that Damon—I'll-fuck-you-up Damon—was at death's door. It seemed impossible that something got the better of him. She assured Stefan that she would help him in any way. She didn't want him to lose his brother.

In order to find a cure for a werewolf bite, Stefan thought that Bonnie might be able to contact her ancestors. Lucy got to work, lighting candles for a séance while Bonnie and Stefan discussed what was going to happen.

"I'm not sure this is going to work," Bonnie worried.

"You've done a séance before, right?" Stefan reminded her. "You contacted Emily. Maybe one of the witches might know how to help Damon."

Bonnie sighed. "Let's just hope they want to."

"Just ask really nicely," Lucy suggested as she stood to her full height. "You're all set, Bon."

Bonnie gave her a thankful look before closing her eyes. She started chanting, casting the spell so she could speak with her ancestors. The candles all around the room flared and Stefan gave Lucy a questioning look; she gave him a reassuring smile.

"Bonnie," Stefan whispered impatiently. "Bonnie."

Bonnie opened her eyes. "_Emily_," when she spoke next, her voice and her demeanor was different. "Why have you come here, Stefan?"

"I need your help," Stefan informed Emily while Lucy gaped at Bonnie. "I need to know if there's a spell that can heal a werewolf bite."

"No," Emily said instantly. "Nature ensures a balance to everything."

"Is that true or are you just saying no because it's Damon?"

Emily raised a defiant eyebrow. "Perhaps it is his time to die."

"No, that's not balance," Lucy spoke up, shaking her head. "That's punishment."

Emily pursed her lips, seeming unpleased with Lucy's words. "I will not give you what you want."

"So you're saying that there's an answer to give?" Stefan questioned quickly. "Please, if you know something, just tell me. Help me save my brother."

Emily did not answer him and that was when Bonnie started screaming. Lucy balanced her as she gripped her head, hoping to relieve her pain.

"Bonnie, are you okay?" Lucy asked worriedly.

Bonnie shook her head. "They don't want us here," she told her and Stefan. "They think I'm abusing their power."

"They know something. There's an answer," Stefan insisted. "They just don't want to tell me."

"Yeah," Bonnie confirmed with a pained sigh. "I heard them say a name."

"What was it?" Lucy asked.

"_Klaus_."

"Stefan, Klaus will kill you," Lucy followed Stefan, trying to keep up with his quick pace as they left the witch house. "Would you stop and listen to me for a second?"

Stefan sighed and stopped walking, turning around to face her. "Klaus had the chance to kill me but he didn't," he reminded her. "I have to at least try."

"Stefan…"

"I was the one who made Damon transition, Lucy," Stefan shook his head. "He's a vampire because of me. If there's a chance that Klaus has the cure, I owe it to him to find it."

Lucy knew that he was right; if any of her siblings were in Damon's place, she would be knocking on Klaus' door, too. Stefan was a noble guy and he would always be; despite the pain that Damon put him through lately, he was willing to give up his life so Damon could live.

"You're too honorable for your own good sometimes," Lucy mumbled as she reached forward and pulled Stefan into a hug. Stefan chuckled weakly and buried his face in her hair, inhaling her peach and coconut scent. "Super-Stef saves the day yet again."

"I couldn't do it without my Lovely-Lucy," Stefan pressed a kiss to the top of her head, making her heart race.

"I didn't do much," Lucy admitted as they pulled away from each other. "but I will tell you this. Klaus and Elijah are going to be at Ric's apartment. You'll find him there."

Stefan sighed in relief and poked the dimple in her cheek. "Thank you, Goofy. You're a life saver, literally," when Lucy waved him off, he added, "Can you do one more thing for me?"

"Name it, Broody."

Lucy needed to stop doing things for people because she was always going to end up in awkward situations that made her want to ramble on and on until someone took pity on her and stopped her verbal diarrhea. This was one of those times.

Explaining to Elena about what was happening to Damon was not going to be fun.

Once she got back to the court square and gave Caroline her keys back, she pulled Elena off to the side. Elena was confused but she finally gave in and asked what was going on.

"Lucy, what's wrong?"

"Look, I wish that I wasn't the one telling you this, but Stefan asked me, so I said I would," Lucy said quickly.

Elena gave her a suspicious look. "Stefan asked you to tell me what?"

"Apparently, the other night when Damon was helping Tyler, something happened," Lucy started to explain. "Tyler was starting to transform and Damon was bitten."

Elena's eyes widened. "What?" her voice was high and panicked. "Is it—is he gonna—?"

Lucy frowned and grabbed Elena's hand. "Yeah."

"Oh, my God," Elena breathed. "He came to the house this morning and tried to apologize. I practically slammed the door in his face."

"Stefan said that Damon didn't want you to know," Lucy comforted her. "but he figured that you would want to talk to him. It's pretty bad, Lena, I wouldn't wait."

Elena nodded as she began to tear up. "Why did Stefan ask you to tell me?"

"Because it's not over. Stefan is going to Klaus for a cure."

"What? No!"

"He'll be fine, Lena," Lucy assured her, squeezing her hand. "But he said he owes it to Damon to find a cure. While he's with Klaus, he wants you to talk with Damon and give him hope."

"Okay," Elena nodded jerkily. "I can do that."

"I'll tell the others what's going on. Elena," when Elena looked at her, she smiled sadly. "Take care of Damon, all right? I hate to admit it, but it'd suck if he wasn't around."

Elena managed a small smile before taking off.

Elena and Stefan had been gone for an hour and Lucy and the others were still waiting for news about the cure and Damon. They tried to distract themselves with _Gone with the Wind_ but it was hard not to think about the chaos going on right now. When Bonnie joined them in the square, Jeremy started to get antsy.

The sun had finally set and the end of the movie was approaching when Caroline began to whisper furiously, "All this waiting around for news is ruining Scarlett for me."

Lucy rolled her eyes and answered her phone as it began to ring. "Hey, Ric. Any news?"

Her greeting caught the attention of Joel, Jeremy, Caroline, and Bonnie.

"_Tell me you're with Elena_," Alaric said urgently.

"She went to go see Damon," Lucy told him. "Aren't you at the Boarding House?"

"_Lucy, Damon escaped and I think he's looking for her,"_ Alaric said hurriedly. "_The cops are after him, too. Listen, he's in bad shape, so if you find her, get her somewhere safe, okay? I'm on my way."_

"Okay," Lucy hung up and gave the others the run-down of what Alaric told her.

Jeremy stood up immediately and the others quickly followed, Bonnie stopping him from walking off to find Damon himself.

"If Damon's off the rails, there's nothing you can do to stop him," Bonnie tried to calm him down. "Let us take care of it."

"You keep doing this!" Jeremy raised his voice at her. "You left me behind before and guess what? Jenna still died. I'm going to find my sister—you go ahead and try to stop me."

Before Jeremy could even start to walk away, Joel grabbed him. "I'm coming with you," he gave Bonnie, Lucy, and Caroline a pointed look. "I'll make sure nothing happens."

"I'm coming, too," Lucy added, joining her brothers. "Let's go. If the cops are after Damon, it won't take them long to find him."

The Gilbert siblings took off, keeping their eyes peeled as they walked around the square. The movie was just finishing up, so it was harder to try to find Damon with everyone up and moving around.

Finally, after ten minutes of searching, Joel spotted Damon slowly making his way through the crowd. He pointed him out to Lucy and Jeremy and they started approaching the sick vampire.

"Katherine?" Damon's voice was almost dreamy as he stared off into the distance.

"Damon!" Joel grabbed his shoulders, holding him up straight.

Damon didn't look good; Lucy knew that if Stefan didn't get the cure soon, Damon would die, probably within the hour. He was paler than usual and he was drenched with sweat as he coughed up some blood. By the looks of it, he was also hallucinating.

Damon shook his head and blinked as he focused on Joel. "Where's Elena?" he asked despondently. "I need to see Elena now."

"We'll get you to Elena, Damon," Lucy said softly. "Let's just get you out of here, all right?"

"The Grill should be empty," Jeremy interjected.

Joel nodded and wrapped his arm around Damon's shoulder, allowing the older vampire to slump into him. The three of them led Damon to the Grill, avoiding large crowds that would take longer to get through. The Grill was empty just like Jeremy said it would be and Lucy was thankful.

It would be hard to explain a sick vampire with a toxic werewolf bite.

While Joel and Lucy leaned Damon against one of the clean tables, Jeremy pulled out his phone and called Alaric, telling him their location. He trailed off as he looked toward the doors and Joel stiffened and followed his gaze.

Lucy turned to see Liz aiming a gun at Damon.

Just as she pulled the trigger, Damon sped away, letting the bullet shoot right into Jeremy's chest.

"Jeremy!" Lucy shouted in shock.

"Oh, my God," Liz gasped.

Before Jeremy even hit the ground, Joel was catching him and cradling him in his lap. Lucy ran over to them and knelt by Jeremy's side, grabbing his hand and staring into his wide, fearful eyes.

"It's okay, Jere," Lucy cooed as Jeremy's eyes slid shut. "Give him blood, Joel!"

"I've got a gunshot victim at the Grill!" Liz reported into her radio. "Get the paramedics here."

"Joel!" Lucy shouted tearfully at her older brother as he just shook his head, a sob escaping his lips. "Joel, please!"

"He's gone, Lucy!" Joel snapped at her. "He's dead and I can't do anything about it."

Lucy collapsed on her butt and made sure to keep Jeremy's pale hand in her grip as she wrapped the other around her knees.

This could _not_ be happening.

"Jeremy!"

Lucy lifted her head at Bonnie's scream and saw her and Caroline rushing into the Grill. They both knelt on either side of Jeremy, their hands hovering unsurely over his body.

"Mom, what did you do?" Caroline asked Liz frantically.

"I was aiming for Damon."

Caroline shook her head and glanced at Lucy, noticing her death grip on Jeremy's hand. "He still has his ring," she pointed out hopefully.

"She's human," Bonnie shook her head, tears falling down her cheeks. "The ring won't work on him."

Lucy closed her eyes and bowed her head, pressing Jeremy hand against her lips. Her little brother was gone. He was fine one moment and the next…

She couldn't believe it. Jeremy was only fifteen. He was just starting to move on from their parents', Vicki's, and Anna's death, he was getting good grades, and he was in a healthy relationship with Bonnie. It was all gone so quickly.

It was all gone.

"Lucy, Joel, what's going on?" Alaric asked as he rushed into the restaurant. He paused when he saw Jeremy clutched to Joel's chest, his gunshot wound soaking his white t-shirt in blood. "Oh, my God."

"I know what I need to do," Bonnie declared shakily, standing up. "I need you to grab him so we can—so we can take him with us."

"No, no, no," Liz objected. "You can't move him. This is a crime scene."

"Mom!" Caroline exclaimed sternly. "You let them go."

"Joel, Lucy, come on," Bonnie urged, catching the attention of the broken siblings.

Joel sniffed and nodded, standing up with Jeremy held tightly to his chest. Lucy numbly rose to her feet, wiping her bloody hands on her shirt, and followed Alaric, Bonnie, and Joel out of the Grill.

Lucy stumbled down the stairs to the basement of the old witch house for the second time that day, hoping and praying that witches would help Bonnie bring Jeremy back to life. With a flick of her hand, Bonnie lit the candles around the room, taking no time to light from properly.

Joel laid Jeremy on the dusty floor and Bonnie sat down with him, pulling his head into her lap.

"Is this even possible?" Alaric asked anxiously from beside Lucy.

"There's a spell for it if they'll give me the power to use it," Bonnie hurriedly explained, placing her hands on either side of Jeremy's head. "_Revertas Phasmatis ut victus…"_

The candles flared as Bonnie continued to cast the spell, her voice thick with emotion. She repeated it over and over again and whimpered when nothing happened.

"_No_."

"What?" Joel asked. "What is it?"

"They're angry at me for coming back here," Bonnie sniffed. "They don't want to help."

"They have to," Lucy objected.

"They said there'll be consequences."

"Well, he's just a kid," Alaric snapped. "Tell them to shut up."

Bonnie nodded and closed her eyes, starting the spell again. The house shook as her voice grew louder and Lucy winced when whispers started up around the room. Bonnie didn't let the commotion phase her as she focused on bringing Jeremy back.

Then her nose started to bleed.

"Emily…Emily!" Bonnie sobbed, looking up at the ceiling as if her ancestor was there. "I know you're there. Please help me. I love him."

Lucy buried her head into Alaric's chest as the house stopped shaking and the candles dimmed. They had their answer. No matter how much magic Bonnie used or how much they all begged, Jeremy wasn't coming back.

And then Jeremy gasped, his eyes flying open.

"_Bonnie_."

Lucy pulled her face out of Alaric's chest and sighed in relief when she saw her little brother looking up at Bonnie. Bonnie sobbed as she hugged Jeremy to her chest, muttering soothing words to him as he freaked out about what happened.

Lucy could literally feel the stress and sadness that came with Jeremy's temporary death melt away. Her baby brother was safe and he was alive.

Jeremy was safe.

The blade of grass between Lucy's fingers was smooth and slightly damp from the condensation in the cool air. She simply stared at it, her mind racing a mile a minute. So much had happened in the span of three days it was hard to keep up. She had to always distract herself to keep from breaking down and the recent news she got from Elena made her feel worse, if that was possible.

Only minutes earlier, Elena had called her, telling her that Katherine had brought the cure for Damon and he would be fully recuperated after a few blood bags. Lucy was happy to hear about Damon's health and had told Elena so, but her sister wasn't done.

According to Katherine, Stefan had given himself over to Klaus in exchange for the cure. Elena said that they probably wouldn't see Stefan for a long, long time. Lucy could barely hang up the call, only able to give Elena a choked-up goodbye.

It wasn't fair. Lucy had lost so many people in her life already and now Stefan was leaving, too. Who even knew when she would see him again—_if_ she saw him again. Vampires lived a long time and Lucy knew that, but she hadn't expected to lose Stefan so soon.

The thought of losing Stefan on top of everything that was going on was almost too much to bear. How was she going to live without him?

She didn't mean that in a suicidal way—she meant it in the way that every time she saw him, she'd stop breathing. When Stefan smiled, she couldn't help but smile, too. When Stefan hurt, she hurt. When he was injured, she was protective. When she didn't see him or talk to him for too long, she'd be lost. It was like her world was black and white without him.

Stefan made her life vibrant.

It was then that Lucy realized that she was royally screwed. Ever since Founder's Day, when she realized that she had romantic feelings for Stefan, she had been trying to squash down her desire to be with him. She had tried so hard because she knew how much Stefan loved Elena and how much Elena loved Stefan.

She had failed, though. Every time she convinced herself that Stefan was just a passing fancy, he'd do something to reel her back in. Every laugh, smile, conversation, and touch she shared with Stefan made her fall deeper and deeper.

Lucy was in love with Stefan.

At least, she was pretty sure she was. She once read that everyone experiences love differently; sometimes it's all-consuming, sometimes it starts as a small fire and engulfs them—it really depended on the person. Lucy's love for Stefan was close to her chest but it didn't make it weak—her love for him burned brighter than the sun and would last longer than a star.

"You weren't at Steven's Quarry."

Lucy screeched loudly and fell on her side in shock at Stefan's voice, her heart racing impossibly fast. She rolled over, trying to control her heart rate, and jumped to her feet, staring wide-eyed at her best pal.

"You scared the shit out of me."

"Sorry," Stefan smiled slightly, looking around the small clearing that Lucy had found a little way away from Steven's Quarry. "This isn't your usual place."

"I couldn't go back there," Lucy shook her head; when she stopped at Steven's Quarry, all she saw were flashes of Klaus killing Jenna. She couldn't stay there.

Stefan nodded and stepped closer to her. "This place is nice," he observed. "It's cozy."

"I guess," Lucy agreed and eyed him curiously. "What are you doing here? Elena told me that you were leaving with Klaus."

Stefan frowned at the reminder. "I am," he confirmed. "but Klaus agreed to let me say goodbye to you."

"Me?"

"Well," Stefan shrugged. "I could only choose one person."

"And you chose me?"

"No, I'm actually Stefan's doppelganger," Stefan snarked at her, rolling his eyes playfully. "I wanted to say goodbye, Goofy."

Lucy gave him a bewildered look; why had he chosen to say goodbye to her and not his brother or his girlfriend. "Why'd you choose me?"

"Because you're Lucy," Stefan answered, like it was that simple. "I wanted to see you one last time and…" he paused, pulling something out of his jacket. "I got you something."

"What?" Lucy gave him a confused look as he took her right hand and flipped it palm-up. He dropped a silver necklace in her hand, the metal cool against her heated skin. "Stefan…"

The chain was dainty and high quality, shiny against her palm. Attached to the chain was a small pendent in the shape of a star, a diamond settled in the middle of it. It was beautiful.

"Stefan," Lucy breathed, looking back at him. "This is amazing…"

"I know your locket was destroyed, so I wanted to give you this," Stefan explained, taking the necklace from her and spinning her around so he could put it on her. As he brushed her hair away from her neck, giving her goosebumps, he went on, "I _was_ going to give you another locket but I decided not to. I wanted to get you something that reminded you of me."

Lucy straightened the pendent against her chest as Stefan clasped the necklace and put her hair back in place. As she turned around, she said earnestly, "Nothing would make me forget you Stefan."

Stefan's forest-green eyes glinted warmly. "I got you a star because that's how I see you," he tapped the diamond with a single finger and smiled at her. "You know how it takes thousands of years for a star's light to shine on someone and it makes them feel so special?"

Lucy silently nodded, a lump in her throat.

"That's you, Luce," Stefan declared. "You're beautiful and you love so selflessly and you see the good in people. You make everyone around you feel special."

"Stefan…"

"Knowing you will impact my life forever. Years from now, your light will still shine on me," Stefan promised shakily but earnestly. "You changed my life, Lucy. Since the first time I saw you struggling with your locker, I knew you would be important to me."

A warm feeling bounced around her chest at Stefan's words. She was pretty sure her heart had melted into mush and she had stopped breathing for a few seconds.

Lucy loved Stefan and she had to tell him.

"I'm a horrible person," she blurted, shaking her head.

Stefan raised his eyebrows. "What?"

"You know, life is short. It ends unexpectantly. People come and they go and sometimes it's great and sometimes it hurts like hell. I've known Jenna and John my whole life and now they're gone. My brother died and came back to life today. Life is short."

"Luce, you're rambling…"

Lucy nodded and tried to focus. "What I'm trying to say is no one knows when they'll last see someone they care about. I woke up on the day of the full moon thinking that Jenna would eventually marry Ric and have a couple of babies so I could have even more siblings. I didn't know when I told her I loved her that day, it would be the last time I would ever say it to her."

"I didn't say it enough," Lucy shook her head and looked up at Stefan with teary eyes. "And I've come to realize that I don't say it enough to anyone. To my siblings, to Caroline, to Ric…and now you're leaving. I might not see you again."

Stefan shook his head, confused. "That doesn't make you a bad person, Lucy."

"I'm not a bad person because I don't tell the people I love them enough. I'm a bad person because I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you, Stefan," Lucy confessed, looking away from him so she couldn't see his reaction. "And I know you're with Elena and you love her and that's great. I just—I had to tell you before you left. I had to let you know how much you mean to me."

As she fell silent and closed her eyes, embarrassment set in. This was possibly the last moment she would spend with Stefan and she had ruined it. Warm tears made their way down her face and she didn't move to wipe them away.

"Goofy," Stefan placed his hands on either side of her face, tilting it up to face him. She opened her eyes, surprised to see warmth and tears glinting in the forest-green eyes looking back at her.

Stefan wiped away her tears with his thumbs and gave her a small smile before leaning down and pressing a long kiss to her forehead. Lucy closed her eyes and tried to memorize what she was feeling.

"Goodbye, Lucy."

When she opened her eyes, Stefan was gone.

**I know and you know that siphoners can heal werewolf bites but Lucy and the rest of the gang don't know that yet. You have to remember that they just discovered werewolves existed only a couple months before this chapter took place. That is why Lucy didn't heal Damon herself. **


	39. Letters to Stefan

_**May 12, 2010**_

_Broody, _

_I'm betting that this letter surprises you. You were probably doing God-knows-what and a piece of paper just suddenly appears to you. It's a spell I learned—remember when Elena and I were kidnapped by Rose and Bonnie sent us a message about you, Joel, and Damon coming to get us? It's that spell. I may have asked Bonnie if I could look at her grimoire and this happened to be the spell that I was searching for. No one knows I'm writing you except for Caroline because she's the one I'm siphoning magic from to send this to you. _

_Believe it or not, Care's getting sick of me. Everyday, when we're not at school, I'm by her side and it's only after dinner that I leave to go home. It's funny, when my mom and dad died, I stayed in my room for weeks in isolation but with Jenna gone, I just want to be around my friends. Like I told you before you left, you have to let people know how much you care about them before it's too late. Matt broke up with Caroline so, I think that when I'm not annoying her, she's secretly glad that I'm around so much. Either way, she insisted that I write you. I might have been sitting on this spell since a few days after you left…_

_Everyone really misses you. Damon was furious when he learned what you did for him but I think it's because now he owes you one. He's been around the house more lately, probably trying to cheer up Ric, who's staying with us now. And I'm pretty sure that he and Joel are becoming friends. Isn't that strange? There was a time when Joel hated Damon and now they actually hang out. And I know that I said that Damon was mad at you, and you're probably not surprised, but I can tell he misses you, too. _

_It's probably because you were really the only one who could put up with his annoying ass. _

_So, how's traveling with Klaus? If he's reading this—and I know he probably is because he sticks his nose into other people's business—I hope he knows that I think he's a dick. He sacrificed my aunt and my sister, so he should be grateful I'm not writing worse insults. He has a temper, you know, and I don't want him taking it out on you so I won't write anything worse. _

_So, I know that you're probably feeding on humans and you feel like you're out of control. I know you, Stefan, and I know that you feel guilty about everything you do—especially when it comes to your control. I just hope you know that you're not the monster you think you are. It may seem like it but I know you're not. I'm always gonna believe in you, Broody. _

_Sorry, this letter got away from me. I definitely did not mean to write this much. I just really miss you, Stefan. I knew it was going to be hard with you gone, but I didn't think it would hurt this much. I know you're supposed to be on a decade-long bender with Klaus and I'll be twenty-six if I see you again, but just know that you'll always be my best pal. _

_Keep fighting, Stefan. Miss you. _

_Sincerely yours, _

_Goofy_

_**May 21, 2010**_

_Stefan, _

_You know how people sound different? How none of our voices are the same? Like, your voice is masculine and your accent is pretty general from moving around for 150 years but sometimes you'll get a southern twang from when you were human or I can hear a hint of a Jersey accent from all that time you spent there in the 80's. _

_I forgot what Jenna's voice was like. _

_This morning, I got up and got dressed before going downstairs for breakfast. I opened the fridge and pushed the milk aside and I saw a couple containers of strawberry yogurt. Strawberry yogurt was Jenna's go-to breakfast and no one else in the house liked them. The yogurt's expired now and I tried to imagine what Jenna would say if she knew that we let strawberry yogurt expire—and then I realized that I couldn't remember what she sounded like. _

_I had to go to our archived messages and find a video she sent me to remember her voice? How stupid is that? I had to watch a video to remember that she somehow always had a sarcastic hint in her voice. It's only been three weeks, Stefan. How could I forget her voice so easily?_

_I've been holed up in my room since then. This week hasn't been good, I guess, and it's not going to get any better for a little while. In two days, it will be a year since my mom and dad died. It's been a year but it somehow feels like it was yesterday. The grief is still there—and it's worse with Jenna gone—but, I don't know, something's different. I still miss them but it doesn't hurt to think about them. Don't get me wrong, there are times when I remember something about my parents and I'm almost paralyzed with how much I miss them but I can look back on most memories with a smile. _

_I don't mean to spill my grief on you while you're having a hard time with Klaus. It's just—you're the one I want to talk to. It sucks that you're not here but I know that you did what you had to do to save your brother. It's kind of inspiring, Stefan. _

_And I know that if you were here, you'd be smiling and that makes me feel better. You know how much I love to see your dimples—I wish you would smile more. I know this letter is sad but maybe next letter I can make you smile. _

_Keep fighting. _

_Sincerely yours, _

_Lucy Gilbert_

_**June 1, 2010**_

_Broody, _

_I'm officially a senior in high school. School has been over for two weeks already but my summer has been eventful. Joel finished his classes for the semester and because he's starting his internship year in the fall, he was able to secure a spot at Mystic High. He'll be the computer lab technician and do the rest of his classes online, so he'll be able to stay at home for the year. He's excited about it but I think he chose Mystic Falls so he could be with us. He's responsible for me and Jeremy now and he said it was his job to make sure that he was here for us. _

_Joel is our guardian now, can you believe that? Since Jeremy and I are under the age of eighteen, we had to have someone looking out for us, according to Liz. It wasn't hard for Joel to step up and Ric stepped up, too. He petitioned to have partial guardianship of me and Joel agreed without a fuss. _

_Ric has been staying with us since everything happened. He sleeps on the couch because he doesn't want to go in Jenna's room and to be quite honest, he's a mess. We've been spending some time together and bonding and he signed me up for self defense classes, which is exciting. I glad that we have each other to lean on and we're getting to know each other better. I've known that he's my biological father for months and we've hardly spent time together. _

_Bonnie went to visit some of her dad's family for the summer, so me, Caroline, and some of the others went to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg for a couple of days. It was kind of awkward for Caroline, Matt, and Tyler but we got through it. Matt and I just had to buddy up so he wasn't glaring at Caroline and Tyler the whole time. _

_Hearing about teenage drama must be boring for you compared to what you're dealing with. How are you doing? Tell Klaus that he's an asshole for dragging you all over. By the way, did you give him my number? He texted me the other day and I almost threw my phone at the wall. He probably shouldn't contact me for the foreseeable future. He's my brother but he's definitely not on my good side. _

_I miss you so much, Broody. I watched Star Wars with Joel the other day to see what you loved about it and it was okay. Obi Wan might be my favorite and I definitely think that Luke Skywalker is underrated. Why is it that he's no one's favorite character? _

_I don't know if you have access to internet or magazines or whatever, but I just wanted to let you know that Chris Evans was casted to play Captain America. I know what you're gonna say: who the hell is Chris Evans? And I also know that you definitely know who my favorite actor is and you only act like you don't know who he is because you know it bugs me. _

_I'm gonna run now. I think I'm gonna paint. Maybe it will make me feel better. _

_Keep fighting, Stefan. I miss you. _

_Sincerely yours, _

_Goofy_

_**June 14, 2010**_

_Broody, _

_Remember the Bon Jovi tickets you got me for my birthday? The concert was on Saturday and at first I didn't think I wanted to go without you. It was actually Damon that convinced me to go. He said that you'd want me to go and have fun. So, I took Damon. Weird, right? It turned out that picking Damon was a good choice because he compelled us backstage and I got to meet the band. I wish it was us making these memories but I had a lot of fun with Damon. Maybe he's not so bad. He's getting more tolerable, at least. _

_So, I started looking at colleges. You know, I used to know what I wanted to do with my life—I always wanted to be a teacher, remember? You told me that a lot of people didn't know what they wanted to do. Now I'm one of those people. I just don't feel like I could spend the rest of my life in a classroom teaching ungrateful teenagers. _

_Anyway, while I'm searching for a career I want to spend the rest of my life with, I'm focusing on Duke. Ric went there and he said it's great. It's a little ways away but it's not too far. I love Mystic Falls, don't get me wrong, but I want to go different places, too. I want to travel. There's no place like home but Mystic Falls doesn't exactly have the alleyway that inspired Diagon Alley, you know? I'm applying to Whitmore, of course, but that's my back-up plan. My sights are set on Duke. What do you think?_

_Mrs. Lockwood contacted me recently and I have good news. She said the planning committee was so impressed with my work as the student ambassador that they decided to let me stay on. I'll be a junior member of the committee while Caroline will be the student ambassador this year. Mrs. Lockwood is giving me pay for it and I'll be getting recommendation letters, too. It's like an internship. I'm really excited and proud of my work. I know that my mom would be really happy. _

_Speaking of my mom, I applied for Miss Mystic Falls. I'll be seventeen by the next pageant, so it's my time. There's not much competition, which sucks, because I wanted to win fair and square. I don't want to boast, but I think I have this in the bag. It may seem silly but I always wanted to be Miss Mystic Falls. Ever since my mom told me that she won when she was a teenager, I wanted that title for myself. I feel like it's part of my legacy. _

_I hope you're doing okay, Stefan. I wish that you were here. I catch myself wanting to call you all the time just to hear your voice. The letters will have to do for now. Maybe Klaus will relax and let you contact us soon. I want to know how you are. I want to know that you're okay and you're safe. _

_Keep fighting, Stefan. I miss you. _

_Sincerely yours, _

_Goofy_


	40. Summer Loving

**[3x01; The Birthday]**

_**June 22, 2010**_

_Broody, _

_I'm writing because I know today's going to be hard for you. It's Elena's 18__th__ birthday. A few of us are getting together tonight to celebrate for her. It's gonna be tough without you and I'm sure Damon will be drunk by sunset. We'll see though. _

_Not much has happened since I last wrote you. I finished a painting, I hung out with Caroline, I've started to work out with Jeremy and Joel, and I went to cheer camp. Caroline is captain again this year—yay! —and I was once again picked for choreographer. Hopefully this year our season won't be cancelled because of a dead football coach. Matt would appreciate that, I'm sure. _

_How are things going? I'm concerned about you because I've overheard Ric and Damon talking. I'm not gonna scold you—I know you do that to yourself too much already—but I'm worried, Stefan. Don't lose yourself, okay?_

_This letter is gonna have to be a little bit shorter than the others. There's a lot to do today and that includes working out with Joel and setting up for our get-together. I miss you and so does everyone else. _

_Keep fighting, Stefan._

_Sincerely yours, _

_Goofy_

Lucy set down her pen, satisfied with what she wrote, and carefully tore the piece of paper out of her notebook. Crumpling it up, she cupped it with her hands and bowed her head, casting a spell with the magic she siphoned just before writing the letter. With a burst of fire, the paper was gone, sent to Stefan wherever he was.

The spell to send notes to someone was genius, really. She had copied it from Bonnie's grimoire and started practicing only days after Stefan left with Klaus. It took a few practice runs with Caroline before she managed to ace it. And then she took a week or so to actually gain the courage to send a letter to Stefan.

She made sure the letters weren't too sad—other than the one she wrote the week of the anniversary of her parents' death—and she never mentioned what she confessed just before he left. Right now, she pretended that it never happened. She didn't want to make Stefan feel bad and she definitely didn't want to ruin their friendship more than she already had.

Rolling off her bed, Lucy ambled over to her closet and got dressed in some gym shorts and a tank-top. As she brushed her hair, she stared at the pictures that were placed on her dresser—a new picture of her and Damon at their concert was added, along with an older one of her and Jenna that was a couple years old.

Her phone rang as she was tying up her Nikes and when she saw that it was Caroline, she answered it without a fuss.

"Hey, Care," she finished tying her last sneaker. "Whatcha doing?"

"_I just finished shopping for Elena's party. Did you know she's trying to bail?"_ Caroline sighed, aggravated.

"Lena's not one for parties, you know that."

"_Well, I planned it so she's going,"_ Caroline declared. "_My mom wants you or Elena to call her."_

Lucy perked up at the news; if Liz wanted to talk to her, it meant that she had more information. She, Elena, Damon, Joel, and Alaric had been searching for clues on Stefan's whereabouts since he left and Liz pointed them in the direction of gruesome murders that could only be vampires. They had their theories about where he was, but she never mentioned that they were trailing him in her letters in case Klaus read them.

"Did she find something?" she asked eagerly.

"_An animal attack in Memphis. It's the third one this week in Tennessee."_

"Vampires?"

"_Yes but that doesn't mean that it's Klaus or Stefan."_

"Eh," Lucy shrugged. "One of us will call her."

"_On her cell_," Caroline clarified. "_I've got to go, Luce. I'm meeting with Tyler for breakfast at the Grill."_

"Don't sit in Matt's section," Lucy warned her. "You know he doesn't like seeing you two."

"_Yeah, yeah,"_ Caroline sighed. "_Wear something cute tonight, okay? Love ya, bye."_

Lucy hung up with a hopeful smile and slid her phone into her armband before making her way downstairs. Alaric and Elena were already in the kitchen when she entered, messing with the coffee maker.

"Happy birthday, Elena!" she exclaimed, wrapping an arm around Elena's shoulders. "You're officially an adult. How do you feel?"

"I feel the same as yesterday," Elena rolled her eyes with a smile and hugged her back. "Thanks, Lulu."

After Alaric joined in on the hug and wished Elena a happy birthday, Lucy told them about Caroline's call.

"So, I have news," she said as she grabbed a cold water bottle from the fridge.

Alaric gave her a curious look. "Stefan news?"

"Yep," Lucy nodded and looked at Elena. "Liz wants us to call her. There could be more Klaus victims."

Elena's eyes sparkled hopefully while Alaric hummed and walked over to the couch, which was currently his bed.

"And you're certain Stefan's with him?" he asked, folding up his blanket.

Elena shrugged and poured some coffee into a mug. "It's easy to be certain when the alternative is that he's dead," she grimaced at the possibility. "Are you sure you're still okay with the couch?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good."

"Ric, you spent half the summer on that thing," Lucy pointed out. "You're always talking about your back hurting."

"I'm an old man, Luce."

Elena gave him a pointed look. "If you need your own bedroom…"

"And sleep in your dead parents' room or my dead girlfriend's room?"

Elena walked over to him and handed him his coffee. "Right. Got it," she turned back to Lucy. "Going for a run?"

"Yeah," Lucy confirmed. "Going to the Boarding House?"

Elena nodded. "I'll call Liz on the way."

"Have fun with Damon!" Lucy waved at her, laughing as Elena rolled her eyes in annoyance.

As Elena left the house, Lucy turned to Alaric with raised eyebrows. "You up for a run?"

Alaric sighed but shook his head, smiling.

Lucy took two stacks of pink paper plates from Caroline and started sorting them, neatly setting them down next to the pile of matching napkins that Elena was straightening. The three of them, plus Tyler, had arrived to the Boarding House and started to set up for the massive party Caroline had planned for Elena.

The cake, ice, alcohol, and snacks had already been picked up, all that was left to do was put everything where they belonged.

"I feel like I have to fight Damon every single time we get a lead on Stefan," Elena complained.

"Maybe he doesn't want to find him," Tyler suggested as he walked into the room with a case of beer, setting it down on the table.

"Tyler!" Caroline hissed warningly as Elena paused her napkin-sorting, shocked.

"What?" he shrugged. "He's into you, isn't he?"

"The only reason Stefan left with Klaus was so that he could save Damon's life," Elena shook her head. "I mean, trust me, Damon wants you to find him."

"But you kissed him," Tyler reminded her; Elena looked at him, shocked that he knew that particular secret, and sent Caroline a glare. "You probably screwed with his head."

"Tyler!" Caroline scolded him, turning back to Elena. "I'm sorry…"

Lucy winced and spared a glance at Elena, who sighed. It was only a few days after Stefan left that Elena told her, Caroline, and Bonnie about kissing Damon on his death bed. Lucy was shocked but not necessarily surprised. It was kind of obvious—to her, anyway—that Elena felt something for Damon. It was there in her eyes every time she looked at him.

"Don't worry about it," Elena waved her off. "Look, yes, I kissed him but it was a—it was a goodbye kiss. I thought he was going to die."

Tyler shrugged and made an innocent face like he didn't believe her. Lucy had to smile at the look he gave Caroline.

Elena's phone beeped, distracting her. "Oh, I just missed a call from Bonnie," she informed them before walking out of the room. "I'll be right back."

As soon as Elena was out of sight, Caroline whipped around to face Tyler. "Just because I tell you things doesn't mean you're allowed to know them!"

"Sorry," Tyler apologized, though he didn't look too worried. "I've got to run if I'm going to change and pick up Sophie in time."

Lucy raised her eyebrows in surprise; Caroline had feelings for Tyler and he clearly had them for her, too. She didn't understand why they were skirting around their relationship. It was only a matter of time before they jumped each other's bones.

"Wait, you're bringing a date?" Caroline asked sharply. "Slutty-Sophie is your date?"

"Caroline, we don't slut-shame, remember?" Lucy chided her; Caroline rolled her eyes.

"Hey, it's been kind of slow in that department," Tyler defended himself. "And…I'm horny all the time now."

Caroline scoffed in agreement. "Yeah, tell me about it. Sometimes I feel like I'm gonna explode," she sheepishly explained, "It's, um, a vampire thing. You know, our emotions are heightened and we're on overdrive, so…"

Tyler slowly stepped toward Caroline and Lucy swore she could cut the sexual tension with a knife. Was there a reason they were doing this in the same room that she was in?

"It's a werewolf thing, too," Tyler nodded. "It's like I can't turn it off."

Lucy cleared her throat and Caroline jumped, like she forgot she was even there.

"Well, I hope you get lucky tonight!" she exclaimed, smiling at Tyler to hide her jealousy.

Tyler chuckled. "I'll see you later. Bye, Lucy."

"Bye!" Lucy waved as Caroline chirped, "Yeah, see you later!"

Lucy waited until the front door closed before giving Caroline a knowing look. "Are we going to acknowledge how spicy that was?"

"Spicy?" Caroline scoffed and turned back to the refreshment table, picking up a bag of chips. "There's nothing going on between me and Tyler. Nothing."

"Mmhm, sure," Lucy hummed sarcastically, looking at the time on her phone. "Come on, we have to get dressed. We can finish up later."

"Fine," Caroline sighed and set down the solo cups she had picked up. "Wait until you see the sundress I got you. It's so cute."

Two hours later, the Boarding House was full of their classmates listening to popular dance music while they sipped on cheap beer from a keg that Joel brought. Lucy was already on her second beer of the night, Caroline was on her fourth, and they were dancing happily with a few of their teammates.

"Ooh, there's Elena!" Caroline called over the music, catching Lucy's attention. "Let's go say hi!"

Lucy nodded and gulped down the rest of her beer before following Caroline over to her sister. Elena looked beautiful in her white dress and there was a happy smile on her face as she stood next to Damon.

"Elena!" Lucy cheered over the shouts a few feet away from a successful keg stand. "You look great!"

"You look drunk!" Elena grinned at her.

"Tipsy!"

"So, you like?" Caroline coyly asked the birthday girl; Elena furrowed her eyebrows. "Don't answer that."

Elena chuckled. "You told me you were keeping it small," she reminded Caroline before rolling her eyes. "What are we drinking?"

Lucy squealed in excitement and held out her arm for Elena to take, following Caroline over to the drink table. There were dozens of different bottles of alcohol that Joel had gotten for the party and not even half of them were empty.

"I'm partial to the whipped cream vodka," Caroline told Elena, picking up a bottle to show Elena.

"I want one of these," Lucy grabbed bottle of strawberry margarita. "Ooh, Lena, there's Coronas!"

Elena's eyes lit up as she took a bottle of her favorite beer. "Okay, let's get this party started."

Alcohol was consumed at a much faster rate once Elena started drinking with them. Soon Lucy went from tipsy to full-blown drunk while she, Caroline, and Elena danced the time away.

She had no worries in that moment. She wasn't worried about her upcoming year at school, she wasn't worried about Jeremy's almost-shy behavior since he was brought back from the dead, and she definitely didn't worry about Stefan and Klaus. Really, all she cared about was the fact that one of her favorite songs had started playing and Elena was doing a cheesy, robotic dance move.

The girls laughed as they twirled each other around, bounced, shimmied, and swayed. They were having a great time and that was all that mattered at the moment.

"Another drink?" Caroline asked as '_Tik Tok'_ by Kesha ended.

"Yes!" Elena exclaimed.

The three of them each picked up another drink before heading to the library to see what was going on in there. They were still a couple feet away from the entrance when they smelt a familiar aroma coming from the people leaving the room.

"Oh, the stoner den," Caroline groaned, taking a sip of her drink. "Buzz kill."

Lucy laughed and shook her head before gasping excitedly. "Look, there's Matt!"

Matt was walking toward them with blood-shot eyes and an easy grin on his face. Lucy thought he looked amazing in the plaid shirt he was wearing—it really brought out his blue eyes.

"Hey, guys!"

"Matt, you look hot," Lucy told him bluntly, her filter pretty much gone from her use of alcohol. "You're eyes are so blue."

"Thanks, Luce," Matt leaned forward and pressed a hot kiss to her cheek. "You look absolutely amazing."

Lucy shrugged, grinning sheepishly, and looked down at her blue sundress. She had to admit that she did look pretty good.

"Happy birthday, Elena," Matt sent a smile Elena's way.

"Thanks, Matt."

Matt grinned once more at Elena and Lucy—totally ignoring Caroline—and walked away.

Caroline sighed. "He hates me," she grumbled. "His hatred of me has driven him to drugs."

"He doesn't hate you," Elena placated her. "He hates that he's not with you."

Lucy nodded in agreement. "True," she squinted when she saw a familiar head sitting by the fire. "Is that Jeremy?"

Elena narrowed her eyes and nodded. "God, not this again."

Lucy and Caroline exchanged wide-eyed looks as Elena stomped off, mad about Jeremy's pot-smoking habits.

"Come on," Lucy grabbed her arm. "I want some chips."

Half a bag of chips later, Lucy leaned against the door to the living room, taking a long sip of beer. She was getting a kick out of watching Caroline watch Tyler and Sophie dirty dance with each other. Her best friend was glowering at the werewolf while gulping down a bottle of tequila.

"If you take a picture, it'll last longer," Lucy snickered. "Why don't you just tell him how you feel?"

"There are no feelings."

"Uh, yeah, there are."

"Nope."

"Mmhm, sure," Lucy shook her head and took another sip of beer. "You like him and he likes you so why is he over there grinding on Sophie? Man up, Caroline Forbes."

Caroline shook her head and took another angry drink from her bottle.

"Since when are they a thing?" Matt asked as he walked up to them.

Caroline pursed her lips. "I thought you were ignoring me."

"I'm not ignoring you."

"Well, you've only said five words to me all summer and those were four of them."

"Actually, he said ten words," Lucy corrected her, making Caroline roll her eyes.

"Maybe because every time I've seen you, you've been with him," Matt went on like Lucy hadn't spoken, nodding over to Tyler.

"Because he's my friend," Caroline sighed, exasperated. "Which is what I thought you were."

"Aren't you guys supposed to be, like, mortal enemies?" Matt asked her. "I mean, isn't that how it works in the vampire-werewolf universe?"

Lucy winced and looked around to see if anyone heard what Matt said while Caroline glared at him.

"Matt, shh!" she hissed. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

A regretful look crossed over Matt's face. "I don't know," he shook his head. "I'm out of it, I guess. Sorry."

"Guys, let's just cool it, okay?" Lucy spoke up soothingly, stepping between the blondes. "I wanna dance. Matt, do you want to dance with me?"

"Uh, sure, Luce," Matt agreed with a small smile, coming out of his funk.

"Great!" she exclaimed, grabbing his hand. "Let's go!"

Lucy led Matt out onto the dance floor as a fast song kicked on. Twirling her around, Matt placed his hands on her hips as they swayed to the beat. They got closer and closer as they lost themselves in the music, Lucy reaching up to loop her arms around his shoulders.

Lucy's heart began to race as they continued to dance and Matt's hand slipped to her lower back. A weird feeling started in her lower belly, her muscles clenching deliciously. A flush started in her cheeks and she could feel her neck heating up.

Since when did Matt get attractive? She had always known that he was gorgeous, of course, but he never really made her take a second look. Now, he was kind of sexy and it was affecting her more than it should have.

Lucy abruptly pulled away from Matt, her cheeks turning red.

"Lucy, what…?"

"Do you wanna go to my house?" she asked him quickly. "I have ice cream."

"Cookie dough?"

Lucy grinned. "Like you even have to ask, Matty."

"Yeah, let's go," Matt agreed. "I'm not a big fan of cake, anyway."

Matt grabbed her hand and tugged her through the crowded living room, passing many of their drunk classmates. She grabbed her purse at the door and as they left the house, Lucy waved at Joel and Ric where they sat, waiting for the party to be over, giggling when they gave her confused looks.

"Did you bring your car?" Matt asked as they walked further down the driveway.

"Yeah," Lucy nodded, digging into her purse to pull out her keys. "Here ya go."

Matt chuckled and took the keys, looking around for Lucy's car. There were twenty different black cars, so he was having a hard time. Lucy wasn't much help, either.

"What are you guys doing?"

Lucy and Matt turned around to see an amused Jeremy walking toward them.

"Hey there, Jerebear," Lucy waved. "We can't find my car."

Jeremy quirked an eyebrow. "That's probably a sign you shouldn't be driving, Lou," he shook his head and held out his hand for the keys. "Here, I'll drive. I came with Joel."

"You're more stoned than I am," Matt reminded Jeremy as he led them further down the driveway where Lucy's car was parked crookedly. "Nice parking, Luce."

"Thanks," Lucy beamed. "And, you know, there are studies where they figured out that driving while high on marijuana is significantly less dangerous than driving drunk."

While Jeremy unlocked the car and slid into the driver's seat, Matt gave Lucy a confused look. "Who's they?"

"Scientists and stuff," Lucy shrugged. "I dunno."

Matt copied her shrug and then furrowed his eyebrows, looking over at Jeremy as he opened the passenger door. "Hey, what'd you just say?"

"Nothing," Jeremy quickly denied as Lucy slipped into the backseat.

"Did you just say _Vicki_, as in my sister Vicki?" Matt prodded further.

"What?" Jeremy's eyes widened. "No, no. I didn't—I didn't say anything."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows as she clicked her seatbelt into place. Jeremy had answered Matt's question a little too nervously. It was suspicious but that also could be paranoia from drinking too much.

Jeremy turned on the car and, as the headlights lit up, he gasped, jumping a little.

Lucy leaned forward in her seat, concerned. "What's wrong, Jere?"

"You know what, maybe we should just walk."

"Maybe we shouldn't," Lucy disagreed. "I can't walk ten miles in these heels."

Jeremy shook his head with a sigh and put the car in reverse.

As soon as they got home, Jeremy went right up to his bedroom after a quiet goodnight in Matt's direction. Lucy gave him a curious look but continued on into the kitchen; she had promised Matt cookie dough ice cream, after all.

She opened the freezer and pulled out a tub of ice cream. "Cookie dough for you," she slid it over to Matt, who opened it happily. "and mint for me."

"Are the spoons in the same place?"

Lucy hummed in confirmation, popping the lid of the tub. She graciously took the spoon that Matt held out to her and dug it into the ice cream, moaning happily when she ate the cold treat.

Neither of them bothered with a bowl but that didn't seem to bother them. They chatted idly while eating their fill, laughing when one of them told a funny anecdote.

"Do you think Jeremy's okay?" Lucy asked as she finished up, her hunger satiated.

"I don't know," Matt ate another spoonful of ice cream. "I'll talk to him at work tomorrow, if you want."

She gave him a grateful smile and put her spoon in the sink to wash later. "Thanks, Matt."

"No problem. Jeremy's a good kid."

"Yeah," Lucy nodded in agreement. "So, how are you doing?"

After he broke up with Caroline, Matt had been a little bitter—and apparently, he still was about Caroline's relationship with Tyler. He was distant because of it but when they went to Busch Gardens, Lucy and Matt were paired up to ride together and it was nice. He had fun and he forgot about his problems for a few hours. His bitterness wasn't helped by the fact that he was the last of his friends to find out about vampires and the fact that Vicki was one before she was killed.

"Honestly, I've been bored," Matt admitted. "I pretty much go from home to work to home again. It's not the most exciting summer."

"We can hang out, if you want?" she suggested. "I mean, I know I'm not your first choice to hang out with, but—"

"Hey," Matt interrupted her with a small smile. "don't sell yourself short, Luce. I'd love to hang out with you."

"Really?"

"Of course," Matt nodded and stood up from his stool. "I should get going for now, though."

"Oh, yeah," Lucy tried not to feel disappointed that he was leaving. "You can take the ice cream, if you want."

"Thanks."

As Lucy followed Matt to the door, he pulled her into a hug. His shirt smelt like weed and vodka but there was a hint of his cologne sneaking through that Lucy liked. She hugged him back and smiled when he pulled away.

"Thanks for tonight, Luce," Matt kept his empty hand on her shoulder. "You really helped me out."

"I didn't do much," she shrugged. "I just couldn't stand to see your pretty eyes so sad."

"Well, they're not so sad when you're around…" Matt murmured as goosebumps erupted on Lucy's skin when he rubbed her bare shoulder with his thumb. "Uh, Lucy?"

"Hmm?"

Something was happening; Lucy knew that. That feeling from earlier was back and she couldn't keep her eyes from slipping from Matt's eyes to his lips. Matt's eyes were darting back and forth on her face, too, and Lucy swore his eyes were darkening.

"Can I kiss you?"

"…yeah."

Matt didn't waste much time, softly pressing his lips against her. Previously, Lucy thought that it would be weird kissing one of her male friends but she didn't find that this was the case at all. Matt's lips were soft and warm and he was a really good kisser.

…A fantastic kisser, really.

Lucy hummed into the kiss and slowly reached up, wrapping her arms around Matt's neck. She gasped, pleased when his tongue brushed against her bottom lip and entered her mouth. He tasted like vanilla ice cream and chocolate chip cookie dough and his tongue was cool as it massaged hers.

She moaned softly when Matt pulled away, her heart racing. "Do you want to stay?"

He smiled against her cheek. "Yes."

Matt hardly had time to set his ice cream down before Lucy pulled him upstairs.

Lucy's phone woke her up two hours later, buzzing on her nightstand. She groaned softly and sat up, ignoring the ache between her legs. Matt was still sleeping on the other side of the bed, the vibration not bothering him.

She grabbed her phone and slipped on Matt's shirt, buttoning up only two buttons before going into her bathroom to answer the phone. It was an unknown number but she didn't care.

"Hello?"

No one answered; it was silent on the other end.

"Hello?"

Lucy perked up hopefully when she heard shaky breathing coming through. No random person would just call her from an unknown number and not speak. It had to be Stefan. It had to be.

"Broody, is that you?" she whispered.

A long exhale answered her question.

"Broody, if this is you, everything will be okay," she promised softly, listening raptly to Stefan's breathing. "You're strong. You're so strong and you'll survive this. Whatever you do, wherever you go, just know that I believe in you, okay? You're a good man, Stefan. One of the best I know. Never let that go."

Stefan inhaled sharply and the line went dead.


	41. Take a Hike

"_Another suicide or a tragic accident?"_ one of the local news reporters asked rhetorically. "_WKPW News has lost one of its shining stars. Field reporter and weekend anchor, Andie Star, was discovered dead."_

Lucy frowned sadly as she ate her cereal, a picture of Damon's fake-girlfriend and one of Jenna's oldest friends flashing on screen while the reporter mourned her co-worker's death. As far as she knew, Andie wasn't one to depressed and she seemed happy with Damon, so she doubted that she killed herself. That meant something else happened last night and Lucy didn't know about it.

As Elena walked into the living room, Lucy asked her, "Hey, have you seen this?"

"Yeah," Elena mumbled sadly, sitting down next to her on the couch. "I think that's why Damon was messed up last night. Did you know he's been tracking Stefan by himself?"

"I heard whispers between him and Ric but I wasn't positive," Lucy shrugged. "Hey, where's Ric anyway? The couch wasn't slept in."

Elena shrugged. "I came home last night and he told me that he was staying at his loft. Apparently now that I'm eighteen, he doesn't need to sleep here. I'm pretty sure he thinks he's unwanted."

"I guess we'll have to make sure he knows he's wanted around here," Lucy sighed and gave Elena a small smile. "Did you at least have a little fun last night before you and Damon fought?"

"It was a great birthday despite the circumstances," Elena bit her lip and grinned. "So…you slept with Matt last night."

Lucy, who had been chewing on her frosted flakes, spat into her bowl, completely shocked at Elena's matter-of-fact statement. How had her sister even known? Matt left early in the morning because of his shift at the Grill. Oh, God…did Joel, Jeremy, and Ric know too?

"Uh…how do you even—"

"I came to see if you were asleep last night and I saw you two cuddling," Elena wiggled her eyebrows. "I didn't know you had feelings for Matt."

Lucy sighed and tapped her manicured nails on the outside of her bowl. "I don't have feelings for him. Romantic feelings, I mean," she shrugged. "We agreed this morning that it was casual sex. No strings attached."

Elena gave her a deadpan look. "You lost your virginity to one of our closest friends and you're saying there's no feelings or strings attached?"

"Yes, and don't tell Caroline, okay? I want to tell her myself…" Lucy checked her phone, sighing when she saw no missed messages. "if she answers me."

"I won't," Elena promised. "Wow, I can't believe you had sex with Matt."

"Lena!"

"Hey, I'm just saying!" she held her hands up defensively. "So, how was it?"

"Seriously, shut up," Lucy nudged her with her elbow, making her laugh. "Now I know why we don't talk about our sex lives."

"Well, before last night, you didn't have one, Lulu. And besides," Elena flinched, dodging Lucy's elbow. "Stefan's one of your best friends and I didn't want to make it weird."

"Thanks, then," Lucy bit her lip, hesitating for a second. "Elena, I have to tell you something…"

There was no way she wasn't going to tell Elena about Stefan calling her last night. It might hurt Elena that he didn't contact her but she knew if she didn't tell her sister, she'd be furious. Plus, it would be nice for Elena to know that Stefan was alive and fighting for himself. Besides, there was nothing romantic about the call at all—Lucy did not go after taken men, especially her sister's boyfriend—Stefan hadn't even spoken, for crying out loud.

"What's up?"

"Stefan called me last night," Lucy confessed, watching as her sister perked up. "He didn't speak or anything but I knew it was him."

"He called you?" Elena blinked and looked down at her lap. "He didn't call me."

"It's probably because he knew that if he heard your voice, he'd want to come home," Lucy said honestly, trying to comfort her. "His breathing was shaky already. I think he was upset."

Elena nodded solemnly. "Do you think he's okay?"

"I think he's struggling…but he's strong, Lena."

"Yeah…"

Lucy squeezed her hand and smiled. "I was hoping that Liz could trace the call. Do you want to come with me? If we find out where he is, maybe we can look for him."

Elena nodded and gave her a thankful smile. "Of course I'll go with you."

After a quick stop at city hall, five unanswered text messages sent to Caroline, and ten ignored calls to Damon, Lucy and Elena pulled up to the Salvatore Boarding House. The yard was meticulous and when they entered the house, it was like the party from the previous night never happened.

Damon must have hired cleaning services; Lucy was impressed with their work.

The sisters made their way to the second floor and entered Damon's room, finding him ripping down papers from his closet door while listening to yet another newscast about Andie's death.

"Just can't stay away, can you?" he asked bitterly, sensing their presence.

"You've been dodging my calls," Elena put her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, well, I've been busy dating a dead fake-girlfriend and all."

Lucy frowned sympathetically and Elena visibly softened.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked him.

Damon scoffed. "Happy birthday, Elena. Stefan killed Andie. Cake?"

He stepped away from his closet and dropped the piles of papers he had collected on Stefan on the bed. Elena sighed and turned to face him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"He called Lucy, Damon."

Damon raised his eyebrows at them. "What?"

"Stefan called me last night," Lucy reiterated Elena's statement.

Damon cocked his head, pretending not to be interested. "Well, what'd he say?"

"He didn't say anything but it was him," Lucy insisted. "We asked Liz if she would trace the call's origin. It came from Tennessee."

"Where he's binge-drinking on the country folk," Damon muttered, rolling his eyes as he picked up the papers and threw them in his fireplace. "We went through this. Stefan's gone and I don't mean geographically."

"If he was gone, he wouldn't have called."

Elena pounded on the door at Alaric's apartment, giving Lucy a skeptical look. Lucy rolled her eyes and gestured for her to keep knocking until Alaric got his ass out of bed and answered the door.

"Go away, Damon!" they heard him groan but Elena kept knocking.

Since Damon wasn't any help with the Stefan situation, Lucy suggested they go to Alaric. Joel was at work—he still had his job at Whitmore until school started—so she knew that Alaric was the only option left. He knew as much as Damon since he was one of the vampire's only friends.

Alaric ripped the door open and paused when he saw his daughter and her half-sister standing in front of him.

"Good morning," Lucy smiled brightly, as though they hadn't woken him up an hour before noon.

Alaric cleared his throat and awkwardly shifted. "You're, uh, not who I expected."

"We see that."

"We need you to tell us what you know about Stefan and Tennessee," Elena demanded politely.

Alaric walked away from the door, leaving it open so they could come in. "Did you miss the part where I checked out of all this?"

"Ric, I hate to break it to you, but you have part-time guardianship over me," Lucy reminded him as she walked into the apartment behind Elena. "Checking out is not part of the deal."

Alaric gave her a deadpan expression while he pulled on a t-shirt.

"Come on, Ric," Elena groaned. "Whatever Damon knows, you know."

"Then ask Damon."

"Damon's not exactly in the mood to help right now," Elena sighed as Alaric dug into his fridge and pulled out a water bottle.

"For good reason," Alaric reminded them. "It's not safe for either of you. Stefan's off the rails."

Lucy rolled her eyes; that was old news. "Stefan's still holding onto his humanity which means he can be saved," she declared. "Right, Elena?"

Elena nodded firmly in agreement.

"Why does you guys have to be the ones who save him?"

"Because I'm _not_ the kind of person who checks out," Elena said pointedly. "And Lucy's too compassionate for her own good. She'd try to save the devil if she could."

Lucy scoffed, offended. "Not true! I don't really think the devil's redeemable, thank you."

"Look," Elena continued, ignoring Lucy's comment. "he would never give up on me. I'm not gonna give up on him."

"Tell us what you know, Ric," Lucy pleaded. "_Please_."

Alaric sighed heavily. "They've been tracking werewolves, he and Klaus," he gave in. "All over the eastern seaboard. We thought we had them just outside of Memphis…"

An hour later, after Alaric showered, got dressed, and took some medicine for his hangover, they went to the Grill to meet Tyler. Lucy had contacted him after Alaric spilled the beans about Klaus and Stefan searching for werewolves, asking him to tell her about the information about the packs he learned from Jules.

He agreed to meet up to tell them anything he knew.

Alaric went straight to the bar while Lucy and Elena went to the table Tyler had already secured. They all ordered drinks before settling in, Elena asking Tyler about werewolf packs around the Tennessee region.

"A lot of us like to keep to ourselves for the full moon, chain ourselves up," he explained. "but there are some werewolves that like to gather in places where they don't have to do that, where they can enjoy it."

"What kind of places?" Elena asked quietly.

Tyler shrugged. "Mountains, state parks, deserts…that kind of stuff."

Lucy hummed. "And there's a pack in Tennessee?"

"Yeah," he confirmed. "Here, give me you're phone. I'll try to pull up a map."

Lucy nodded and pulled her phone from her shorts, handing it over to Tyler. He got to work on unlocking her phone—did Caroline tell him her passcode? —and heading to Google maps.

"Thanks for this," Elena sighed in relief. "I know it's asking a lot."

"As Caroline likes to remind me, Stefan's in this mess because I bit Damon," he shrugged her off. "I figure I owe you one...Have you talked to her today?"

"She hasn't been answering me," Lucy grumbled, wishing that Caroline would just text her back. "Why?"

"Just curious," he said sketchily, handing Lucy back her phone and pointed to a spot on the map. "Here, that's your best bet."

"Thank you, Tyler," Lucy saw that the spot he pointed at was in the Smoky Mountains. "Let me know if hear from Care, okay?"

"Will do."

Elena thanked Tyler once more before she and Lucy left the table, heading over to the bar to talk to Alaric about what they learned. He was nursing a hot cup of coffee as they sat down but he turned to them expectantly.

"Did you get anything?"

"How do you feel about a little hike through the Smoky Mountains?" Elena asked coyly.

Alaric looked at her in disbelief. "You wanna hunt down a pack of werewolves on a full moon?"

"We'll be out of there before the moon is even full," Elena placated him. "If you don't come with us, we're going by ourselves."

Alaric gave her a dirty look.

"What?" she asked innocently. "You're the one who told me that I could handle things on my own now."

"Yeah, I meant frozen dinners and SATs," he grunted.

"Elena would just burn the frozen dinner," Lucy commented, smirking at her sister.

Alaric shook his head. "All right, fine," he reluctantly agreed. "Let's just go. You're driving, Elena."

"Yes!" Lucy hissed. "Road trip!"

"In a couple of hours, the full moon's gonna rise just above that ridge," Alaric pointed ahead of himself, Lucy, and Elena, the peak they were searching for full of gorgeous trees. "If Tyler's right, that's where the pack will be."

Lucy raised her eyebrows and took a sip from her water bottle, enjoying the light breeze coming from the river beside them.

"You were a boy scout, weren't you?" Elena asked him teasingly.

"Shut up."

"A boy scout, slash vampire slayer," she insisted while Lucy chuckled. '

"Slash whiskey-drinking all-around lost cause," Alaric quipped, shrugging off his backpack.

He set his backpack on the ground, unzipping the front pocket and revealing the weapons he brought. There were numerous stakes, a few knives, and a lot of wolfsbane and vervain.

"Wow," Lucy looked at him, impressed. "You came stocked. All I brought was another bottle of water and a couple granola bars."

"Well, we aren't exactly bird watching," he pulled out two small canisters filled with dark yellow water. Handing one each to Lucy and Elena, he said, "Here. Put those in your bags."

Lucy carefully observed the canister, discovering that it was actually a homemade grenade. Before Alaric arrived in town, she hadn't even known you could make your own grenades. She was starting to think that it was his favorite weapon.

"Vervain grenade?" Elena asked as Lucy carefully put her grenade in the front pocket of her backpack.

"Wolfsbane."

Elena nodded and slid the grenade into the bottle sleeve on her backpack before pulling something out of her shorts pocket. "Well, since we're exchanging gifts…" she held out the mystical Gilbert ring, expecting him to take it.

Alaric narrowed his eyes. "That's John Gilbert's ring."

"It was yours once. Go ahead, take it," Elena insisted. "It'll protect you from whatever supernatural danger we're about to get ourselves into."

"He gave it to you."

"Yeah but I'm a doppelganger," Elena shook her head. "It's not gonna work on me. He left if for if I ever have kids."

"Yeah, well, then why don't you save it for future generations of stubborn, relentless baby Gilberts?"

"Ric just take the ring," Lucy sighed, exasperated with his attitude. He was just as stubborn as Elena and his new thing of not being enough for anyone was making her mad. He didn't even realize how much he helped her, Elena, Jeremy, and Joel after Jenna died. "You can borrow it for now."

"I'd feel bad if we got you killed before happy hour," Elena added challengingly.

Alaric's hazel eyes darted from Lucy to Elena before he chuckled. Elena held out the ring once more and he took it, slipping it on his right hand.

Lucy smiled in satisfaction, taking another sip of her water while they waited for him to get his bow out of his bag.

"I don't know why you think that you're a lost cause—" Elena screamed as someone sped over to her, pushing her into the river.

Lucy gasped in shock and whipped toward Elena's attacker, her hand reaching up to siphon from her necklace. Luckily, it just turned out to be Damon, who was leaning against a nearby tree with a closed-lipped smile. Lucy slumped in relief while Alaric lowered his bow.

"Damon!" Elena shouted at the vampire. "How are you even here?"

Damon looked toward Alaric. "Thanks for the tip, brother."

Lucy made an indignant noise. "You sold us out?"

Alaric raised an eyebrow at her. "You think that I'd take you to a mountain range of werewolves on a full moon without backup?"

Lucy could feel the effects of Elena's glower and it wasn't even directed at her. Damon, however, seemed unaffected by her fury.

"Get out of the water, Elena," he demanded.

"If I get out of the water, you're gonna make me and Lucy go home," Elena snapped.

"Yeah because I'm not an idiot like you two."

"Right now, you're all acting like idiots," Alaric commented, annoyed.

Elena shook her head and looked away from Damon. "You gave up on him, Damon."

"I didn't give up on him, Elena," Damon argued. "I faced reality. Now get out of the water."

Besides the fact that Damon was acting way too protectively, Lucy agreed with Elena that he _was_ giving up on Stefan. If the roles were reversed and it was Damon traveling with Klaus, ripping apart bodies in his wake, Stefan would be doing anything he could to get his brother out of his mess. It disappointed Lucy because she thought more of Damon and despite all that Stefan had done for him, one dead fake-girlfriend made him give up.

"No!"

"What's your big plan, Elena, huh?" Damon walked into the river, slowly making his way to Elena. "You gonna walk into a campsite full of werewolves, roast a marshmallow, and wait for Stefan to stop by?"

Elena stepped away from him. "My plan is to find him and help him," she replied stubbornly. "Damon, this is the closest that we've been to him since he left. I'm not going home."

"Klaus thinks you died when he broke the curse," he pointed out. "That makes you safe. This? This is not safe."

"I'm not leaving before we find him."

"It's a full moon, Elena."

"Then we'll find him before then," Elena promised with wide, earnest eyes that Damon was a sucker for. "Damon, please."

Lucy bit her lip and exchanged a look with Alaric as Damon visibly softened. She wasn't going to judge—she was in the same boat as Damon, after all—but she didn't think Elena knew just how much effect she had on the oldest Salvatore brother. She loved Elena but she didn't want her to lead Damon on…

"Okay," Damon agreed. "but we are out of here before the moon is full and I'm werewolf bait."

"I promise."

"Unless you wanna relive that whole deathbed kiss."

Elena gave him an annoyed look. "I said I promise."

"Fine," Damon shrugged as he started walking out of the water.

"Now that we wasted ten minutes of arguing, are we allowed to continue?" Lucy called sarcastically, watching as Damon gave Elena a hand out of the river.

"Shut up, Twitch," Damon rolled his eyes. "Let's go."

An hour later, they were near the top of the ridge and Lucy's calves were on fire. She was already out of water, having drank her last one dry, and she needed to go to the bathroom but she wasn't complaining.

Okay, she complained a little bit.

But it was worth it if they were going to help Stefan. He was worth it.

"How are you doing?" Damon asked Elena, looking over at her in concern.

"Fine," Elena breathed, having just as difficult a time as Lucy.

"You know, I could help you."

"What the hell, Damon?" Lucy asked indignantly. "I've asked you to carry me five times already."

"Yeah, well, you're annoying, Twitch," Damon smirked at her before turning back to Elena. "Just one little swoosh?"

Elena scoffed. "Yeah, with my luck, you'd drop me."

Alaric shook his head. "It's like babysitting twelve-year olds," he muttered, looking at the map on his phone. "We got about a mile left."

"And the sun's about to set," Lucy sighed, looking up at the orange and pink skyline that was slightly visible through the large trees. "We've gotta be quick."

"The moon doesn't reach its apex for a while," Elena informed them. "We have time."

Ahead of them, a branch snapped, causing Alaric and Damon to slow down. They stiffened as more sticks were broken and a man stumbled into view. He looked gross and bloody—Lucy was pretty sure he was crying blood.

Alaric aimed his bow at him while Damon stiffened, ready to jump into action if necessary. "Stay where you are."

The man inhaled and zeroed in on Damon. "Vampire."

The man blurred toward Damon but Damon was ready, wrapping his hand around the man's neck. Unfortunately, the man quickly overpowered Damon, shoving him against a tree while trying to bite him.

Alaric shot an arrow at the man but he seemed unaffected by it. While Elena pulled the wolfsbane grenade out of her bag and threw it to Damon, Lucy siphoned magic out of her necklace. As the grenade exploded in the man's face, she held out her hand and used her magic to snap his neck.

"Let me guess," Alaric stared down at the unconscious man. "Hybrid."

Damon angrily pursed his lips and picked up the man. "Let's get him tied up so I'm not puppy chow."

Lucy, Elena, and Alaric got to work while Damon held the man to a tree, pulling out the three lengths of rope Alaric brought with him and dousing them in wolfsbane and vervain. Lucy gave the wolfsbane-soaked ropes to Damon and gave Alaric an amazed look as he pulled some chains out of his bag.

How did he fit so much in that tiny backpack? Who was he, Hermione Granger?

Damon and Alaric quickly tied the man to the tree using the ropes and chains but it didn't take a genius to know that they weren't going to hold the hybrid for long. He was already stirring, which was pretty quick considering a vampire's rate of recovery after a snapped neck.

"These ropes aren't gonna hold him much longer," Damon sighed as Elena poured vervain on the last length of rope. "What else do we have?"

"Ric, here," Elena spoke up, holding out the vervain rope. "Take these."

Damon absentmindedly grabbed them, grunting in pain when his skin hissed and smoked upon contact.

"I said Ric," Elena shrugged, making Lucy giggle at her nonchalant attitude.

Alaric quickly took the rope out of Elena's hands and tied it around the hybrid. "All right, that's the last of the vervain," he told Lucy, Elena, and Damon. "We don't have enough stuff to hold him. I don't think we're gonna make that ridge before the full moon."

Elena took slow steps toward the hybrid. "If we can get him to talk, we don't have to."

As Elena reached out to touch the hybrid, he jumped awake, inhaling deeply. He only looked at Elena for a second before his bones started breaking, his limbs twisting grotesquely.

"Uh, is he turning?" Lucy asked loudly, wincing when the hybrid's arm spun in a way that could not be healthy.

"It's impossible," Elena breathed, backing away from the hybrid. "It's still daylight."

Alaric narrowed his eyes as the hybrid started to scream from the pain of turning. "Tell him that."

Damon lunged forward and held the hybrid's shoulders, gritting his teeth against the strength the man seemed to possess.

"There aren't supposed to be werewolves out here until the moon if full!" Lucy objected, starting to panic as the hybrid squirmed relentlessly under Damon's grasp. "Those ropes won't hold!"

The hybrid started to snarl animalistically, baring his teeth at Damon.

"Damon, we've got to get out of here," Elena urged the vampire, deciding to ditch the Stefan plan. "We gotta get out of these mountains now! Damon!"

Damon released the hybrid and they all took off, running away from the screams and snarls as fast as they could. They were almost to the river as the sun finally set, shrouding them in darkness.

It was then when Elena tripped.

They all stopped to help her up but something zoomed right over to her. Lucy inhaled deeply when she saw that it was the hybrid in his wolf form, its gold eyes glowing in the dark. It faced Elena, growling softly.

"Don't move," Damon quietly ordered Elena. The hybrid started to turn to him but when Elena shifted, it whipped back to her. "Here doggie, doggie."

At Damon's taunt, the hybrid lunged; Damon sped away in a blur and the hybrid followed him, leaving Elena unharmed for now. Lucy quickly helped her sister to her feet and turned to Alaric with wide eyes.

"What do we do?" she asked breathlessly.

"We have to keep moving," he urged. "Come on."

"We can't leave Damon," Elena objected."

"He can handle himself," Alaric tried to reason with her. "Let's move."

"No!" Elena shook her head, looking around the dark forest. "If he gets bit, he'll be dead. I'm the reason he's out here."

"I am the reason he's out here," Alaric firmly corrected her, looking around urgently. "I told him where we were and I'm telling you to keep moving. Let's go."

"Lena, please," Lucy begged, squeezing her sister's arm in fright.

Elena sighed heavily but nodded; they took off running.

"Stefan's out there somewhere and now Damon and we're just sitting in this car?" Elena asked anxiously, staring out of the passenger window for any sign of Damon.

Lucy bit her lip, searching for Damon, too. Admittedly, she was afraid that he was going to be bitten and die. Klaus wasn't around to donate blood and she doubted he'd like it much if she called him up for some of his blood after insulting him in the letters she sent to Stefan. She should have been more upset about the fact that they didn't get to Stefan like they wanted to, but if it came down to their safety, it was worth it to back off this time.

There were going to be more opportunities to find Stefan. She just knew it.

"Let the vampires fight the hybrid-zombie-mountain-man," Alaric sighed. "I'll take care of keeping the humans safe."

Lucy raised her eyebrows and leaned forward between his and Elena's seat. "I thought you were checked out of taking care of people?"

Alaric gave her a knowing look. "I know what you're doing," he acknowledged, looking at Elena now. "There doesn't need to be a lesson here."

"You're better at it than you think, Ric," Lucy insisted.

"Oh, boy, you're both suckers for a lost cause."

Lucy sighed, aggravated, and gestured for Elena to take over. She was now pretty sure she got her stubbornness from Alaric.

"You're not a lost cause, Ric," Elena said earnestly. "You're just lost…but so is Jeremy and Joel and Lucy…and so am I. Our family is gone and we don't have anybody. I'm sorry, but you don't have anybody, either, so…"

"It sounds like you were put in our lives for a reason," Lucy added quietly when Elena trailed off.

Alaric was quiet for a few seconds before his lips quirked. "I'm keeping the ring, then."

Lucy beamed at him, a giggle escaping her lips. Elena and Alaric joined in, chuckling at her glee. They only stopped when they heard a branch nearby snap, looking up to see Damon walking toward them.

They all got out of the car and ran over to him.

"Damon," Elena reached him first, her tone panicked as she grabbed his arms and searched them for a bite. "Are you okay? Did you…?"

"I'm fine, bite-free," Damon said briskly. "Get back in the car."

Elena scoffed. "Can you just give me a minute to appreciate that you're not dead?"

"I'll give you ten seconds," Damon snarked. "Nine…eight…" he turned her around, forcing her toward Alaric's SUV. "Hey, Ric, did you happen to see where I parked my car?"

"Damon, stop being such a caveman," Elena scolded the vampire while Lucy and Alaric chuckled.

"Get in the car, Elena! I'm starving!"


	42. Roadtrip to the Windy City

**[3x03; The End of the Affair]**

_**August 2, 2010**_

_Broody, _

_It's been over a month since Elena's birthday and things have been so crazy that I couldn't write to you as often as I'd like. _

_Caroline went missing for a whole week. Apparently, when she was sneaking out of Tyler's house on the morning of the full moon, Mrs. Lockwood shot her up with vervain. Tyler showed her his transformation that night and she said she'd take care of it. A week later and Caroline was still nowhere to be seen. Tyler, Liz, and I were frantic trying to search for her before finding out that Caroline's dad, Bill, was back in town to deal with Caroline. It was pretty obvious to Liz where Caroline was after that; for over a century, the Forbes family had a little torture room for vampires hidden under city hall. _

_Liz threatened to shoot Bill and we found Caroline in the cell, starving and bleeding from being tortured with the sun without her daylight ring. It was so confusing to me because Bill had always loved and spoiled Caroline so much…how could a parent do that to their child?_

_Caroline's fine now, just a little jumpy, and Damon compelled Bill out of town, convincing him that he came to Mystic Falls to take Caroline back-to-school shopping. If only that was really what happened…Hopefully we won't see him again. _

_Joel has officially started his job at the school. He's starting to set up all the computers around school under the strict watch of the computer tech teacher. He absolutely hates the guy and wishes he'd leave him alone but he won't compel him. _

_Senior year starts in two weeks, can you believe that? This summer flew by. We all got our schedules for the upcoming year and there was finally enough room for me to take an AP history class. Alaric's teaching and Caroline and Tyler got spots, too! Our lockers are the same as last year and I gotta say that I'm really going to miss having you as a locker-neighbor. Who else is gonna help me with my combination?_

_I miss you, Stefan. Three months is too long. I hope you're okay and you're staying strong. Tell Klaus to stop being a hybrid asshole and let you come back home. Everyone misses you. _

_Keep fighting, Stefan. _

_Sincerely yours, _

_Goofy_

"Rise and shine, Twitch! We've got a long day ahead of us!"

Lucy groaned and rolled over, burying her head into her pillow. She swatted at Damon's hands as he tried to pull her comforter off her. He resisted, continuing to grab the blanket, and she finally threatened to siphon from him if he didn't stop.

"Wake up!" Damon cooed annoyingly, backing away from her bed.

"Ugh," she grunted and flopped onto her back, reluctantly opening her aching eyes and checking the time on her phone. "What the hell are you doing here? Why are you in my room at six in the morning?"

"Ah, did someone have a rough night?" Damon asked mockingly. "Elena said you were up late."

Lucy narrowed her eyes at him as she ripped off her blanket and rolled out of bed. "You two need to stop gossiping. A girl has secrets, you know."

"Like the fact that you're still sleeping with Donovan?" Damon held up the note Matt left before he snuck out a mere half-hour before. "Yeah, Ric and I saw him leave."

"God!" she ripped the note of his hand, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. "Tell me what you want or get out, Damon. It's too early in the morning to look at you."

"Fine," Damon sighed dramatically. "I guess you don't want to come with me and Elena to bring Stefan home…"

Lucy stiffened and turned around to face him. "What? What are you talking about?"

"Stefan's in Chicago and Elena and I are going to get him," he said slowly, as though she was stupid. "Are you coming or not?"

"How do you even know that Stefan's in Chicago?"

"A certain sister of yours told me."

Lucy raised an eyebrow. "Katherine?"

"Yup," Damon nodded. "Now pack a bag. We've got a road trip waiting for us."

An hour later, they were on the road with packed bags, Damon's road-trip playlist, and full bellies from the breakfast sandwiches Damon stopped to get them. It was actually kind of fun with Damon's rock music playing loudly and the wind blowing through their hair.

Lucy absolutely loved road trips.

Elena wasn't nearly as happy as Lucy was. She didn't sing along with Lucy and Damon and she didn't talk. She just looked out the passenger seat window, playing with the vervain locket Stefan gave her almost a year ago.

"I sure hope we find him 'cause it would suck if the last memento of Stefan was that shitty old necklace," Damon commented, glancing at Elena.

"It's antique, Damon," Elena snapped, keeping her eyes on the blurry trees in front of her. "Kind of like you."

"Ooh," Lucy cooed teasingly, sending Damon a smirk.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Shut up," he told her and gestured to one of Stefan's journals that he had brought along; Lucy had been making her way through them—she was on 1890. "Hand me the 1920s journal, will ya?"

Lucy hummed and searched for the numbered journal, handing it to him when she found it.

"Read this," Damon held the journal out to Elena. "It paints a pretty little picture of Stefan's first experience in Chicago."

Elena took the journal and opened it to take a peek. "It's Stefan's diary," she shook her head in realization. "I'm not going to invade his private thoughts."

"It's not like he thinks like that now," Lucy shrugged. "It as ninety years ago. Times have changed and I'm sure Stefan has too."

"Exactly," Damon agreed. "and you need to be prepared for what you're about to see."

"I've seen Stefan in his darkest periods," Elena insisted, handing the journal back to Lucy. "I can handle it."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Read her a passage, Twitch."

Lucy sighed and opened up to a random page, reading the first entry she saw. "It's from March 12th, 1922. '_I've blacked out for days. I wake up in strangers' blood, in places I don't recognize with women I don't remember._'"

"Ahh?" Damon gasped loudly, looking over at Elena. "I'm shocked! Stefan's not a virgin?"

Lucy laughed; who knew Damon could actually be funny if he wasn't antagonizing people?

Elena sighed and pressed her palm against his cheek, forcing his gaze back on the road. "Eyes on the road, Grandpa."

"Fine, back to my game. Tell me if you see a Florida plate."

"I saw one a couple miles ago," Lucy spoke up.

"It doesn't count because I didn't see it."

They arrived in Chicago around five in the evening, two hours quicker than they should have due to Damon's crazy fast driving. He drove past most of the city—happily avoiding Navy Pier and Lake Michigan, much to Lucy's complaints—and headed toward the older part of town where the buildings made of brick were crumbling and the landscaping was messy.

They stopped for a quick bite to eat at Portillo's—a restaurant that Damon raved about and Lucy and Elena thoroughly enjoyed—before making their way to their final stop. Stefan's old apartment building.

The building was shabby and run-down, the wallpaper peeling off in long strips on the wall in the hallway. The carpet was brown, even though Lucy suspected that it wasn't its original color, and the hallway smelt like there was some type of mold growing behind the walls.

Lucy's nose twitched from her allergies as Elena looked around in disgust.

"Stefan could live anywhere in Chicago and he chose this?" she asked, wrinkling her nose.

"I'm sure it looked nicer ninety years ago," Lucy guessed though Damon shrugged.

"There used to be an all-girls high school around the corner," he explained Stefan's apartment choice. "but it shut down for attendance issues. Weird, right?"

Elena narrowed her eyes at him. "If you're trying to scare me into giving up and going back home, it's not going to work."

Damon simply pressed his finger to his lips and quietly shushed her as he stopped in front of a door and grabbed the doorknob. The metal squealed as he broke the knob off and the door swung open.

"Here we are," Damon gestured into the apartment, allowing Lucy and Elena to step through. "Stefan's second personality home."

Lucy looked around in interest; the apartment was mostly one room, though there was a door leading off to a bathroom. The kitchen was small and had antique appliances, the bed was neatly made, and the furniture was small and cute. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust.

"He obviously hasn't been here recently," Elena commented, brushing her finger over the dust on one of the bedside tables.

"Tour's not over yet," Damon stated, shuffling over to the large bookcase next to the kitchen. To Lucy's surprise, the bookshelf swung forward, revealing a hidden closet full of alcohol.

Lucy and Elena made their way over to Damon as he turned on the light in the closet.

"So Stefan hid his alcohol," Lucy shrugged, not seeing the big deal. "It was prohibition, right? Wasn't that common?"

"What a monster?" Elena added sarcastically.

Damon nodded toward the small wall in the closet. "Look harder."

Lucy sighed and took a look at the wall. There was a long list of names written in Stefan's handwriting. It was almost the full length of the wall. It was shocking to see his victims named out like this, but they already knew that Stefan was a ripper. He had trouble with control; he was bound to have a long list of people he killed.

Was it intimidating? Yes. Was Lucy going to give up on Stefan? No.

"It's a list of names," Elena's eyes widened in realization. Damon hummed and she looked at him questioningly. "These are all of his victims?"

"Still handling it?"

Elena scoffed, following him out of the closet. "What were you doing in the 1920s?" she asked. "Paving the way for women's liberation?"

"I was around," Damon shrugged casually. "Chicago's a big city. Stefan was a cocky ripper douche but I could avoid him and still indulge on a few Daisy Buchannan's of my own."

Elena seemed disgusted and Lucy rolled her eyes as Damon went to leave the apartment. He was only a few feet from the door when Elena stopped him.

"Where are you going?"

"Stefan's old stomping ground," Damon informed them.

"We're coming with you."

"No, you're staying here and whipping up an actual plan," Damon corrected Elena. "I'll come back when I find him. Don't go wandering off," he pointed at Lucy. "That means you."

Lucy huffed as he left, shutting the door behind him. "What am I, a toddler?"

"Compared to him? Yeah," Elena sighed and sat down on the bed. "We should be going with him."

"I hate myself for saying this but maybe we should listen to him," Lucy shrugged, taking Stefan's 1920s journal out of her bag and opening it up as she sat in one of his chairs. "Klaus thinks you're dead so it's safer for you to hang out here."

Elena raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you agree with Damon?"

Lucy scoffed and rolled her eyes, engrossing herself in Stefan's journal.

_**April 1922**_

_Lexi found me last night and dragged me off the train tracks. She thinks she can make me care again. _

Lucy pressed her lips together and turned the page, finding another entry.

_**June 1924**_

_Lexi's driving me crazy. More animal blood, more misery…_

_**1935**_

_Cravings are there but it's easier. Lexi's onto her next project…Getting me to laugh._

Lucy couldn't help but smile at the mentions of Lexi and how she helped Stefan. She only knew Lexi for one day but she could tell that the blonde vampire was someone special. It turns out that Lucy was right; Lexi spent most of the last century taking care of Stefan and making sure he didn't go off the deep end. Stefan lost a real friend when Damon killed her.

Lucy jumped and Elena gasped when they heard a man's voice coming down the hall. Giving each other wide-eyed looks, they recognized the British drawl being used.

Klaus was here and he was about to walk in and see Elena.

Lucy urgently gestured for Elena to hide in the bathroom, picking up their stuff and shoving it in her sister's arms. Elena hurried into the bathroom as Klaus' voice got louder and Lucy shut the door behind her. She then rushed into the closet behind the bookshelf, hiding herself in the corner by the list of Stefan's victims.

The door swung open and Lucy heard Klaus, "What a charming little homestead," he paused a little. "Do you feel that? Is anybody here?"

Lucy winced and covered her mouth with her hand, hoping that it would quiet her anxious breathing. Thankfully, Stefan unknowingly came to her rescue.

"It's been vacant for decades," he said. "People must break in all the time. Why'd you bring me here?"

"Your friend, Liam Grant, the one who drank his wife's blood, I could never figure out why you wanted his name," Klaus stated, recalling a conversation that Lucy wasn't privy to. "And then you told me your little secret. It was all part of your special little ritual."

Horrified, Lucy turned her head to read the list of names, finding Liam Grant almost immediately.

"To write it down," Stefan filled in the blanks.

"And relive the kill over and over again," Klaus added and Lucy heard his footsteps drawing closer to the closet she hid in. Lucy closed her eyes and flinched deeper into the corner. "Believe me now?"

Another set of footsteps who had to be Stefan came closer to the closet. Lucy opened her eyes to see Stefan staring at her, a cute but dumbfounded look on his face. Lucy let her lips curl into a soft smile at the sight of him.

He was okay. He was alive and standing right in front of her. Stefan was all right.

"Look what I found," Stefan said, making her stiffen. Instead of pulling her out of the closet to show Klaus, he grabbed a bottle of alcohol on the bottom shelf. "1918 single malt."

"My favorite," Klaus approved. "Let's go and find someone to pair it with."

The closet door was slowly shut and Lucy slumped in relief when Klaus and Stefan walked out of the apartment, shutting the door behind them.

Lucy waited a full minutes before she swung the bookshelf away from the closet and made her way to the bathroom, knocking softly.

"Elena, it's safe," she assured her sister. "They're gone."

Elena immediately opened the door and rushed out of the bathroom, pulling Lucy into a hug. "Are you okay?" she asked into Lucy's hair. "Did they see you?"

"I'm fine. Stefan saw me," Lucy saw the horrified look on Elena's face. "and he didn't say anything to Klaus. He got him out of here as fast as he could."

Elena sighed in relief and pulled away from the hug. "We should have gone with Damon," she repeated her earlier words. "I'm gonna call him."

There were footsteps coming down the hall outside Stefan's apartment again. Lucy and Elena hurried behind the kitchen wall, holding vervain darts to their chests in case it was Klaus coming to finish them off.

The door opened and shut; Elena peeked around the wall and sighed in relief when she saw Damon.

"Finally!" she exclaimed, watching as Damon walked toward them with their bags in his arms. "I called you an hour ago."

Damon handed them their luggage. "Make yourselves presentable. I know where Stefan's going to be tonight."

Lucy sighed and set her bag down, unzipping it to find a presentable outfit. Elena just stared at the oldest Salvatore brother in shock.

"I told you that we were practically discovered by Klaus and you're worried about what we're wearing?" Elena's voice was snappy as her gaze turned into a glare.

"I had an hour to realize what a bad idea it was to leave you guys here alone, process it, and move on," Damon replied. "Are you okay?"

Elena and Lucy both nodded.

"Okay, good," he sat down in a chair. "Get dressed. You're all road-trippy and gross."

Lucy pulled a sundress out of her bag. "So you know where Stefan's going to be?"

"Yes, with Klaus," he confirmed. "So, you and I will distract Klaus—because we know he has somewhat of a soft spot for you—and Elena, you will deal with Stefan."

"Okay," Elena breathed. "Thank you."

"You're only going to have about five minutes tops before that hybrid-freak rips out my heart," he reminded her. "So please, tell you can do this."

Elena nodded. "I can do this."

"Good," Lucy said, walking to the bathroom so she could change. "And don't worry, Dracula, I won't let Klaus rip your heart out."

She thought she heard Damon mutter something but she ignored it, closing the bathroom door and pulling her t-shirt over her head.

"I'll get Stefan's attention and lure him out of the bar," Damon told Lucy as they walked purposefully toward the entrance of the bar that Klaus and Stefan were at. "Elena will wait until he comes out. Once they're talking, you and I are going to distract Klaus. Any questions?"

"Nope," Lucy knew how important this was so she didn't make any jokes. "Let's do this."

Damon nodded and disappeared into the bar. While Lucy waited, shivering from the cool night air, she thought about how she could distract Klaus. Maybe she could make him nostalgic or something. She was his favorite—with Rebekah being a close second—after all…

Damon walked out of the bar and Stefan came speeding out a second later, shoving Damon into a nearby car.

"What is wrong with you?" he growled at his brother.

Damon pushed Stefan off of him. "What is wrong with _you_?" he retorted. "You kill Andie one day; you save my life the next. What are you, good or bad? Pick one!"

Stefan pressed his lips together. "Klaus almost saw Elena and Lucy," he stated, gesturing over to Lucy, who waved sheepishly. "The three of you need to get out of Chicago."

"Neither of those girls are going anywhere until they've got you checked into vampire rehab and on the mend," Damon said, annoyed with the sisters' persistence. "Trust me. I've tried."

"Elena's the key to everything. Klaus can't know that she's alive."

Lucy stepped forward, giving him a curious look. "What are you talking about?"

"She was supposed to die in the sacrifice and she didn't," Stefan explained quickly. "Now Klaus can't create any new hybrids. His witch is seconds away from figuring that out. Go home and forget about me, Luce. Tell Elena the same."

Damon cleared his throat, pulling Stefan's gaze from Lucy. "Tell her yourself."

Stefan turned his head in the direction of where Elena was waiting for him. While he was distracted, Damon silently gestured for Lucy to follow him; she gave Stefan one last look and followed Damon into the bar.

Once Damon compelled the bouncer to let her-underaged-self in, Lucy spotted her hybrid brother sitting at the bar, downing a shot of amber liquid.

Lucy made her way over to the bar as the lady behind the bar called for the last set of drink orders and sat in the stool next to him. "Hello, Nik."

Klaus swallowed the rest of his drink and turned to face her. "Little sister," he greeted her. "What a surprise. I thought you were too young to get pass the bouncer."

"I must have charmed him or something," Lucy shrugged, giving him an innocent smile.

"Or I compelled you in," Damon commented, taking a seat at the stool on the other side of Klaus.

Klaus sighed and slowly turned to him. "I see they've opened the doors to the riff-raff now."

"Oh, honey, I've been called worse," Damon smirked.

Klaus chucked bitterly. "You don't give up, do you?"

"Give us my brother back and you'll never have to see me again."

"Well, I am torn," Klaus admitted, cocking his head. "You see, I promised Stefan I wouldn't let you die but how many freebies did I really sign up for?" he shrugged as though his decision was out of his own hands. "And clearly you want to die, otherwise you wouldn't be here, so…"

"Nik, would you please just let Stefan go?" Lucy pleaded, grabbing his hand. She was desperate to get Stefan back; if she had to suck up to him, so be it. "I mean, what do you need him for a decade for, anyway? He's gotta bother you, right? I mean, he's crabby all the time. You don't want to deal with that."

"I don't know, Luciana," Klaus drawled with a simple shrug. "I quite like Stefan's company. However, if you're willing to join us, I could be talked into letting Stefan go a couple years early…"

Lucy hesitated, furrowing her eyebrows as she thought about Klaus' deal. She would miss her senior year of school, she probably wouldn't be able to attend college or have a career in whatever she wanted to do, and she probably wouldn't see her friends or family for a long time. Was it really worth that?

Her answer was yes, it was worth it. Stefan didn't deserve to be treated like a servant and being dragged around the country looking for werewolves to turn into hybrids. Elena and Damon were lost without Stefan, so if Lucy had to sacrifice a few years of her life to make them happy, it was fine. Besides, she could do online school and she'd be with Stefan.

"Okay, nope," Damon cut off her train of thought, seeing that she was actually considering Klaus' offer. "Not gonna happen, Twitch. You're not going with Dumb and Dumber."

Klaus simply smiled at Damon's comment and reached out, wrapping his hand tightly around his throat. He got off his stool and stood up, lifting Damon high into the air. Lucy hovered anxiously, trying to come up with a spell that she could use against Klaus and save Damon from his wrath.

Damon grunted as Klaus tightened his grip and held a toothpick up to his chest.

"Oh, dear, what was that?" he clicked his tongue mockingly, moving the toothpick up to Damon's neck; Damon cried out when the sharp woods pierced his skin. "I'm a little boozy so you'll forgive me if I miss your heart the first few tries."

"Klaus let him go," Lucy begged her brother.

Klaus pulled the toothpick out and stabbed the middle of Damon's chest, ignoring her. "Oh no, that's not it," he hummed and stabbed closer to his heart. "Oops, almost."

"You want a partner in crime?" Damon choked out. "Forget Stefan. I'm so much more fun."

Klaus smacked his lips together and threw Damon across the room, letting him crash onto a table, which fell to the ground. As Klaus broke off a leg of a chair and hovered over Damon, Lucy siphoned some magic from her necklace.

"You won't be any fun after you're dead," Klaus growled as he lifted his hand to stab the stake into Damon's heart.

Lucy narrowed her eyes and the stake burst into flames, burning Klaus' skin. Klaus winced and threw the stake away from him, sending an annoyed glare toward Lucy.

"Really?" he sighed as he got to his feet.

"Well, I asked you nicely and you didn't stop, so…" Lucy shrugged and nodded at Damon; he sped out of the bar and away from Klaus' wrath.

"No fighting in my bar," the bartender declared, having seen the whole thing. She turned her judgmental glare on Lucy and added, "Leave. Your kind aren't welcome here."

Lucy narrowed her eyes at the woman and turned to leave, only stopped when Klaus called to her.

"Luciana," she turned around to face him. "You tell Damon he doesn't have to negotiate his brother's freedom. When I'm done with him, he won't want to go back."

Lucy pressed her lips together and gave him a disappointed look. "Goodbye, Nik."

When she walked out of the bar, Elena and Damon were already in his car, ready to go. Elena had been unsuccessful in trying to get Stefan to come home with her and Damon was angrily cursing out Klaus while he sucked down a blood bag.

Chicago was a bust. They'd never get Stefan back.


	43. Rebekah

**[3x05; The Reckoning]**

"I know you said that you didn't want to do this but this is a rite of passage, okay?" Caroline nudged Lucy with her elbow, balancing ten sleeves of paper cups in her arms. "Beside, maybe it will distract you from what's going on."

Lucy shrugged as they entered the school for senior prank night, a box of mousetraps in her hands. "Nothing's going on, Carebear."

Caroline gave her a look of disbelief. "The guy you have a crush on is your sister's boyfriend who is a vampire currently traveling the country with your hybrid brother who's literally a thousand years old. Your sister is in denial about her boyfriend's absence and flirting up a storm with his brother. Your biological father was killed by said brother and brought back to life by a mystical ring and your younger brother is seeing the ghosts of his dead vampire girlfriends. Did I get all that right?"

"…yes."

"And you're friends-with-benefits with my ex-boyfriend."

"Okay, you said you weren't mad about that," Lucy reminded Caroline as they set their things down in the gym where more of their classmates wandered around; Caroline just winked at her. "And you have a lot going on, too, Care."

"Exactly!" Caroline poked Lucy's left dimple, causing her to flinch away, giggling. "My dad tortured me because I'm a vampire and can't be compelled. I need this prank night, okay?"

"The only reason I'm here is for you," Lucy pointed out, wrapping an arm around Caroline's shoulders. "Now, where are our friends?"

"Right there," Caroline grinned, nodding to Elena, Bonnie, and Tyler as they walked into the gym. She grabbed Lucy's arm and the box of mousetraps, tugging her over to them. "Come on!"

Tyler greeted Caroline with a kiss while Lucy hugged Elena and Bonnie, glad that the witch was finally home from a summer-long vacation with her dad's family.

"We've got mousetraps," Lucy explained. "Care wants to set them up in Mr. Cassidy's room."

"He only gave me a ninety-five last year so he deserves it," Caroline explained. "Let's go. There's so much to do."

The group of friends followed Caroline to the English hallway, entering Mr. Cassidy's room at the blonde's insistence. They immediately set to work, placing down mousetraps in a complicated pattern around the desks. They covered every inch of the floor where someone could walk. As soon as Mr. Cassidy would open the door, their mousetraps would go off, shocking the man.

Their prank worked but it wasn't Mr. Cassidy that made it go off—it was Matt.

"Oh, come on!" Caroline exclaimed as Matt opened the door and the hundreds of mousetraps went off. "Seriously? Do you know how long it took for us to set all this up?"

Lucy looked at the time on her phone—it took almost two whole hours.

A sweaty Matt looked around the room in shock as Lucy, Elena, and Bonnie got to their feet.

"Forgot senior prank night, huh?" Tyler asked him.

Matt scoffed. "Clearly."

"How could you forget?" Caroline shook her head passionately. "We've only been waiting for this since, like, freshman year."

"I didn't want to come but apparently a distraction is in use," Lucy spoke up, giving Caroline a teasing look. "If I have to do this, Matt, you do too."

"I'm kind of surprised any of you are doing this."

"Caroline's making us," Elena explained.

"We're about to be seniors," Caroline defended herself. "These are the memories that stay with us forever and if we don't—"

"And if we don't create these memories now, then what's the point of it all," Elena cut her off with a smirk.

Lucy snickered, sharing an amused look with Bonnie.

"Go ahead and make fun, I don't care," Caroline stuck her tongue out at her best friends.

"You're all lame," Tyler sighed, picking up a box of pranking supplies. "and I've got ten more classrooms to prank."

Elena got up to follow him out of the room, stopping when Bonnie called her name.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"To superglue Alaric's desk shut," Elena smiled mischievously. "I'm making memories. Wanna come Luce?"

Lucy raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Maybe prank night's not so bad. I'm in."

As she and Elena hurried out of the classroom, they heard Caroline shout, "I love you guys!"

Lucy and Elena passed Tyler, who was giving out supplies to a couple of his teammates with instructions to head to the gym and headed to the history hallway.

"Maybe we could hide a whoopie cushion in Ric's chair," Lucy suggested as Elena walked through the door separating the English and history hallways. "We're in his first period. That'd be funny to see."

"Fart jokes," Elena said flatly as the door shut behind them. "That's always a hit."

Lucy's laughter was cut off with a sharp inhale as they came face-to-face with a smirking Klaus; Elena gasped loudly, her eyes widening.

"There's my girl," Klaus' smirk fell as Elena turned to run away; he sped in front of her. "You're supposed to be dead. What are we going to do about that?"

Klaus grabbed Elena's arm with one hand and Lucy's arm with the other and started dragging them down the hallway. He was walking too quickly and it was making Lucy trip every other step.

"You put a rather large kink in my plans, sweetheart," Klaus told Elena as they moved along. "The whole point of breaking the curse and becoming a hybrid was to make more hybrids. I haven't been able to do that. Now, my bet is, it has something to do with the fact that you're still breathing."

"How about we just take a beat?" Lucy spoke up breathlessly, her wrist aching from his tight grip on her. "We can sit down and discuss this calmly and rationally. Doesn't that sound nice?"

"I don't have time for your witty comments right now, Luciana," Klaus spat as he turned down another hallway, heading toward the gym. "Shut up and walk."

As Lucy glowered at her brother, Elena fought against his grip, growing angry. "If you're going to kill me, just do it."

"Not until I know I'm right," Klaus insisted as he opened the door into the gym lobby and pushed the girls through it. "but I do have ways of making you suffer."

They briskly made their way through the lobby and entered the gym where twenty of their classmates were setting up the water-filled cups that covered half the floor already.

"Attention, seniors," Klaus announced in a hideous American accent. "You have officially been busted. Prank night is over. Head on home."

Their classmates filed out of the gym, looking disappointed, and Klaus let go of Lucy and Elena. He sauntered over to Dana and her boyfriend, Chad, pointing at them in recognition.

"You two," he recalled. "I remember you."

"I'm sorry?" Dana gave him a confused look. "Who are you?"

"Oh, don't worry, I wasn't in my right head last time we met," Klaus excused before compelling her, "_Lift your foot up, please, Dana."_

Dana had no choice but to obey his command; she stared blankly at him as she lifted her right foot into the air.

Klaus immediately turned to Chad. "_If she drops her foot, Chad, I want you to beat her to death. Understood?"_

Chad nodded, bewildered.

"Leave them out of this, Nik," Lucy glared at him. "You don't have to hurt anybody."

"Of course, I do, love," Klaus clicked his tongue. "What was it you told Stefan? I have a bad temper?"

Ignoring the questioning look that Elena was giving her, Lucy rolled her eyes; Klaus was such a drama queen. If it was anyone else, they'd literally let that comment slide right off their back.

All too soon, Dana started trembling, her leg getting tired. She wobbled a bit and cried out; Lucy went to go help her, but Klaus grabbed the back of her t-shirt to keep her by his side.

"Keep it up," he advised Dana, watching her carefully.

"Where's Stefan?" Elena asked him.

Klaus let go of Lucy's shirt to cross his arms over his chest. "Stefan's on a time out. He's been misbehaving, you know."

"He's not your pet."

Klaus went to retort to Lucy's comment but was interrupted by the doors opened. Bonnie and Matt walked into the gym, seeming oblivious to the fact that there was a serious life-or-death situation going on.

"Bonnie, get out of here!" Elena yelled at them, catching their attention.

Bonnie's eyes widened when she saw Klaus; he sped toward her, ending up behind her so she would turn around in fright.

"I was wondering when you'd show up," Klaus smirked at her. "Now we can get started," he looked over at Dana and Chad and called, "Dana, why don't you relax? You and Chad sit tight."

While Klaus was distracted with taunting Bonnie, Lucy made her way over to Dana and Chad. She pressed a hand on each of their shoulders and siphoned Klaus' compulsion away, keeping an eye on him so he wouldn't notice.

She discovered that she could siphon compulsion away over the summer. Joel had been training Jeremy and Lucy and has taken Jeremy's vervain away so he could compel him. He then instructed Lucy to siphon the compulsion away; she did and it felt amazing that she could use her powers for something over than aneurysms and fire. To be honest, she felt kind of stupid she didn't realize that she could do it before; the reason that she couldn't be compelled in the first place was because she eventually siphoned it away.

"Be quiet and stay still," Lucy whispered to them. "Don't get his attention, okay?"

Dana and Chad nodded silently, looking at Klaus with frightened eyes.

As Lucy made her way back over to her friends, she heard Klaus accuse Bonnie, "I assume you're the reason Elena's still walking around alive?"

"That's right," Bonnie raised her chin defiantly. "If you want to blame someone, blame me."

"Oh, there's no need for blame, love," Klaus narrowed his eyes. "Just your witchy interference seems to have caused some undesirable side effects. And, since you caused the problem, I'm going to have you find the fix."

The gym doors opened and a tall blonde that Lucy immediately recognized walked in, dragging Tyler behind her.

_Luciana and Rebekah sat at the bank of the quarry, washing the garments their family dirtied up. The boys were off hunting and, once again, they weren't allowed to attend. Instead, their mother sent them to do the wash, knowing it would take most of the day and keep their minds off their brothers. _

"_Kol was teaching me a spell yesterday, Bekah," Luciana told her older sister as she scrubbed at a particularly stubborn stain on her father's shirt. "Do you want to know what it was?"_

"_Go on, Luci," Rebekah agreed, wringing out one of her mother's dresses. "What did Kol teach you?"_

"_Incendia," Luciana smiled. "He even let me siphon off him without asking Mother. I was able to make a small flame. It was very exciting."_

"_Excellent work," Rebekah gave her a proud grin. "Soon you will be just as powerful as Kol and he will be envious."_

"_I do not have my own magic," Lucy frowned. "but Kol does become jealous easily."_

"_Because he is a man. They want to be the best at everything."_

_Luciana nodded in agreement, knowing that her twin brother was becoming much like Kol, Niklaus, Elijah, and Finn. _

"_Mother and Father took me aside the other day."_

_Luciana looked at her curiously. "What for?"_

"_They have negotiated my hand to Bjorn Alekson," Rebekah frowned and started scrubbing another garment. "I am to be wed come summertime."_

"_You are only eighteen summers, Bekah," Luciana gasped in shock. _

"_Quite honestly, I am surprised I was not married sooner," Rebekah sighed. "Mother wanted to wait and you know how Father takes her opinion on these matters."_

_Luciana nodded and bowed her head. "Are you upset?"_

"_Not too much. It's a woman's duty to be married," Rebekah sighed; Luciana could hear the stress in her voice. "I think it will be nice to have a wedding."_

_Luciana pulled her hand out of the water and grabbed Rebekah's, giving her a comforting squeeze. "Yes, it will be," she agreed. "You can have violets in your bouquet. They will bring out the color of your eyes."_

"_Yes, Luci," Rebekah smiled softly at Luciana. "they will."_

"Get off of me!" Tyler complained, bringing Lucy out of her memory.

"Hush now," Rebekah shushed him and passed him off to Klaus, her blue eyes glued to Lucy. "_Luciana_."

"Rebekah," tears stung Lucy's eyes as she stared back at her; Rebekah had been her dearest friend and sister in her first life. She had been waiting to meet her for months.

Rebekah used her vampire speed to rush over to her, lifting a pale hand to Lucy's cheek. "Look at you. Look how grown up you are," she whispered shakily, her eyes wet with happy tears. "Oh, I missed you so much, Luci."

Lucy pulled Rebekah into a tight hug, avoiding the bewildered looks that Elena, Matt, and Bonnie were giving her. Klaus watched on with a small smile as his little sisters reunited for the first time in a thousand years.

"Okay," he finally spoke up when the hug went on a few seconds too long. "There's more time for reunions later, girls."

Rebekah sighed and pulled away from Lucy, fixing her brother an annoyed glare. "You knew she was alive for months and I get three bloody seconds with her."

"Everyone, I'd like you all to meet my sister, Rebekah," Klaus introduced her. "Word of warning, she can be quite mean."

"Don't be an ass," Rebekah pouted. "Just get on with it."

"Right," Klaus nodded, focusing back on Tyler, who was struggling uselessly in his grip. "I'm going to make this very simple. Every time I attempt to turn a werewolf into a vampire hybrid, they die during the transition. It's quite horrible, actually."

Klaus pulled up his sleeve and bit his wrist, pressing the wound against Tyler's lips and forcing him to drink the blood.

"I need you to find a way to save my hybrids, Bonnie," Klaus warned Bonnie, staring right at her. "And, for Tyler's sake…" he casually snapped Tyler's neck, causing him to fall to the floor. "you better hurry."

"Oh, my God," Lucy gasped, looking at Tyler's body in shock.

While Klaus and Rebekah retreated across the gym to give them space, Matt rushed over to Tyler's body, pressing his fingers to his neck. Lucy knew that he would find no pulse but it seemed that Matt wanted to check if his best friend was actually dead.

Matt collapsed on his ass, staring at Tyler with wide eyes. "He killed him."

"He's not dead," Lucy comforted him, biting her lip worriedly. "Nik's blood will turn him into a vampire."

"And if Bonnie's successful, he'll live through his transition," Klaus called from the bleachers as he and Rebekah got up and started walking back over to them. "Go on, then. Go and fetch your grimoires and enchantments and what-not," he waved Bonnie off and grabbed Elena's arm. "I'll hold onto Elena and Luciana for safe keeping."

Bonnie shot Elena a desperate look and Elena nodded, silently telling her that it was okay to go and look for something to save Tyler. Bonnie nodded back and grabbed Matt's wrist, leading him out of the gym.

Once the doors were shut, Rebekah looked over Elena with a judgmental expression. "So, this is the latest doppelganger?" she asked rhetorically. "The original one was much prettier."

"They're identical, Bekah," Lucy shot her a hard look; Rebekah smiled innocently.

"Enough, Rebekah," Klaus scolded her. "Take the wolf boy elsewhere, would you?"

Rebekah gave Lucy and Elena another sweet smile and walked over to Tyler, grabbing his hand and dragging him out of the gym.

"Just ignore her," Klaus advised Elena with a smirk. "Petty little thing."

Lucy sighed heavily and stepped away from Klaus, walking over to Dana and Chad to check on them. "How are you guys doing?" she asked quietly, sitting next to Dana. "It's okay to be scared."

"I don't—I don't understand," Dana stammered, her eyes on Klaus, who was watching Lucy curiously. "What's happening? What is he?"

"Shh, just calm down," Lucy said soothingly, grabbing Dana's hand and making eye contact with Chad. "Everything's gonna be okay."

Dana nodded jerkily and Lucy fell silent, just offering her confused classmates as much comfort as she could. Elena slowly made her way next to Chad to offer solidarity and Klaus planted himself on the bleachers, waiting for Bonnie to come back with a solution for his hybrids.

It wasn't Bonnie who came through those doors, though. It was Stefan.

Elena stood up, her eyes wide. "Stefan?"

Stefan gave her a quick, weary look that had Lucy worried. She followed Elena's lead and stood up, walking a few feet in front of Dana and Chad.

"Klaus…"

"Come to save your damsel, mate?" Klaus asked casually. "Or is it _damsels_?"

Lucy didn't know what Klaus was implying but she was kind of offended by the fact he was calling her a damsel. She could defend herself but so far she felt like she hadn't needed to. She was confident Klaus and Rebekah wouldn't hurt her.

Did they make her stupid? Maybe…

"I came to ask for your forgiveness," Stefan insisted. "and pledge my loyalty."

"Well, you broke that pledge once already."

"Elena means nothing to me anymore," Stefan raised his voice. "and whatever you ask of me, I will do."

Lucy bit her lip and grabbed her sister's hand, stepping closer to her.

Klaus eyed Stefan for a moment before standing up and hopping off the bleachers. "Fair enough. Let's drink on it," he gestured toward Chad and Dana. "Kill them."

"Klaus, no!" Lucy protested as Chad and Dana scrambled to their feet. "Let them go."

"I don't think so, love," he turned back to Stefan. "What are you waiting for? Kill them."

"No, Stefan, don't!" Elena exclaimed as Stefan looked from Klaus to Chad and Dana. "He's not going to hurt me. He already said—"

Elena was cut off by Klaus, who had crossed over to her and back handed her so hard that she fell to the floor in a heap. Lucy gasped and ran over to her sister, crouching down next to her as Stefan blurred toward Klaus.

Klaus easily overpowered him, slapping his hand away and wrapping his own around his neck. "She means nothing to you?" he repeated Stefan's claim. "Your lies just keep piling up."

"Let them go!" Stefan choked. "I'll do whatever you want. You have my word."

"Your word doesn't mean much," Klaus sneered. "I lived by your word all summer, during which time I never had to resort to this…" he lowered his head to look Stefan in the eyes, compelling him, "_Stop fighting_."

"Nik, please don't!"

"Don't do this," Stefan begged, trying to resist Klaus' compulsion. "Don't do this."

"I didn't want you," Klaus replied as though Stefan was forcing him to compel him. "All I wanted was your allegiance. Now, I'm going to have to take it."

"Don't…don't…"

"_You will do exactly as I say when I say it," _Klaus forcefully compelled Stefan. "_You will not run, you will not hide, you will simply just obey."_

As Klaus let go of him and the compulsion set in, Stefan stared blankly at the floor. Lucy knew that Stefan had no choice to obey Klaus' orders and she didn't want to hurt him, but she couldn't just let him kill Dana and Chad.

She reached for her necklace but was stopped when Klaus clicked his tongue and sped over to her. He wrapped his arm around her collar and kept her hands in place against it, making her unable to get to her necklace and unable to help Dana and Chad.

"Now," Klaus smirked, his attention back on Stefan. "kill them, ripper."

Stefan's chin lowered as he laid his eyes on Dana and Chad. Dark veins rippled under his eyes and his irises reddened into a menacing color, his fangs descending from his gums. He was at Dana's neck in a second, taking a deep bite out of her, causing her to scream.

Lucy grimaced, her stomach rolling, and looked away, unable to watch as Stefan killed two of her classmates—people she grew up with. Within a minute, Dana's body hit the floor with a sickening thud and Chad was screaming as Stefan turned on him.

The screaming eventually stopped and there were two separate squelches as Chad's body and head fell to the floor. Klaus let go of Lucy, satisfied that she couldn't interfere, and watched Stefan fondly.

"It's always nice to see a vampire in his true element," he mused. "The species has become such a broody lot."

"No," Elena spat through gritted teeth, looking at Stefan with disgust. "you did this to him."

"I'm just the one who invited him to the party, love," Klaus quipped. "he's the one dancing on the table."

The doors were flung open and Rebekah stomped into the gym, looking furious. "Where is it?" she snapped. "Where's my necklace?"

Lucy gave her a confused look while Klaus sighed, "What are you talking about?"

"She has my necklace," Rebekah said briskly, handing him Caroline's phone. "Look."

Where the hell was Caroline and why did Rebekah have her phone?

Klaus tapped on the screen and studied the picture before looking at Stefan. "Well, well, more lies."

"Hold on, what necklace?" Lucy asked, feeling out of the loop. Why would Elena have Rebekah's necklace? How the hell would she even get it?

"It's a silver locket with a red gem at the top," Rebekah replied, glaring at Elena. "Where. Is. It?"

"I don't have it anymore."

"You're lying!" Rebekah shouted at Elena and lunged at her, biting into her neck.

As Elena screamed, Lucy quickly siphoned magic from her necklace and gave Rebekah the strongest aneurysm she could muster. Rebekah fell away from Elena, grunting in pain, and Klaus grabbed Lucy's arm, shaking her enough that she lost her concentration.

"Knock it off!" he roared, looking between his sisters.

"Make her tell me where it is, Nik!" Rebekah cried, glaring furiously at Elena.

"She doesn't have it!"

"Shut it," Klaus gave Lucy a warning look at her outburst and nodded at Stefan, gesturing for him to take his spot holding Lucy back from casting any more defensive spells.

Stefan silently took his place, holding onto Lucy's wrists tightly.

"Where's the necklace, sweetheart?" Klaus crouched down in front Elena. "Be honest."

"I'm telling the truth," Elena insisted. "Katherine stole it."

Klaus pressed his lips together. "Katerina, of course. Well, that's unfortunate. If we had the necklace it would make things a whole lot easier for your witch," he sighed as he straightened and started to walk over to the buzzer controls. "but, since we're doing this the hard way, let's put a clock on it, shall we?"

He tapped on some buttons; a buzzer sounded and the gym clock displayed twenty minutes. "Twenty minutes," he declared, walking back over to Stefan to compel him. "_If Bonnie hasn't found a solution by then, I want you to feed again. Only this time, I want you to feed on Elena_. You know you want to."

"No, Klaus! Don't do this to him!" Elena objected.

Klaus ripped Lucy out of Stefan's grasp and pushed her toward Rebekah. "I'll be taking Lucy with me in case she gets any ideas," he informed Elena and Stefan. "No one leaves. If she tries to run, fracture her spine."

"I thought you weren't going to kill Elena," Lucy stated flatly as Klaus pulled her through the hallway leading to the pool. "If Stefan drinks from her, she'll die."

"If Bonnie doesn't have the solution for my hybrids, it doesn't matter, does it?" Klaus raised his eyebrows at her. "Besides, I have a feeling Stefan's not going to give in that easily."

Lucy hummed and rolled her eyes.

"Jealous?" Klaus asked coyly; Lucy gave him a confused look. "I'm not an idiot. I know that you know I read the letters you sent him this summer."

"I was trying to keep him sane," Lucy huffed as they turned a corner. "You know, since you dragged him all over the country for no reason."

"Yes, I'm sure that's the reason, little sister."

Lucy was about to tell him to go to hell but he stopped in his tracks and abruptly turned to the pool lobby. He stopped, Lucy following his lead, and they waited as Bonnie and a soaking-wet Matt came out of the pool room.

"As soon as you're feeling better, I'm going to kill you," Bonnie warned him.

"It worked," Matt shook his head. "I saw her. I saw Vicki."

Lucy raised an eyebrow as Bonnie asked, "You did?"

Matt nodded. "She said she had a message for you."

"For me?"

"From the witch that put the hybrid curse on Klaus," Matt informed her. "She said that Elena shouldn't have survived Klaus' ritual. The hybrids can't transition because Elena's still alive."

Bonnie frowned, sadness darkening her emerald-green eyes. "Tyler…"

"He's going to die, isn't he?"

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," Klaus spoke up; Bonnie and Matt whipped around to face him and Lucy. "Given the choice, doppelganger or a hybrid, I go hybrid every time."

He grabbed Lucy's arm and started dragging her back to the gym.

"You're going to kill Elena, aren't you?"

"No."

"No?" she looked at him, confused. "But Matt said…"

"And the Original Witch—the one who put the curse on me—our mother, hated me," Klaus explained quickly. "She intended for the doppelganger to die in the ritual so I couldn't create my hybrids."

"Would Esther really do that?"

Klaus scoffed. "You died before she became who she really was," he told her. "She was a woman who cursed her children into the first vampires and then punished me for her adulterous transgressions."

Lucy blanched as they came to a stop outside of a biology lab. "Oh…"

"Go to Bekah, yeah?" Klaus nodded to the lab door. "I need to tend to your sister."

Lucy nodded and walked into the room, noticing that Tyler was laid out on a table with Caroline sitting vigil while Rebekah played with Caroline's phone.

"Lucy," Caroline gasped when she saw her best friend. "What's happening? Is Tyler going to be okay?"

"I think Klaus has figured it out," Lucy assured her, wrapping an arm around her. "We have to see, though. How's he doing?"

"He's not awake yet—"

Tyler, the drama queen he was, chose that second to loudly gasp awake. Caroline immediately rushed to him and cooed soothing noises as he looked around wildly.

"Where am I?" he asked anxiously, looking from Rebekah to Lucy. "What happened?"

Caroline furrowed her eyebrows. "Tyler…"

"Don't be shy about it," Rebekah spoke up.

Tyler looked at her wearily. "What's going on?"

"Klaus is turning you into a vampire," Caroline told him. "A hybrid. You're in transition."

While Tyler gaped at her in shock, Rebekah spoke again, "Don't leave out the hard part, sweets," she scolded Caroline before addressing Tyler, "You'll only survive if your witch is successful. If not, you're pretty much dead."

"Thanks for your help, Bekah," Lucy muttered and turned to Tyler. "You're going to be okay. I think they figured it out."

"I hope so," Rebekah held up Caroline's phone, a timer that matched the gym clock on the screen. There was only two minutes left. "Tick tock goes the gym clock."

Five minutes later, Klaus was walking into the lab, holding a vial of blood in his hand.

"Well, the verdict's in," he announced. "The Original Witch says the doppelganger should be dead."

Rebekah jumped to her feet in excitement. "Does that mean we can kill her?"

"No, I'm fairly certain it means the opposite," Klaus held the blood out to Tyler while Lucy sent Rebekah a death glare. Rebekah immediately grabbed Caroline, pulling her out of the way. "Call it a hunch…"

Tyler looked at the blood with wide, hungry eyes.

"Elena's blood…Drink it."

"No, Tyler, don't!" Caroline fought against Rebekah's grip.

"If he doesn't feed, he'll die anyway, Care," Lucy said quietly, going to her best friend's side.

"Consider this an experiment," Klaus added with a smirk.

Tyler took the test tube from Klaus and sucked it down. He immediately spat it out and fell to the floor, groaning in pain. Blood fell from his mouth and onto the floor as he writhed around, eventually rolling onto his knees. He screamed and held onto his head before looking up and snarling, his eyes golden and his teeth elongated into fangs.

Lucy sighed in relief while Caroline slumped, glad that her boyfriend wasn't going to die.

"Well," Klaus grinned. "That's a good sign."

"You really saw Vicki?" Lucy asked Matt as she helped him pick up his things around the weight room.

"Yeah…"

"Are you okay?" Lucy bit her lip and neatly folded his sweatshirt, placing it in his gym bag.

"Yes and no," Matt admitted, ducking his head. "I'm sad that's she's dead but I'm glad I get to say goodbye to her. Is that weird?"

"No, not really," Lucy grabbed his hand and pulled him down to sit on the bench next to her. "I think you're really lucky you get to say goodbye."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Lucy confirmed with a smile. "but I hope you don't put your life in danger like that again. Matt, you're the only one of us left that gets to have a normal life. You're one of my best friends and I don't want you to get sucked down with the rest of that. You deserve better."

Matt grinned shyly and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pecking her on the forehead. "Thanks, Luce. I get it."

Lucy smiled and knocked her forehead against his shoulder before standing up. "Do you wanna walk out together? I'm giving Bonnie a ride to my house."

"Nah," Matt shook his head. "I think I want to say goodbye."

"Okay," she gave him a reassuring look. "See you tomorrow."

"See ya."

Lucy walked out of the weight room and was halfway down the English hallway when she felt a presence walking behind her. She turned around but didn't see anyone.

"You and Matt looked pretty cozy."

Lucy gasped loudly and whipped around to face Stefan, shocked by the blank look in his eyes and the smirk on his lips.

"You scared me, Stefan."

"Oops," he rolled his eyes and when Lucy started walking again, he fell into step next to her. "So what's with you guys?"

"Who?" she side-eyed him. "Me and Matt?"

"No, you and the mailman."

"Nothing."

"Really? 'Cause I noticed some tension there," he commented. "I thought you were in love with me? Isn't it kind of bad that you're rebounding with your sister's ex-boyfriend?"

"Okay," Lucy stopped in her tracks and glared up at him. "What's with you? This—" she gestured at him. "this is not you."

"Ah!" Stefan smirked. "That would be my humanity switch, Lucy. It's been shut down."

"Excuse me?"

"Isn't it great?" he reached up and ran a finger down the apple of her cheek. "We're gonna have so much fun together."


	44. Senior Year

**[3x06; Smells Like Teen Spirit]**

It was dark when Lucy woke up, her eyes aching from lack of sleep. She rolled out of bed and put on her workout clothes before heading downstairs to eat a granola bar for breakfast. She passed a grumbling Alaric on the way to the kitchen and greeted Elena quietly before grabbing a granola bar and chowing down.

After the events last night—which Lucy now knew included Klaus compelling Stefan to turn off his humanity and drink from Elena and Klaus leaving Mystic Falls with two full bags of Elena's blood—Elena was determined to start learning self-defense like Lucy had during the spring and summer. Lucy was going to join her for support but work with Joel separately so they could develop her spell casting skills and try to make her siphoned magic last longer while still being effective.

She hated feeling useless all the time since the only thing she could do was fry someone's brain. After talking to Joel, he confided that he had been thinking about her skills as a siphon. He didn't want to offend her but he was pretty sure that once she siphoned magic from a person or her necklace, she forgot about it and that magic was being wasted. Lucy agreed; she pretty much siphoned, did magic, and siphoned again. She didn't usually stop to make sure there was still magic flowing through her veins.

That was how she found herself in the middle of the woods, watching her brother carefully for any of his sudden moves. She had siphoned magic from him fifteen minutes ago and when she concentrated, she could still feel the tingle in her limbs.

Joel didn't warn her as he lunged for her so Lucy only had a second to react. She narrowed her eyes and gave him an aneurysm; Joel flinched in pain but kept walking toward her. Lucy gritted her teeth and held out a hand toward him, trying to strengthen her spell.

Joel still didn't react the way she wanted to; he reached out her hands and grabbed her shoulders.

"Got you," Joel breathed as Lucy stopped her useless spell. "Okay, so your spells weaken around fifteen minutes depending on how much you siphon."

Lucy huffed, aggravated with her lack of progress. "Do you think I'll get better?"

"I'm not really sure, Lou," Joel shrugged thoughtfully. "I've never really worked with a witch—other than Bonnie—much less a siphoner."

Lucy's shoulders slumped in disappointment.

"But," Joel added, nudging her shoulder. "I think that if you practice, it's gonna be like any other skill, yeah? Like, it took you a while to get the hang of watercolors but you did it, right?"

"…Right," Lucy reluctantly nodded.

She was a perfectionist; she always had to make sure she was doing her best at everything. She was trying her best now, sure, but she wasn't doing and that's what frustrated her.

A loud boom that came out of nowhere caused them both to flinch.

Lucy looked toward the sound worriedly; that was where Alaric was teaching Elena self-defense. "Are they okay?"

"Ric was teaching Elena about vervain grenades," Joel smirked faintly. "And now he's giving her a pep talk."

"She's really messed up about Stefan," Lucy stated sadly.

"He hurt her and she doesn't want it to happen again," Joel clenched his jaw. "Has he talked to you yet?"

"Uh, no," Lucy lied; her conversation with Stefan the night before was not something she could exactly share with anyone but Caroline. Joel didn't know about her feelings for Stefan or the fact that she actually confessed to him and she planned to keep it that way.

Joel hummed and when Lucy turned her back to him to start running back to their house, he gave her a suspicious look. She had lied straight to his face.

"Does the scarf cover the…"

"Yes," Lucy said immediately, noticing Elena's hesitation as she gestured to where the bite mark from Rebekah and Stefan sat on her neck. "You look beautiful, Lenabug."

"Thanks, you too," Elena sighed as she grabbed her bag from the backseat of her car and opened her door; Lucy followed her lead, hopping out of the passenger seat and straightening out the skirt of her sundress. "Did Caroline text you?"

"Yeah, she's meeting us in the front with Bonnie," Lucy informed her as they started walking out of the school parking lot. "I can't believe she wanted us here an hour early."

"I believe it," Elena grinned slightly and Lucy chuckled in agreement.

It didn't take long for them to find Caroline and Bonnie. The four friends immediately exchanged hugs and compliments on their first-day-back outfits before setting their sights on the building.

"Here we are," Caroline sighed happily. "Senior year."

"Anyone else think it should feel slightly more empowering?" Bonnie asked, looking over at Caroline, Lucy, and Elena.

Lucy shrugged, kind of getting Bonnie's point. It did kind of suck that the previous night—and the whole summer—put a damper on the first day of school.

"Okay, so prank night was a bust," Caroline acknowledged. "but we are accepting it and we are moving on."

"You're right," Bonnie agreed as the four of them started walking toward the school. "I mean, why should I let the fact that my boyfriend is seeing the ghost of his dead girlfriend hinder this experience?"

"Exactly," Lucy nodded. "I can't let the fact that two sets of my siblings are basically at war with each other affect the start of a new year?"

"Yes!" Caroline exclaimed, nudging Lucy excitedly. "And why should I let the fact that my boyfriend was turned into a hybrid put a damper on this otherwise fabulous day?"

Elena stopped walking. "Today's our anniversary," she said flatly, making the others turn to look at her. "Technically, Stefan and I met on the first day of school last year."

Lucy frowned, knowing that her sister was having a hard time. There was nothing that Lucy could really do and that made her feel horrible. She didn't like when the people around her were hurt or sad—especially her sister.

The fact that she had met Stefan one year ago had completely slipped her mind. It felt like she knew him forever.

"Yeah, you win," Caroline admitted.

Lucy privately disagreed; while Elena's problem was more significant than hers, it wasn't worse than Bonnie's or Caroline's. Tyler died and became the second hybrid in existence, so that was a pretty big deal. Lucy thought that the fact that Klaus was using her blood to make more minions was a bigger deal than her relationship problems with Stefan.

"Are you sure you want to be here?" Bonnie asked her sympathetically.

"I have to be here," Elena declared, summoning her inner strength. "I have to put it behind me. New year, new life."

Lucy, Caroline, and Bonnie gave Elena supporting smiles but as soon as Elena walked ahead of them, they gave each other doubtful looks. In the nicest way possible, Elena's life was currently a mess.

Nevertheless, they followed her into school. New freshman lined the hallway, looking around unsurely, while sophomores, juniors, and seniors caught up with their friends they hadn't seen over summer. Lucy looked around hopefully; she wanted to have a good year.

"I'll catch up with you," she told Caroline, who had asked her to help put up the flyers for the back-to-school bonfire. "I gotta head to my locker."

"If you're not by my side in fifteen minutes, I'm coming for you," Caroline promised with a smile as she headed to her own locker.

Lucy chuckled and walked down the hallway, approaching the same locker she had since she started high school. Her blue combination lock was already in place and Lucy sighed, setting her backpack down so she could give it all of her attention.

She murmured under her breath as she attempted to unlock her stupid locker. Unfortunately, her combination skills did not improve over summer. No matter how many times she read instructions, she just couldn't get it until she tried ten times.

Freshman year she hadn't even used her locker.

Familiar hands brushed hers out of the way, flawlessly spinning the dial and opening her locker without a care.

"You're really useless without me, huh?" Stefan commented, leaning against his own locker. "I mean, I forgot how bad you were at that. Perfect Lucy has a flaw."

Lucy narrowed her eyes at him, ignoring how attractive his stupid smirk was, and picked up her bag so she could unpack her supplies. "Good morning to you, too, Stefan," she rolled her eyes, trying to hide the fact that what he said was something that affected her. "And I have plenty of flaws, thank you."

"Ah…"

"What are you doing here?" she put her numerous notebooks and folders into her locker, not sparing him a glance. "I'm surprised you're not gorging yourself on some sorority girls."

"Why, jealous?" when she turned to him with an annoyed glare, he winked. "I already had sorority girls for breakfast. Alexandra was pretty tasty."

Lucy grabbed her designated notebook for history and shut her locker, facing him head on. "Seriously, why are you here? It's not the best place for you at the moment."

"Oh, Klaus compelled me to protect you and Elena," Stefan sighed like it was such a burden to keep watch of his girlfriend and best friend.

"Klaus compelled you to protect me?"

"Yeah, I have to do everything he says, remember?" Stefan rolled his eyes. "And he said something about you being practically defenseless without your necklace."

Lucy gulped as he reached out and pressed a gentle finger against the pendant he gave her months ago. His eyes took an admiring hint as he stroked as his fingertip left the diamond and trailed up the silver chain.

She wouldn't be surprised if he was enjoying how much her heart was racing.

She had to remember that he was probably trying to get a rise out of her. She slapped his hand away from her collarbone, looking around to see if anyone spotted their interaction.

"Would you stop that?" she hissed.

"Why? Are you afraid people might find out your feelings for me and tell Elena?" Stefan asked and then shrugged casually. "I'm not bothered with it. I can go tell her right now."

Lucy clenched her teeth and grabbed Stefan's hand when he tried to walk away, keeping him in front of her. "You're a real dick without your humanity, Stefan," she snapped. "Those feelings are long gone, by the way, so we're not telling Elena anything."

"_Sure_," Stefan put his hands up defensively. "You're pretty hot when you take charge, you know."

"You know what? I'm walking away now."

Lucy turned around, ready to practically sprint away from Stefan but he grabbed her arm, clicking his tongue impatiently.

"Come on, Luce, don't be like that."

Tears of frustration filled Lucy's eyes at she stared up at who was supposed to be her best pal. Without his humanity, Stefan wasn't even Stefan. He was an arrogant asshole who liked to hurt those around him and play with their feelings.

This strengthened her resolve, though. She was going to get Stefan back no matter what. She wasn't giving up on him. The Stefan she knew wouldn't want her to sit back and let him destroy his life.

"Let me go," she grunted, allowing herself to siphon from him.

Stefan hissed and let go of her, narrowing his eyes.

"What's going on?" Caroline's perky voice came from behind Lucy. "Oh, hey, Stefan."

Stefan's forest-green eyes left Lucy and glanced up at her blonde best friend. "Caroline."

"I'm gonna have to borrow Lucy for the moment," Caroline grabbed Lucy's hand and started to pull her away from him. "We'll see you later."

Caroline wrapped her arm around Lucy's shoulders as they turned the corner, handing her half the pile of flyers she had carried over with her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Lucy blinked rapidly, trying to dry her eyes. "Stefan's a humanity-less asshole with loose lips."

"Loose lips?" Caroline glanced at her as she stopped at a bulletin board, pinning a flyer to the corner. "What does that mean?"

They moved on. "It means that I think he's gonna tell Elena about what happened before he left."

Caroline sighed heavily, pouting thoughtfully. "I thought you didn't do anything but tell him you…"

"I didn't," Lucy assured her. "but what I did do was horrible. I shouldn't have said anything. Hell, I shouldn't have fallen for him in the first place. He's my sister's boyfriend. Oh, my God, I'm a horrible person."

Caroline stopped in the middle of the hallway, putting her hands on Lucy's shoulders to ground her. "You're not a horrible person," she said firmly. "You're human and you have feelings and sometimes humans have feelings that are hard to control. What matters is that you didn't act on these feelings."

"But I—"

"You thought you'd never see him again," Caroline consoled her. "I think you get a pass. Now, don't let him ruin your day, okay? It's a new year, remember?"

Lucy sighed and tried to relax. Caroline was right; she couldn't let Stefan ruin her first day of senior year. She deserved a relaxing year.

"Okay," Lucy agreed. "Let's get these flyers up before class starts."

Caroline beamed at her and they continued on their mission, pinning up a flyer on every bulletin board or display case they saw. Finally, they were down to their last flyer and as Lucy pinned it up, Elena walked over to them.

"I forgot about the bonfire," she commented, frowning at the flyer.

"You have to go," Caroline ordered. "It's our first spirit squad even and it sets the bar for the whole year."

"Relax, Caroline, I'll be there," Elena smiled.

Lucy giggled as Caroline sighed in relief. "Thank you," she breathed. "It's just that—"

She was cut off by Tyler who swooped in and pressed his lips on her. He pulled away with a happy grin. "Happy first day."

"Uh, is that blood?" Elena spoke up, her eyes glued to a stain next to the collar of his shirt.

"Oh, my God!" Caroline gasped, grabbing his elbow and pushing him into the nearby bathroom.

Lucy followed them into the boys' bathroom and immediately started checking to see if the stalls were empty. She didn't want anyone to overhear Caroline scolding Tyler about his blood-drinking habits.

"What's going on?" Tyler was bewildered by his girlfriend's change of attitude.

"Vampire 101, don't wear your breakfast to school!" Caroline poked the stain.

"Chill out," Tyler shrugged. "It was just a blood bag."

"From where?"

"Rebekah hooked me up."

Lucy grimaced, knowing that Caroline was not going to like that. There was no one in the bathroom so she went to the paper towel dispenser and pulled out a few sheets. She ran them under the faucet while Caroline scoffed indignantly.

"Rebekah? And what are you even talking to her for?"

"Klaus told her to keep a watch on me," Tyler smiled cockily. "Protect his new asset."

Lucy raised an eyebrow at Tyler as she rung out the paper towels. "His what?"

"Why are you so amused by this?" Caroline demanded, narrowing her eyes at him.

"I'm his first successful hybrid, Caroline. Don't you think that's the tiniest bit awesome?"

"Oh, wow! I cannot believe you just said that."

Lucy cleared her throat and handed Caroline the damp paper towels. She did not want to get in the middle of a lover's spat. "Yeah, I'm gonna go…"

She hurriedly left the bathroom, thinking she was going to get away from an argument, only to walk straight into one. Stefan was pressing Alaric up against the lockers while Elena looked on with an angry expression.

"What the hell?" she groaned, stomping toward them.

Lucy nodded at Elena, who gave her a grateful look, and grabbed Stefan's arm, using all of her force to pull him away from Alaric. Stefan didn't fight her much but he did send Alaric a threatening look.

"You're not going to get in my way, you hear me?" he said harshly before smiling pleasantly at him and Elena. "See you both in history!"

Lucy scoffed angrily and pulled him further down the hallway. "You are insufferable," she snapped. "Do you want everyone to hate you?"

"You don't," Stefan shrugged as they turned a corner. "Hey, class is the other way."

"Okay, that's enough," she peeked into Joel's computer lab and when she saw that it was empty, she swung the door open and pushed him inside. Luckily, he decided to go along with her because she knew his strength far outweighed hers. If he wanted to get away, he would have.

"We're gonna be late for class," Stefan informed her, casually putting his hands on his hips.

"Shut up," Lucy frowned at him. "What exactly did Klaus compel you to do?"

Stefan just stared at her, his mouth set in a silent line.

"Stefan!"

"You were there."

Lucy rolled her eyes; he was like an angry toddler who wouldn't answer her questions. "Okay, other than his compulsion in the gym and when he told you to turn off your humanity, did he saw anything else?"

"Just to protect you and Elena," Stefan told her. "Why?"

Lucy didn't answer; she reached forward and grabbed his arm to begin siphoning his compulsion away from him. She made sure to only get Klaus' compulsion—which felt different than the actually magic in his body. Stefan didn't bother to struggle as he stared at her with furrowed eyebrows.

The red glow faded from Lucy's hand as she pulled it away from Stefan. She looked at him expectantly. "Well?"

"His compulsion's gone," Stefan confirmed after a few seconds. "When'd you learn to do that?"

"Over the summer," Lucy shrugged.

"Well, I don't think Klaus is gonna be happy that his compulsion's gone," Stefan stated the obvious.

"So, act like it isn't gone. You can continue to watch over Elena and do what Klaus says," Lucy advised. "You have your free will and you're safe. If you choose not to flip your humanity back on, that's your prerogative."

Stefan gave her a look of disbelief. "Really? You don't care if I leave my humanity off?"

"It's your choice and if that's how you want to deal with your problems, I have no say in that," Lucy twisted her lips thoughtfully. "Just know that they're still gonna be there afterwards."

Stefan stared down at her and she made sure to keep eye contact with him. She wanted him to know that it really was his choice and she was not gonna force him to do anything. She just hoped that he would be smart enough to see that he was delaying the inevitable. He would someday turn his humanity back on and he was going to feel horrible.

"Okay, nice session, Dr. Phil," Stefan stepped away from her—Lucy saw that he almost looked bothered. "Are we done here, or?"

"No, I want you to do something for me?"

"What's that?" he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Since you are clearly sticking with the no-humanity thing, I don't want you telling Elena about what I said to you before you left," Lucy said honestly. "In fact, I want you to forget about it."

Stefan rolled his eyes. "Since you took away Klaus' compulsion, fine. I won't tell Elena or anyone else," he gave in surprisingly easy. "but I still get to bring it up if we're alone."

Lucy pursed her lips but nodded anyway; if she had to deal with the humiliation of Stefan teasing her about her feelings for him, that would be a lot more tolerable than ruining her relationship with her sister.

"Fine."

"Wonderful," Stefan gave her a dimpled smile that would have melted her if it wasn't so sarcastic. "Should we go to class then?"

Lucy nodded and they left the classroom just as the warning bell for first period rang. Students rushed from the hallway, heading toward their classes with little complaint, though there were a few stragglers.

Lucy was surprised to see that Rebekah was one of them.

"Good morning," she greeted Lucy perkily as she fell into step beside her and Stefan.

"Morning," Lucy nodded politely. "Nervous for your first day?"

"Not really," Rebekah told her honestly. "Let's cut to the chase, shall we? You gave me an aneurysm."

"You bit my sister."

Rebekah gave her a calculating look while Lucy kept her gaze firm. She had missed Rebekah so much but she wasn't going to let her get away with hurting Elena.

"Nobody's perfect," Rebekah eventually admitted with a small smile

Lucy beamed at her and patted her arm as they got approached Alaric's classroom. Stefan opened the door for Lucy and Rebekah but the blonde waved him off.

"I want to make an entrance."

Lucy laughed and shook her head, walking into the room with Stefan close on her heels. She took the seat in front of Caroline and gave her a I'll-tell-you-later look to placate the curious one she was giving her while Stefan walked over to the taken seat next to Elena.

"You're in my seat," he snapped at the guy. The kid hurriedly moved seats and Stefan sat down, shooting Elena, Caroline, and Lucy an innocent smile.

Alaric, who was at the board and had been writing the title of the class, set down his chalk and slapped his hands to get rid of the dust. "Welcome back, seniors. Let's turn our brains back on, starting with this country's originals founders…the Native Americans."

"What about the Vikings?" Rebekah asked as she entered the classroom, taking a seat next to Lucy. '

"There's no evidence that Viking explorers actually settled in the United States," Alaric stated, giving her a confused look. "Who are you?"

"My name's Rebekah," she introduced herself. "I'm new and history's my favorite subject."

The day passed quickly, with only a few teachers—Alaric being one of them—assigning back-to-school homework. As seniors, everyone got their pick of classes out of all the students at Mystic High, which led to most of Lucy's friend group being in the same classes—excluding the advanced math and chemistry classes Lucy and Caroline were in—which meant, of course, Rebekah and Stefan were in them, too.

Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena were very not happy with Rebekah's appearance but Lucy didn't say a word. She was not picking sides in this part of this weird stand-off between her Mystic Falls friends and family and her original family. Of course, if someone was injured or if there was anything that Lucy truly objected to, then she would intervene.

Cheer practice was upon them and with the start of the new year, Bonnie had decided to quit the squad, leaving Lucy and Caroline as the only ones out of their group. It was disappointing but not devastating—they knew Bonnie had a lot going on and didn't fault her for stepping away from something she wasn't really passionate about.

As Lucy set the boom box down on the grass where the squad was meeting and Caroline went over the roster for attendance, Ashley, one of their teammates, walked up to her and Caroline.

"Have you guys seen Dana?"

Lucy faltered for a second, shocked and disappointed with herself for forgetting about what happened to Dana the previous night, but Caroline stepped up. She informed Ashley that they hadn't heard anything about their teammate but she would contact her parents soon.

Ashley seemed to believe Caroline's explanation and settled back in line with her friends.

"Sounds like you have an opening on your squad," Rebekah practically appeared out of nowhere, dressed in appropriate clothing. "Mind if I join?"

Lucy shook her head with a smile but Caroline looked like steam was about to come out of her ears.

"What are you doing?" she asked the Original harshly. "You can't just come here and infiltrate all our lives."

"I'm only interested in yours," Rebekah replied evenly, her eyes glinting threateningly. "Your spark, your popularity, your best friend," she glanced at Lucy before looking over at the football field where Matt and Tyler were practicing with the rest of their team. "maybe even your boyfriend."

"Okay, okay," Lucy sighed, breaking up their intense glaring contest. "Rebekah, join the girls, okay? We're getting started."

Rebekah grinned at Lucy and bounced over to the girls, settling in line. Turning to face her, Caroline looked at her incredulously.

"What is wrong with you?" she exclaimed. "We're talking about this later because I'm pretty sure she and Klaus have you under their thumbs."

"Caroline!" Lucy gave her a hurt look.

"I'm sorry," Caroline sighed and shook her head. "Let's just start."

Lucy nodded and stood back, as Caroline addressed their squad. She laid down some ground rules and the schedule for practice, which was laid back during the fall for football season and picked up intensity in the spring for competitions. She was halfway through dress code when she got distracted, turning her head toward the football field.

"Uh, Lucy start with the routine," Caroline told her. "I'll be right back."

"Got it," Lucy nodded as she left and made her way to the football field. "All right, girls, we're gonna start with the routine we learned at camp. Rebekah, you can watch for a few minutes but I think you'll pick it up quickly."

Rebekah nodded with a small smile.

"And one, two, three, four…" Lucy started counting and she and the squad started going through their routine.

It looked like the girls had been practicing, which was pleasing, and Lucy was right when she said that Rebekah would pick the moves up quickly. Before long, Rebekah was doing better than most of the girls.

Caroline still wasn't back by the time they got to the tumbling, so Lucy started off. She did the double back handspring back tuck that she and Caroline did at the beginning of the routine, smiling happily when she nailed it.

"Can I give it a go?" Rebekah asked when Lucy straightened up and joined the girls again.

"Sure, go ahead," Lucy shrugged.

The girls cheered Rebekah on as she warmed up and then she ran, copying Lucy's movements perfectly. Lucy clapped, impressed, and the other girls shouted with excitement.

"Nice, Bekah!" she complimented her sister. "All right, girls, next round!"

Joel leaned against Alaric's desk, waiting to hear Elena's great idea to capture Stefan and force him to turn his humanity back on. Currently, his sister was arguing with Damon about how she wanted to be in charge and Damon was rebuffing her, annoying everyone else in the room.

Frankly, Joel didn't care which plan they were going to use. If he was honest, as long as Stefan didn't hurt his siblings, Caroline, Alaric, or Bonnie, he didn't care what the older vampire did. The only reason he was taking part in this was because Elena asked him to.

Finally, Damon gave in and Elena focused.

"I'll lure Stefan away from the bonfire," she stated, looking around at Joel, Alaric, and Caroline. "Then, when he's distracted."

"I'll shoot him," Alaric volunteered.

"And I'm back up," Joel added.

Elena nodded, satisfied with the plan.

"Can't Bonnie just juju him or something?" Damon complained from his spot by the window.

"I'm trying to keep Bonnie out of this?" Elena glanced at him. "I don't trust that Stefan won't hurt her."

"What about Twitch, then?" Damon persisted as Elena narrowed her eyes. "We know Stefan would die before hurting her."

"Lucy's with Rebekah right now," Joel spoke up, remembering the message Lucy sent him. "Which actually works in our favor because Rebekah follows Stefan around like a little puppy."

"And you know she won't hurt Stefan," Caroline said knowingly.

"Fine, we can't count on Twitch," Damon sighed.

Elena nodded and turned to Caroline. "Are you covered?"

"Yes!" Caroline beamed cutely. "I will make sure that the old Forbes jail cell is prepped and ready."

"Wait, wait, wait," Damon interrupted again. "What if Lucy doesn't stay with Rebekah the whole time? We can't risk her coming to Stefan's rescue."

"Which is why it's your job to keep them away," Elena turned to him with a coy smile.

"How?" he gave her a look of disbelief. "She's an Original. Last time I checked, we're out of daggers."

"So, then preoccupy her with your charm."

Alaric scoffed. "Might have better luck finding a dagger."

Damon rolled his eyes at him. "Are you ever not going to be mad at me, Ric?"

"Doubtful."

Tyler took that time to enter the classroom, a whole half-hour late to their planning session.

"Sorry, I'm late," he excused himself. "What's going on?"

"We need you to raid your mom's vervain supply," Elena informed him. "Enough to keep Stefan down for a while."

"You can't do that to Stefan," Tyler objected, shaking his head.

Joel narrowed his eyes at the hybrid and straightened up while Elena gave him a curious look.

Caroline looked at him in disbelief. "Why not?"

"Trust me, Tyler, it's in his best interest," Elena added.

"It's not in Klaus'."

Caroline scoffed in confusion. "But Klaus is the bad guy, Tyler," she stated the obvious. "You know, why are you acting like some freaky hybrid slave minion?"

"Uh-oh," Damon hummed, jumping off the desk he was sitting on; Joel and Alaric gave him questioning looks.

"Klaus made me who I am, Caroline," Tyler explained himself while everyone looked at him like he was crazy. "I owe him everything."

"Oh, boy."

Caroline spun toward Damon. "Okay, can we cool it on the commentary, please?"

As Damon grabbed a vervain dart off Alaric's desk, Joel gave Tyler a contemplative look. "What's going on, Tyler?"

Tyler's eyes bounced off everyone, taking in the judgmental looks they were giving him. "I'm just gonna go…"

Damon didn't let him leave the classroom; he blurred over to Tyler and plunged the vervain dart in his neck. Caroline gasped in shock as Tyler dropped to the ground from the poison currently shooting through his blood.

"What the hell?" she exclaimed, crouching down next to her boyfriend.

"He's been sired."

"What?" Alaric asked.

"Sired," Damon repeated himself. "He feels loyal to Klaus because Klaus' blood created him."

Elena furrowed her eyebrows. "Loyal how?"

"He'll seek acceptance from his master," Damon sighed. "It's really rare but maybe not so much in hybrids."

"Maybe because werewolves come in packs," Joel thought out loud, making Damon shrug.

"So how do I fix him?" Caroline looked to Damon for an answer.

"Get a new boyfriend."

Caroline sighed and picked Tyler up into her arms. "I'll get him home," she looked at Elena before she left. "I'll make sure the cell's ready. Good luck."

Luck wasn't all they needed; Joel was pretty sure they needed a miracle to pull this off.

The back-to-school bonfire started an hour ago and it was already way more fun than last year's party. For starters, there hadn't been a vampire attack—so far—and people were generally livelier. None of her friends were around at all but Lucy stuck by Rebekah's side, helping her assimilate to the new teenage culture.

Currently, she was watching in amusement as Rebekah tried, for the fifth time, to get beer from the keg. The previous times she had Lucy do it for her but Lucy decided that she should try herself this time. Rebekah very clearly had no idea how to work the spout and she was growing frustrated.

And then Super-Stef came to the rescue, taking the spout from her and filling her cup. "You all right there?"

"Lucy wouldn't help me with the keg," Rebekah frowned and Lucy made an indignant noise. "and I thought Tyler would be here."

"Tyler's with Caroline, I told you that," Lucy sighed; she thought that if Rebekah was just nice and didn't try to steal Caroline's life, she would be partially accepted by her best friend. Being petty and trying to steal her boyfriend was not the way to go.

Stefan raised his eyebrows at Lucy before glancing at Rebekah. "You're into Tyler now?" he hummed. "That's kinda fickle."

"When you're willing to give me the time of day again, then we'll talk," Rebekah muttered. "Until then, a girl has needs."

Lucy looked between them. "Wait, again?" she asked, confused. "Did you two…?"

Stefan smirked at her while Rebekah nodded, oblivious to the reason why Lucy was asking. "In the 1920s before Klaus compelled him to forget us," Rebekah rolled her eyes. "Our brother is a controlling jackass, Luci, you know that."

"You're joking," Lucy said flatly. When Rebekah shook her head, Lucy slapped her hand to her forehead and groaned, "No. Why does God hate me?"

Rebekah gave her a confused look as she took a sip of her beer while Stefan rolled his eyes. "You're being dramatic," he stated. "Oh, hi, Elena."

Lucy immediately dropped her hand and looked to her right, where she hadn't noticed Elena. Elena smiled shortly at her and grabbed the keg spout out of Stefan's hands, filling her cup to the brim.

"What are you doing?" Stefan asked.

"I'm having fun, Stefan," she snapped. "Do you have a problem with that?"

She gulped down her beer, emptying the cup within seconds.

"All right take it easy," Stefan scoffed as Elena filled her cup up again. "We all know you're kind of a lightweight."

"Uh-huh, really?" Elena narrowed her eyes at him. "You think I'm going to let a blood addict tell me how to drink?"

"Elena!" Lucy gasped in shock.

"What? It's the truth," Elena shrugged and started to walk away. "See ya."

"You know what?" Lucy exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air. "All this stress is not good for me. I'm going to get gray hair. I can't pull that off."

She was being a bit dramatic but she was close to going crazy. She felt like she was being pulled back and forth and forward between Elena and her friends, Stefan, and her Original siblings. It was all so hard to keep up with, especially with Luciana's memories and her memories fighting for control of her emotions.

"I think it'd be cute," Stefan told her with a small smile.

Lucy glared at him; stress eating it was. "Okay, I need something to eat," she turned to Rebekah. "Have you ever roasted marshmallows? Let's roast marshmallows."

Lucy had stuffed her face with ten marshmallows by the time Damon approached her and Rebekah. He immediately started flirting with the blonde Original so Lucy quickly gave an excuse to leave to try to find anyone else to hang out with.

The problem was, she couldn't find any of her friends. Joel and Alaric weren't at the bonfire—something about not wanting to party with high schoolers—and she couldn't find Elena, Caroline, Bonnie, or Matt anywhere. Even Stefan seemed to be gone now.

This bonfire turned out to be sucky, too, she guessed.

She had entered the parking lot and was searching for her car when she heard a commotion and smelt smoke. She saw a fire and ran toward it, pulling her phone out of her pocket in case she needed to call 911. To her shock, it was Alaric's car that had burst into flames.

"What the hell is going on?" Lucy shouted at Alaric and Joel as they pounded on the windows; she gasped when she saw that Elena was stuck in the car. "Elena?"

"The fucking car won't open!" Joel called to her, using all his strength to break the passenger window.

"Then someone is making this making this happen," Lucy declared, walking over to the SUV. She looked around for a place where there weren't any flames and slammed her hands against the hot metal, crying out from the burning in her palms.

She quickly siphoned the magic keeping Elena in the car and the back floor flew away from the vehicle. Lucy immediately ripped her hands away from the burning side as Joel and Alaric helped Elena and Stefan out of the car.

"Hurry!"

They were only fifty feet away when the SUV exploded.

Elena had suffered a small burn on her cheek from the fire and Stefan was groggy from the vervain Alaric put in his system—apparently they had a whole plan to capture Stefan and she hadn't even known about it. By the time the five of them got to the Boarding House, Lucy's right palm had begun to blister and her other hand was a medium shade of red.

Damon swept Elena away to tend to her wounds and Joel went to get himself and Stefan a few blood bags while Stefan, surprisingly, started to help Lucy clean her hands.

Lucy watched him carefully, wincing once in a while, as he cleaned her palms and gently rubbed numbing cream all over them. "Why are you doing this?"

Stefan looked up, having heard her quiet question. "I was a paramedic a while back."

"Yeah, I know that," Lucy nodded. "I mean, why are you helping me. That doesn't seem like something a vampire without his humanity on would do."

Stefan pulled away from her hands and reached for the bandages he had set to the side. He opened one up and gently put it on her right hand. "You do something for me, I do something for you," he smoothed the bandage down and then reached for the other one. "Seems like you're always saving me."

"Well, you are my best pal," Lucy smiled slightly. "even if you are a damsel sometimes."

Stefan scoffed and shook his head; Lucy swore there was a happy glint in his eyes but it faded to snarky amusement as he finished bandaging her left hand.

"Stefan?"

Stefan hummed and looked back up at her.

"You know that you still have me, right?" she said softly, hoping that saying this wouldn't bite her in the ass. "I think that you think when you turn your humanity back on, you won't have anyone. But you do. I'm always going to be there for you."

Stefan stared at her for a few quiet seconds, his eyes searching her face. Eventually he nodded and he was gone in a blur.


	45. Henrik

**[3x07; Ghost World]**

"Don't be nervous," Mrs. Lockwood advised as she straightened Lucy's blazer. "Keep your speech short but personal and make sure you thank the volunteers before introducing Tobias."

Lucy nodded, trying to remember everything that Mrs. Lockwood told her while also trying not to freak out. This wasn't just a historical society luncheon; this was almost the whole town watching her speech. She didn't understand why Mrs. Lockwood chose her to do the opening remarks when there were plenty older and wiser women on the planning committee.

Still, it was an honor to be chosen and although she was nervous, she knew she couldn't screw this up.

Mrs. Lockwood checked her teeth and straightened out her blouse once again before Lucy was allowed on stage. Once she was there behind the podium and had a crowd watching her, it didn't seem so bad. Maybe the hardest part for her was actually getting on the stage.

"Hi," Lucy smiled at the crowd as she spoke into the microphone. "I'm Lucy Gilbert and on behalf of the Mystic Falls Historical Society and the Mystic Falls Planning Committee, I'd like to thank you for coming. "Tonight, thanks to our volunteers, we will be turning off our town's lights and light up lanterns in honor of the Night of Illumination started by our founders one hundred and fifty years ago. Here is founding family member Mr. Tobias Fell to give you a history lesson about the beginning of this tradition."

The crowd clapped politely as Tobias Fell, a history teacher at Mystic High, joined the stage. As she left the stage and let Mrs. Lockwood take over, she made her way to the back of the crowd, where Jeremy, Joel, and Alaric had shown up for her speech.

Joel tugged her into a hug as soon as she got close enough. "Great job, Luce!" he exclaimed. "I think you'll be mayor next."

Lucy raised an eyebrow at him as Jeremy gave her a one-armed hug and congratulated her. "You think?"

"I think she's too nice to be a politician," Alaric grinned as he gave her a hug once Jeremy gave her up. "You did great, Lucy."

Lucy smiled at her brothers and biological father. "Thanks, guys."

"Okay, we saw Lucy's speech, so what are we still doing here?" Jeremy complained as Mr. Fell started to give his history lesson.

"Tobias Fell is the head of the history department," Alaric sighed; he had explained this to the youngest Gilbert before they left for the day. "I didn't have a choice.

"All right, that explains what you're doing here," Jeremy crossed his arms over his chest.

"Well, I'm the one who can fail you if you don't help me out," Alaric retorted, raising his eyebrows at Jeremy.

Lucy snickered but her amusement gave way when she saw Elena approach them. She was supposed to be here with Joel, Jeremy, and Alaric for her speech but she wasn't. It disappointed Lucy because it seemed like she was always there for Elena but her sister didn't give her the same respect back.

"Hey, sorry, I'm late," Elena apologized. "What did I miss?"

"Just my whole speech," Lucy pursed her lips, her tone letting Elena know that she was irritated.

"Shit, I'm sorry, Lou," Elena grimaced. "I forgot about it."

Lucy scoffed; that didn't make her feel any better. Her speech might have been short but this was big for Lucy and it was an opportunity for her to show Mrs. Lockwood that she was responsible enough to take on more responsibilities. Elena's forgetfulness made her feel like she was slapped in the face.

"Forget it," she shook her head and looked toward her brothers and Alaric. "I'll get us a table at the Grill."

After leaving her family, she crossed the street and entered the Grill, getting a table for five outside. She ordered some chili-chees fries and drinks for the table—Coke for Joel and Elena, sweet tea for herself and Jeremy, and Dr. Pepper for Alaric—before she was left alone.

Luckily, her phone buzzed with a message before she got too bored waiting for her family.

_**Bekah**__: I'm in Charlottesville for the day. Do you have a homecoming dress?_

_**Luci:**__ Not yet. Why?_

_**Bekah:**__ I'm getting some for you to choose from. See you tomorrow!_

Lucy smiled and went to message her back but the chairs surrounding her pulled out as her family sat down to eat lunch. Their waiter appeared with their drinks and they all ordered before Elena pulled out a couple of journals that Lucy knew were Stefan's.

"Hey, Jere, I need you to help me with something," she said, opening one up.

"What's up?"

"I've been going through Stefan's old journals," she informed him. "Every single time that he's gone off the rails in the past, his best friend Lexi has been the one to bring him back."

Lucy bit her lip sadly at the thought of Lexi. The blonde had put so much positivity, fun, and love into Stefan's life only for her to be torn away in a single moment. She knew how much Stefan loved Lexi and it was obvious that Lexi held just as much for him.

"So, where is she now that we need her?" Alaric asked, taking a sip of his soda.

"She's dead," Lucy stated flatly, slipping a fry off the large plate in the middle of the table that Joel was demolishing.

Jeremy nodded in realization and looked at Elena. "And you want me to try to reach her, don't you?"

"I thought if I knew how she did it, maybe I could help him," Elena confessed quietly.

"I don't even know if she's on the other side."

Joel raised his eyebrows and took a long sip of his cola before asking, "Is that what it's called?"

"That's what Anna calls it. There's not like an official brochure or anything."

"So, what is it," Alaric frowned thoughtfully. "some sort of supernatural purgatory?"

"Well, Anna said it's like being here with all of us, only we can't see her or hear her," Jeremy explained. "and can't interact with anyone. She's all alone."

"Vicki could interact. She blew up my car," Alaric stated matter-of-factly.

"Vicki had help from a witch on the other side. Anna…" Jeremy shook his head slightly. "She's doing this all by herself."

"The last time someone summoned a spirit, we got our asses burnt, _literally_," Joel stressed. "Maybe we should learn from that?"

"If Jeremy were to contact Lexi, I doubt that she'd try to hurt us," Lucy mused and looked over at Jeremy. "Do you think that it's even possible to talk to her?"

Jeremy didn't answer as their waiter came with their food. They all shared their gratitude and started eating and started eating as the guy walked away.

"I don't know," Jeremy finally said, passing Alaric his cheeseburger and fries. "I didn't have an emotional connection with her. I never even met her."

Alaric sighed. "Can we just drop it please?"

"No, I can't drop it, Ric," Elena snapped. "I don't know what else to do."

"Honestly, I think you should just let Stefan be," Joel said honestly, shrugging when Elena gave him a dirty look. "Don't give me that look, okay? Once you have your humanity switch flipped, it's kinda hard to turn it back on."

Lucy agreed with Joel but she wasn't going to say that she did in front of Elena. She didn't think that Elena truly understood what exactly was going on with Stefan. Even if he did turn his humanity back on—without Lucy siphoning Klaus' compulsion on him—he'd be like Klaus' slave. And, since he had to act like he was compelled anyway, he was kind of stuck. Maybe with his humanity off, Stefan was trying to deal.

Like she told Stefan before, Lucy knew that his problems wouldn't just go away but it wasn't her choice and it wasn't Elena's either. Stefan had suffered too many times with people controlling him. He could make his own choices whether or not Lucy or Elena or anyone agreed with him.

"I can't believe you said that," Elena shook her head in disapproval. "Stefan's not himself and we need to do something."

"Yeah but it's not your choice is it?" Lucy raised an eyebrow at her sister. "It's Stefan's choice whether or not he wants his humanity back. You can try to convince him but can't force him to."

"So then I try to convince him." Elena didn't look happy with Lucy's opinion.

"Do what you want, as usual…"

Elena furrowed her eyebrows at Lucy and gave her an annoyed look. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Lucy stiffened in her seat. "It means that all you care about is yourself," she spat as she grabbed her purse and draped it across her body. "As long as Elena gets what she wants, nothing matters."

Elena scoffed but Lucy didn't stick around to hear her sister's bogus excuses. She stomped away from the table, hearing Joel's quiet, "Maybe you should have shown up for her speech."

"I saw your speech," Stefan's voice made Lucy jump at her place at the table of lanterns and spin around to face him. "It was okay. You could have gone on for a few more seconds."

Lucy gave him a surprised look and grabbed a box of lanterns off the table. "You really saw it?"

"Yep. I also saw you storm away from Elena at the Grill," Stefan stated bluntly. "Were you fighting about me?"

"Are you stalking me?" Lucy retorted as she started walking to the tree she was assigned to; Stefan tagged along.

"I was compelled to protect you and I have to keep up the ruse, don't I?" Stefan raised an eyebrow; Lucy reluctantly nodded. "So, were you fighting about me?"

"You were part of it but it was mostly the fact that Elena missed my entire speech," Lucy sighed; she set the box on the ground and pulled out a pretty blue lantern and its string. "It's Elena's world, you know. We're just living in it."

Stefan hummed and grabbed a lantern, easily stringing it up.

"Sorry," Lucy sighed. "I know you love Elena and you don't like when I talk shit about her."

"I don't care."

Of course, he didn't; Lucy rolled her eyes. "Speaking of your humanity, I'm pretty sure Elena's going to try something. I told you I wasn't going to try to force your humanity on and I'll stay out of it. I just wanted to let you know."

Stefan nodded. "You know, you said you loved me before I left," he needlessly reminded her. "How come you're not fighting for me?"

Lucy pursed her lips, feeling a combination of emotions. There was annoyance because he kept bringing up her confession. She confused because he didn't know why he cared. And she was hurt and mad because he felt the need to ask that.

"You think that I don't fight for you?" she turned to him, dropping her lantern and putting her hands on her hips. "You think that I don't love you because I don't want to force your humanity back on?"

Stefan stared at her pensively.

"I fight for you, Stefan," Lucy declared. "I fought for you when I found out you were a vampire and Elena was freaking out about it. I fought for you both times you were stuck in that damn tomb. I fought for you when you almost drank Amber Bradley dry at the Miss Mystic Falls pageant. I fought for you when I wrote you those letters and I fought for you when I siphoned away Klaus' compulsion."

"If you think that I don't fight for you, that's your problem, Stefan. I'm not forcing you to turn your humanity back—against my better judgment, by the way—on because I respect your right to choose. I know how much you hated being under Katherine's compulsion and I never want you to feel that way again. As long as you're in my life, I will fight for you. Even then, I will continue fighting."

"Okay," Stefan's voice was low and his forest-green eyes were glued to her face. "I get it."

"Do you?" Lucy raised an eyebrow, her eyes watering. "Because if you genuinely don't see how much I care about you, then I don't know exactly what I'm supposed to do to show you…" she laughed bitterly. "Maybe be a Petrova doppelganger, I guess."

Stefan continued to stare at her, speechless.

"I think you should probably go," Lucy suggested, wiping her eyes as she turned away from him. "I'm always on your side, Broody, and I'm always gonna be here for you, but I want to be alone right now."

It was silent for a few seconds before Stefan whispered a goodbye and left.

When Lucy first saw him in front of her, she couldn't believe it. He had been dead for over a thousand years, yet he was right there, dressed in modern clothing with a haircut similar to Jeremy's, in front of her house.

"Henrik?" she asked in disbelief as he broke out into a toothy smile.

"Luciana, it's nice to see you again."

Lucy let out a joyful, yet shocked, scoff and threw herself at her twin brother, pressing her cheek against his shoulder. Henrik rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head.

"How are you here?" she asked as they ended their hug. "What's going on?"

"The veil's been pulled back for a little while," Henrik explained. "Until your witch friend puts it back in place, I'm here."

"Well, come in," Lucy gestured to her house. "We can sit and talk."

Henrik nodded and allowed his sister to lead him into her house. Lucy offered him a drink and because he was curious about soda, she got him a can of Joel's Coke. When they settled in the living room, Lucy couldn't help but explode with curiosity.

"So, you've been on the Other Side for a thousand years?" she asked; Henrik nodded. "What's that like?"

"Lonely," Henrik answered honestly. "You can find peace, whatever that means, but I haven't."

"Why not?"

"I have six siblings to look after," Henrik smiled slightly. "Once you guys stop messing up your lives, maybe I can move on."

Lucy laughed. "I'll try my best," she promised. "You really watch over us?"

Henrik nodded. "Of course. Right now, Finn, Kol, and Elijah are in coffins in a truck somewhere. Klaus is in Montana, Rebekah's in Charlottesville, and you're here," he shrugged and took a sip of his cola. "There's really nothing to do on the Other Side so I watch you guys. You're my entertainment."

"A soap opera, no doubt," Lucy rolled her eyes. "I always thought my dramatic tendencies came from my dad but I was wrong. I'm pretty sure the Mikaelson family invented drama."

"Probably," Henrik's grin softened. "How are you doing with all your memories? Are they still overwhelming you?"

"Pretty much. It's a mess in my head right now," she confessed. "It's kinda hard when your original family wants to kill your current family and vice versa. I mean, Niklaus killed my aunt and uses my sister as a blood bag but I can't hate him because he's Niklaus—he's my brother who protected me and taught me how to paint. How am I supposed to deal with that?"

"I wish I had an answer but I don't," Henrik grabbed her hand comfortingly. "Even when you were Lucia, you struggled with the feelings that came with your memories."

"And now I have an extra life under my belt," Lucy muttered bitterly. "So it won't get better?"

"You were only fifteen when you died as Lucia so I'm not sure," Henrik said sadly. "Maybe you just need time."

Lucy frowned. "If only time helped me."

Across town, in the old Forbes jail cell, Lexi glared down at Stefan, a stake held firmly in her hand. She wished that he would just give in and turn his humanity back on. She wished that Lucy would just help them get Stefan back and deal with the consequences later.

Lexi truly thought that Lucy was one of the people who would be able to get Stefan back. She had seen it only a few hours earlier when Stefan was shocked into silence at Lucy's rant about fighting for him. She had seen it in the way that even without his humanity, Stefan couldn't stand to be too far away from Lucy and he couldn't bear to see her hurt.

Lucy wasn't one to run away or give up, especially on Stefan, so Lexi was a little frustrated that the siphon wasn't here to coax Stefan back to himself.

"This would be much easier if Lucy were here," she spoke firmly, almost glad that Elena had run out an hour ago.

"You think Lucy would be able to convince me flip my switch back?" Stefan scoffed, licking his dry lips.

"Yeah, I do," Lexi confirmed. "Because you love her too."

Stefan raised his eyebrows and laughed weakly. "That's funny."

"Is it?" Lexi hummed. "Because I saw your little conversation earlier and I saw how much you were affected. You felt it when Lucy said those things, didn't you? You felt your humanity."

"Obviously not."

"Oh, sweetness," Lexi cooed, bending toward her best friend. "You think you can hide from me? Me? I've known you for a long time, Stefan. I know you better than you know yourself."

"And you know that I love Lucy?" Stefan cocked his head and gave her a skeptical look.

"Yeah, you do," Lexi nodded. "So, let that love in, Stefan. If it's Elena you want to love, that's fine, too. Just let something in. Anything."

Stefan rolled his eyes. "Can you just stake me again? That was less torture than this."

"Is Mother on the Other Side?"

Henrik nodded. "I'm sure she is. We don't have contact with anyone, so I wouldn't know."

Lucy frowned, hating to know that her twin was so lonely on the Other Side. She couldn't imagine watching her loved ones live on while you had to watch, not being able to interact with them. It had to be so difficult.

"Henrik," she started hesitantly. "I hope you know that you don't have to watch over us. It's okay to find peace. I promise we'll be okay."

"I don't know," Henrik shrugged. "How do I know that peace will be any better than the Other Side?"

"You don't," Lucy squeezed his hand. "but it's called peace for a reason."

"I guess you're right," Henrik admitted thoughtfully. "You know, maybe I waited all this time for a reason."

"What would that be?"

"So that I could say goodbye to you," Henrik smiled warmly. "Promise me something, Luciana."

Lucy nodded.

"You fight for yourself, okay? You're strong and I know you fight for everyone, but I need you to fight for yourself, too.

Lucy's eyes stung as she looked into her brother's eyes—the eyes that matched hers. "I promise—"

Henrik disappeared before she could finish her promise. She stared at the place where he had been sitting and became determined to do what Henrik had asked.

"I promise, Henrik," she whispered. "I'll keep fighting."


	46. Mikael

**[3x09; Homecoming]**

"All right, we'll say that Mikael followed Elena in here," Stefan stated as he walked into the library of the Boarding House, Joel, Elena, and Damon following him. "He tried to grab her so he could use her as bait."

"And you, what, vervained him?" Elena asked him skeptically; Stefan crossed his arms over his chest.

"No, _we_ vervained him," Damon scoffed as he corrected her. "The guy's an Original. Make it realistic."

Stefan rolled his eyes. "Okay, fine. We vervained him and in the process, discovered that he had a dagger."

"Which he planned to use on Rebekah," Joel added. "but instead…"

"We drove it through his heart," Stefan finished.

"And what happens when he asks to see Mikael's body?" Elena asked, cocking her head at Stefan.

"Good point," Damon pointed at her and then at Stefan. "You, my brother, have been compelled to do what Klaus says. So, if the idea is to lure him back here and kill him, the last thing we need is you getting tripped up and tongue tied."

Elena nodded in agreement and sent Stefan a pointed look.

"Well, don't look at me," Stefan shrugged, keeping up the ruse that he was still compelled. "I'm just in charge of getting him back here."

"Klaus is smart," Joel stated; he knew that the whole of the Original family was smart. One look at Lucy could tell you that. "If we tell him that Mikael's dead, he'll want proof."

"Than I shall be dead," a man walked into the library, his demeanor stiff. Joel could tell that he was dangerous just by the way he held himself.

The man—Joel knew him to be Mikael, who had visited the Salvatore brothers after he fed on Katherine—walked over to one of the tables and set down a dagger and a small jar of white ash.

Stefan and Elena walked over to Mikael while Joel and Damon stayed back.

"What if he wants to see you in person?" Elena wondered.

"Well, it means our plan is working," Mikael said simply. "Klaus will absolutely want to see my body. You lure him here and I will kill him."

"With what?" Stefan put his hands on his hips as he stared down Mikael. "Those daggers won't work on him."

"I'm in possession of a stake fashioned from the wood of the ancient white oak tree," Mikael told him and picked up the jar of ash. "The one that left these ashes when it burned."

Damon raised his eyebrows. "Where is it?"

"Not here," Mikael dipped the dagger into the white ash. "Knowing its location is my insurance policy."

"Against what?" Joel narrowed his eyes.

Mikael pressed his lips together and stepped toward Elena, holding the dagger out to her. "You leaving this in my heart," he said. "You see, a vampire can't dagger an Original without dying. So, it falls to you."

Elena took the dagger. "You want me to actually dagger you?"

"Klaus will leave nothing to chance. Especially when it comes to trust," Mikael insisted. "Now, before you use the dagger. Where is my daughter?"

"Rebekah?" Elena raised her eyebrows. "She's upstairs."

"No, not Rebekah," Mikael shook her head. "Luciana. She is still alive, isn't she?"

"What do you want with Lucy?" Stefan's voice was low and threatening as he stepped toward the Original.

Mikael gave Stefan an appraising look. "I have not seen my daughter in over a thousand years because of Klaus," he spat the hybrid's name. "I simply wish to see her."

"She's not involved in this," Joel spoke up protectively. "She doesn't know about our plan and we want to keep her out of it. If you want to see her, it will have to wait after Klaus is dead."

Mikael nodded in acceptance. "Well, then," he turned to Elena. "Let's get on with it, shall we?"

Twenty minutes later, Mikael was on the floor, desiccated with a dagger in his heart. Stefan sat a few feet away from him, his phone pressed to his ear while he waited for Klaus to answer his call.

He couldn't wait to be done with all of this.

"_Portland is fantastic once you can get over all the whiney music and healthy-looking people,"_ Klaus greeted him at once. _"It's literally a breeding ground for werewolves."_

Stefan didn't have time for small talk. "You father's dead."

The other line was quiet for a few seconds. "_What did you say to me_?"

"Oh, my mistake," Stefan rolled his eyes. "Not your actual father and not dead. Mikael is daggered. What do you want me to do with the body?"

"_Well, first, I want you to explain to me exactly what happened."_

Stefan told him everything just like they all planned for him to do. He didn't add or forget anything to make sure that Klaus and the others thought his compulsion was still intact.

"_I want to see him,"_ Klaus growled angrily_. "I want to see his rotting body for myself_."

"Well, he's here," Stefan stood up and glanced at Mikael's body. "Come by whenever."

"_If you're lying to me, Stefan, your compulsion will expose you,"_ Klaus reminded him. "_So answer with your life. Is what you're saying the truth?"_

"It's true," Stefan clenched his jaw. "I saw it with my own eyes."

"_I want to talk to Rebekah."_

Stefan's eyes darted to Damon and Joel, both of them nodding at him. "That's not a problem. She's right here."

He walked over to Rebekah, where she was staring at her father's body with wet eyes, and handed her the phone.

"Hello, Nik," she said softly into the phone.

"_Rebekah, love, what's this I hear about Mikael's tragic run-in with a dagger?"_

"It's true," Rebekah exhaled. "He's finally out of our lives for good. I miss you. I'm miserable here."

"_I'll be home soon,"_ Klaus promised.

"Good. I'll see you then, brother," Rebekah hung up the call and handed the phone back to Stefan. "He bought it. He's coming home."

Stefan nodded gratefully at her and stuffed his phone in his pocket as she briskly walked out of the room. Stefan, Damon, Joel, and Elena turned to each other, surprised that the first part of their plan went off without a hitch.

"Now, was that easy or what?" Damon smirked.

Elena crouched down next to Mikael, rolling her eyes at his comment. "Let's just get this over with."

She pulled the dagger out of his heart.

Lucy walked next to Matt at school, both of them carrying crates of art supplies to decorate the gym for homecoming. She and Caroline were co-planning this dance together—they would plan prom, as well—and they were pretty excited for tonight.

Lucy didn't have a date but it didn't bother her at all. She just wanted to have fun tonight and not worry about keeping track of her date. Besides, Rebekah had asked Matt to the dance and she thought it was kind of cute.

Matt wasn't so sure, though. "Are you positive that it's okay I'm going with Rebekah?"

"Of course, it is," Lucy confirmed with a smile. "You're one of my best friends, Matt. You deserve to have fun."

"So, you're sure?"

"Yes. Why are you so worried about what I think?"

"Rebekah's your sister," Matt shrugged sheepishly. "And, you know, we had that thing."

"We had sex a couple of times and there were no feelings involved," Lucy gave him a reassuring smile. "And it's over. If you're okay, I'm okay. Okay?"

"Okay," Matt smiled in relief, glad that they could continue being friends with no drama involved. "and don't think I didn't notice that we stopped sleeping together when Stefan came back."

Lucy pursed her lips and playfully narrowed her eyes at him. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Matthew," she carefully took his box from him to add to her own and placed it against her hip to juggle both. "Get to class."

"Your secret's safe with me, Luce," Matt started to walk away with a grin. "See ya."

Lucy rolled her eyes, not really bothered with the fact that Matt knew about her feelings for Stefan. She was sure he wouldn't say anything. Matt was good at keeping things private. She continued out to the courtyard where Caroline and Tyler were working on the van and set the boxes down.

"Hey," Caroline greeted her with a smile. "did you bring the glitter gun?"

"Sure did," Lucy confirmed, grabbing the glitter gun out of her box and handing it to her best friend. "One glitter gun."

Caroline beamed at her. "Thanks."

"This thing looks really good," Lucy gestured to the van where school spirit practically threw up on it. "Is it almost ready?"

"Soon," Caroline promised. "Just a few finishing touches. It would have gone quicker if you were helping."

"I already did the jerseys and the field," Lucy pointed to her artwork on the opposite side of the van. "Trust me, it would have taken longer with my perfectionist tendencies."

Caroline hummed and shook her head with a smile.

"Hey," Tyler left his place at the side of the van and walked up to them. "can't we ditch the decorating and go grab a bite?"

"Oh," Caroline perked up and set down her paintbrush. "I have a thermos in my bag."

Lucy grimaced at the thought of Caroline having a container of blood in her bag. What if it got all over her stuff?

"I mean a real bite," Tyler winced apologetically. "Rebekah knows some people who like to be fed on. They're into it; we don't even have to compel them."

Caroline bristled in disbelief. "Okay, first of all, I finally almost just got your mother to stop hating me. So, I probably don't want to get caught in some weird vampire threesome with her son," she stated. "And secondly, quit hanging out with Rebekah, the evil blood slut."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Caroline, remember what we talked about?" she reminded her best friend. "No slut-shaming…and Bekah's not evil."

Caroline scoffed heavily.

"Just keep the claws in tonight at the dance, okay," Tyler requested. "For me?"

"And me?" Lucy added hopefully.

Caroline pressed her lips together but nodded. "So, who has the misfortune of being compelled to be her date?"

"Matt said he'd take her."

"Wait, you set her up with Matt?" Caroline asked her boyfriend before turning to Lucy. "And you're okay with this?"

"I'm perfectly fine with Matt taking Bekah," Lucy confirmed. "She wants to go to the dance and Matt didn't have anyone to go with."

"Besides, he drinks vervain," Tyler pointed out. "she can't feed on him. What's the big deal?"

"The big deal, _you guys_," Caroline glared at Lucy and Tyler. "is that Matt is an innocent, good person who should not be going to dances with original vampires."

"You're being dramatic," Lucy shook her head. "Rebekah won't hurt Matt, I promise."

"He's a guy," Tyler added his support. "and Rebekah's hot. Don't overthink this."

Caroline gave him a suspicious look. "This is a sire thing, isn't it?" she pointed her paintbrush at him. "Please tell me this is some weird family extension of your sire bone to Klaus."

"I'm here hanging streamers and have glitter all over my hands," Tyler scoffed playfully. "If I'm sired to anybody, it's you."

Lucy snickered. "He's got a point, Care."

Caroline shot her an unpleased look. "Would you two stop ganging up on me?" she asked loudly. "It's freaking me out."

Lucy zipped up the back of Rebekah's red dress and walked around her, making sure it laid nicely against her. "It looks great," she told her. "I think red is your color."

"Do you think so?" Rebekah smiled weakly, looking at herself in the mirror.

"I think so," Lucy nodded. "but blue does make your eyes pop."

Rebekah looked at her with wide eyes. "You remember?"

"Of course," Lucy smiled slightly and clasped the bracelet Stefan got her around her wrist. "You never did get married, did you?"

"I didn't get the chance," Rebekah sighed as she looked to the mirror and fluffed out her curls. "You and Henrik died shortly after our conversation at the quarry. Our family scattered after Mother was killed."

Lucy frowned, knowing what was going on in Rebekah's head at the moment. While she had been talking to Henrik, Damon and Alaric found a cave under the Lockwood's property that had drawings about the original family. It was discovered that it was actually Klaus who killed Esther and not Mikael like Rebekah originally thought. Rebekah was devastated at the truth and Lucy tried to comfort her the best she could.

"I'm sorry, Bekah."

"It's over and done with," the look on the blonde's face disagreed with her words. "Come, let's get you in your dress."

Lucy smiled and allowed Rebekah to help her into the dress she got for her in Charlottesville. It was short, shiny, and black with fringe covering the skirt. Lucy fell in love with it immediately and thanked Rebekah profusely for getting it for her.

Once Lucy was dressed and made up, she and Rebekah took a picture together. It was a sweet photo and Rebekah got teary eyed over it. It was so strange for Lucy to see her sister so emotional but Rebekah insisted it was because tonight was such a big night for them.

"I have to go meet up with Caroline," Lucy reluctantly told Rebekah. "See you at the dance?"

"Of course," Rebekah beamed. "I'm looking forward to being Homecoming Queen."

Lucy laughed softly. "I'd be surprised if you didn't win, Bekah."

Rebekah grinned and waved her off. As Lucy was about to leave the Boarding House, Stefan stopped her with a charming grin and a nice-fitting suit that made Lucy equal parts amazed and angry—every time he wore a suit she got weak in the knees and she hated it.

"Look at you," he looked her up and down. "You look amazing."

Lucy's cheeks warmed under the layer of foundation she was wearing. "Thanks. You're going to the dance?"

"Well, someone's gotta escort you," Stefan held out his arm for her. "Shall we?"

Lucy didn't loop her arm with his. "Actually, I was going to the dance alone."

Stefan didn't look upset about her refusal. "At least let me drive you to school," he offered. "You can drink all the spiked punch you want, okay?"

Lucy pursed her lips as she looked at him thoughtfully. Something was different about him; without his humanity on, Stefan was a sarcastic asshole who loved to make people uncomfortable. He wasn't like that at the moment—he actually looked worried for her well-being.

"Fine," she agreed. "you can drive me to school. But you have to leave me alone after that."

"I don't get a dance?"

Lucy sighed. "Fine, one dance."

They arrived at the school an hour before the dance was supposed to start because of Lucy's duty as co-chairman of the dance committee. Unfortunately, there were police cars and firetrucks scattered all over the parking lot and there was water pouring out of the gym doors.

Lucy had no idea what was going on but she knew that it couldn't be good. If the gym was flooding so bad they needed firemen, it had to be a disaster in there.

She hurriedly got out of Stefan's Porsche and ran across the parking lot to find Caroline. Stefan quickly went after her and it didn't take them long to find the blonde vampire and her hybrid boyfriend looking at the school with devastation and anger.

"What happened?" Lucy asked as she and Stefan approached Tyler and Caroline.

"The gym's flooded," Tyler informed them. "The dance is canceled."

"The dance is canceled?" Lucy asked flatly, glaring over at the gym. "We spent a month planning and a week decorating and it's canceled? We got a photo booth!"

Caroline squeaked at the reminder of their big-ticket item. "What are we supposed to do?" she asked sadly.

"Go home?" Stefan suggested, not bothered by the destruction caused by the water.

Lucy and Caroline glared at him.

"How about we move the party to my house?" Tyler spoke up, looking toward Caroline. "Come on, I have the room."

"Kegs and beer pong for homecoming?" Stefan raised an eyebrow at him. "That's different."

Lucy and Caroline exchanged a thoughtful look before Caroline nodded at Tyler, giving him the go-ahead. He smiled excitedly and took off, pulling out his phone to make some calls.

"I'll start a text-chain to let everyone know the change of venue," Lucy sighed, pulling out her own phone.

"I'll call Elena," Caroline volunteered.

When Stefan and Lucy pulled up to the Lockwood mansion, they were shocked. Their lawn was already packed with cars and they could hear loud music through the closed windows as red and white lights shined from the backyard.

"What the hell?" Lucy murmured as they got out of the car and saw the line of people in front of the house, waiting to get in. "How'd he plan this so fast?"

"I have no idea," Stefan looked around suspiciously.

The line into the dance—it was a party, really—went quicker than expected. They headed straight into the backyard—where they were shocked to find out a live band was playing in front of a huge crowd—and got drinks.

A slower song came on as Lucy was drinking the rest of her beer. Stefan held out an expectant hand for her and she raised an eyebrow at him.

"You told me we'd dance, remember?" he reminded her. "Come on, it's tradition."

"Fine," Lucy agreed, taking his hand. "Only one dance, though."

"Only one."

Stefan pulled her to the part of the yard that was sectioned off for dancing and they joined the couples that were enjoying the party together. Stefan slowly twirled Lucy around and pulled her to his chest, taking one hand in his own as they started to sway.

"This is nice," Stefan admitted. "familiar."

Lucy nodded in agreement and pressed her forehead against his shoulder. "You hate dancing."

Lucy remembered a time where she had to beg him to dance with her. Since then, they had danced at almost every party they went to. It was strange, yet amazing, to see how far they had come.

"Not with you," he whispered.

Lucy shivered and frowned in confusion. Was his humanity back on or not? Because he was sure acting like it was. This was her Stefan that was holding her close, his fingers lightly brushing against her bare back; it wasn't the Stefan she had seen lately.

She pulled her head away from his shoulder and looked up at him. "Do you have your humanity back on or are you just messing with me?"

Stefan's lips quirked and quickly spun her around. "How about I tell you when the night is over?"

Lucy rolled her eyes at him but enjoyed the rest of their dance. When the song ended and the band struck up a livelier tune, they joined the rest of the crowd by the stage.

"Hey, guys," Tyler greeted them as he approached with a case of beer. "What's up?"

"Hey, Tyler," Stefan nodded back at him. "Nice party you got going on here."

"Yeah, did you secretly have a binder full of back-up homecoming plans?" Lucy gave him a suspicious look.

Tyler chuckled. "No, I'm not even the one throwing it," he admitted. "I'm just doing what Klaus wants."

Lucy raised her eyebrows in surprise. Last she heard—from Klaus himself, the day before—was that he was in Portland, Oregon. Why on earth would he come back to Mystic Falls so quickly? He was literally across the country.

"What do you mean?" Stefan asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"It's not a party," Tyler said as the song died down and the crowd cheered. "It's a wake."

Lucy gave Stefan a confused look as Klaus hopped on stage. "What is he doing here?"

Stefan didn't answer as Klaus took the microphone and started to speak to the crowd.

"Good evening, everyone!" he exclaimed. "I want to thank you all for being here with me to celebrate. It's been a long time coming."

As Klaus locked eyes with Stefan, Lucy roughed grabbed her best pal's arm. "What the hell is going on, Stefan?" she asked shortly. "What is Klaus talking about?"

"I don't know," Stefan lied; she could see it in his expression. "You should go find Elena."

"Stefan."

"I'll catch up with you later," he insisted. "Go on."

Lucy narrowed her eyes at him but did as he asked. She huffed and walked away from Stefan, trying to find her sister.

Lucy didn't find Elena but she did find Matt—without Rebekah, which concerned her—and Caroline by the keg. Caroline happily offered her a cup of beer and Lucy took it, taking a long sip as she tried to figure out what was going on.

Things only got weirder as Tyler approached her, Caroline, and Matt, pulling Matt and Caroline away from the keg so they could all talk. They didn't come back from the house and after fifteen minutes of waiting for them, Lucy wandered away from the keg.

She avoided the house, where she saw Klaus playing beer pong, of all things, and walked through the side gate, hoping to call Joel to pick her up.

"Luciana."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows at the name and looked away from her phone, gasping when she saw exactly who had called her by her first name.

Mikael, her first father, stood in front of her, looking drastically different than the last memory she had of him. The last time she saw him, he was beating Niklaus in a duel and had cruelly pinned him to the ground to teach him a lesson. Now, he stood in a casual suit, his hair cropped short.

"Mikael."

What was he doing here? Rebekah told her a few weeks ago that he was desiccated in a tomb in some random cemetery, so how was he standing in front of her? Was he here to kill Klaus and Rebekah? Was he here to kill her?

She took a cautionary step away from him.

"No need to fear me, my dear," Mikael noticed the fear in her eyes. "It's been a long time. I wanted to see you again."

His words didn't settle her; she knew how dangerous Mikael was—her sister had told her many tales of his cruelty over the past thousand years. He even killed a man that Rebekah loved and was like a son to Klaus.

"What are you doing here?" she asked quietly. "Did you do something to Rebekah?"

"Your sister is in no danger," Mikael answered patiently. "It is Klaus that I have come to kill."

Lucy's heartbeat picked up as anxiety started to set in as pieces came together in her mind. The fact that Stefan insisted on taking her to the dance. The gym flooded and Tyler miraculously had a party planned. Klaus coming back to Mystic Falls and his confusing speech…there had been a plan in place.

And, once again, she knew nothing about it.

"You're going to kill Niklaus?"

She didn't know how to feel about that. Her first thought was, yeah, Klaus deserved to die. He killed Jenna, he tried to kill Elena, he took Stefan away from Mystic Falls and practically made him a slave for the whole summer—who else knew what he had done because he certainly was not a saint. But, upon further reflection, she didn't want him to die. Everything in her that was Luciana hated the idea of her big brother dying. Not when he had protected her, loved her, and nurtured her for twelve years.

"I can see the conflict in your eyes," Mikael observed. "Your mother said you would have memories of our family."

"Then you know I can't let you kill my brother," Lucy became resolved.

Mikael hummed, like he had expected her to say that. "Unfortunately, my dear, I have no choice."

Lucy gave him a confused look but as soon as she felt an aching pain hit her head, she knew what he meant. Mikael caught her in his arms as she fell to the ground, her vision going black.

Stefan looked away from Katherine as she started to call Damon, looking into the backseat where Lucy was still passed out by the hit she took from Mikael. Nothing had gone according to plan, but Damon was alive, Mikael wasn't going to come after them, and he was free from acting like Klaus' bitch.

"_Not interested in the play by play of our failure right now, Katherine,"_ Stefan looked back at Katherine when he heard Damon's voice coming from the speaker on her phone.

"I'm just calling to say goodbye," Katherine sighed. "I don't know what to tell you. You had a good plan, Damon, and that's high praise coming from me."

"_It's not very comforting at the moment,"_ Damon muttered bitterly. "_You going back into hiding?"_

"At least my life's not boring," Katherine stated. "Goodbye, Damon."

"_Take care of yourself, Katherine."_

the call ended, Katherine dropped her phone into the cupholder between her and Stefan.

"He doesn't know where it all went wrong?" she sighed.

"He doesn't need to know," Stefan replied, leaning his head against his hand.

Katherine shook her head pulled the car over to the side of the road as they passed the border of Mystic Falls.

"Are you good from here?" she asked Stefan, glancing back at Lucy's still form. "I need to put about a million miles between myself and Klaus as soon as possible."

Stefan didn't say anything as he stared out the window thoughtfully.

"Stefan."

He thought about what happened only an hour ago. He had woken up in his library, his neck healed from Mikael's attack, to find Katherine, dressed in Elena's outfit, passing him a blood bad. She quickly told him Klaus' back-up plan where his hybrids tore Damon apart if he was killed.

Stefan had a choice to make and, of course, he chose his brother.

"How did you know that I would stop Damon?" he asked her.

"I didn't," Katherine sighed. "I was just hoping that you would want to."

"You wanted Klaus dead for five hundred years," Stefan reminded her. "Why would you risk all that just to save Damon's life?"

Katherine pressed her lips together and looked over at him. "I wasn't just trying to save Damon's life, Stefan. I was trying to save yours," she said. "Your humanity. Let's just say I like the old you better."

"Nah," Stefan scoffed. "Come on, Katherine. You don't care anything about yourself. You never have."

Katherine's eyes hardened. "You and I both know that's not true. I loved you. I loved Damon, too. And I love Lucia," her eyes went to her sister in the backseat and sighed heavily. "Humanity is a vampire's greatest weakness. No matter how easy it is to turn it off, it keeps trying to fight its way back in. Sometimes I let it."

Stefan shook his head. "I can't let it all back in," he whispered. "Not after everything I've done."

He had killed over a hundred people over the summer, slaughtered and tore them apart like they were animals. He fed from Elena, he antagonized his friends, he teased Lucy about her feelings for him. That wasn't who he truly was, yet he still did all of those things. How was he supposed to deal with that?

"Of course, you don't want to," Katherine agreed sympathetically. "but if you don't let yourself feel, you won't be able to do what I need you to do next."

Stefan raised his eyebrows. "What's that?"

"Get mad," Katherine smirked at him. "Invoke that revenge plan I know you have."

Stefan didn't even deny that he had a plan; Katherine was too smart.

"Now get out of my car," Katherine ordered. "And tell my sister I said goodbye."


	47. Revenge Isn't Sweet

**[3x10; The New Deal]**

_**Morning After Homecoming**_

_Lucy's head only ached a little when she woke up. Mostly, she was surprised by the light that flooded her room; it had been well into the night when she spoke with Mikael at the party and she couldn't remember a single thing after that. _

_Did Mikael succeed? Was Klaus dead?_

_She quickly sat up, rubbing her forehead, and gasped when she saw that Stefan sitting on her window seat. He was simply staring at her with passive eyes, his arms crossed over his chest. _

"_Stefan, what are you doing here?" she asked groggily. "What time is it?"_

"_It's ten," Stefan stood up and walked over to her bed to take a seat by her legs. "I brought you home last night."_

"_And you're still here?"_

_Stefan shrugged. _

"_Okay…" she sighed. "What happened last night? Did Mikael kill Klaus?"_

"_Not exactly…"_

_Lucy listened quietly as Stefan informed her of what happened the night before. Damon had succeeded in stabbing Klaus with the white oak stake but Stefan saved Klaus' life. Klaus ended up staking Mikael, who was now ash. Lucy had asked him why he saved Klaus and Stefan told her it was because Klaus had plans to make his hybrids kill Damon if he was killed. _

"…_and I couldn't let that happen," Stefan finished. _

_Lucy nodded, knowing that Stefan would rather die than have anything happen to Damon. His actions confirmed her suspicions, though. He had his humanity back on. And he had probably had it on for a while. _

"_How long has your humanity been on?"_

_Stefan wasn't surprised that she managed to figure it out on her own. Lucy was smart and she knew him more than anyone else. "A week or so," he admitted. "I know we have things to talk about. I do…but I need to do something first."_

_Lucy gave him a concerned look. "What is it? Can I do something to help?"_

"_I need you by my side, Luce," Stefan told her. "and I need you not to freak out when I tell you this. I need to explain."_

_Lucy nodded and promised to hear him out. She was curious about what he had done that would make her want to freak out so much. _

"_I stole the caskets or your Original siblings."_

_Lucy stared at him, trying to wrap her head around what he had just said. "What?!"_

"_Let me explain, okay?" Stefan grabbed her hand and linked their fingers to calm her down. "I took them to get back at Klaus but I need you to know that I will not do anything to harm them. I'll just keep them until Klaus gets out of Mystic Falls and doesn't come back."_

"_That's your endgame?" Lucy asked cautiously. "You just want Klaus out of our lives?"_

"_Yes."_

"_And you won't hurt Finn, Kol, and Elijah?"_

"_I promise I won't," Stefan nodded. "I might tell Klaus I will. Just to persuade him a little."_

_Lucy inhaled heavily, trying to decide what to do. From what Stefan said, he just wanted to get Klaus out of town. Nothing more. The thing was, she could tell Stefan was angry and she didn't want things to get out of hand. _

"_And it won't get out of hand? You won't go overboard?"_

"_I won't," Stefan declared. "I just want you by my side."_

"_Then I will be," Lucy squeezed his hand. "I told that I would always be by your side, Broody."_

It had been two weeks since her conversation with Stefan the morning after homecoming. Strangely, things had been calm on both fronts; Stefan and Lucy had moved the caskets from the warehouse Stefan had stored them in at first to the basement of the old witch house. They knew Klaus had to be stewing with a plan to get his family back, under the impression that Stefan was going to dump them in the ocean, but he was quiet, too.

To Lucy's confusion, there were four coffins that Stefan stole, not three like she had thought. She had opened Elijah, Finn, and Kol's caskets to make sure they were in there and unharmed but she couldn't open the fourth one. She didn't even have an idea who could be in the fourth casket.

Despite the fact that Stefan turned his humanity back on, he wasn't back to his normal self. Most of the time he was his normal self, if not avoidant—they still hadn't talked about what happened before he left in the spring or his comments when he got back—but there were also times when he was angry and snippy. Lucy wouldn't let him get away with it; she'd let him know he was being an ass and then help him get through it.

The moodiness mostly came when he was around other people. And, really, the only other person Stefan interacted with was Joel. He wasn't outright rude to the younger vampire, but he always got annoyed. He was furious when Joel showed up at the witch house, though. He hadn't wanted anyone else to know about the coffins but Joel had followed Lucy there one day and had confronted the both of them.

Stefan was not happy with bringing Joel into the loop but one pleading look from Lucy did the trick.

Lucy slapped a card down onto the card table that she and Joel set up in the basement of the witch house. "Your turn," she told Joel, watching as he pulled a card from the draw pile and search his hand for a play. "Any day now, JoJo."

"I literally picked up my card a second ago," Joel rolled his eyes and set down two sets of four, much to Lucy's chagrin. He added another card to her run of eight and then slapped his last card into the discard pile. "I'm out."

Lucy groaned and wrote down the points she earned from the last round. Phase Ten was like golf; the less points you had, the better.

"I don't see what's so interesting about this game," Stefan huffed as Lucy started to shuffle and deal for the next round. "It's basically Rummy with colors."

"That's what makes it interesting, Broody," Lucy dealt Joel and herself ten cards each. "The colors sooth our millennial minds."

Stefan rolled his eyes at her answer but stiffened, as if he heard something. Apparently he did; he quickly informed Lucy and Joel that Bonnie had entered the house and was making her way to the basement.

The door leading to the basement opened seconds later and Bonnie walked down the stairs. Lucy and Joel started their game, anyway, letting Stefan deal with her.

"Hello, Bonnie," Stefan greeted Bonnie as though they were in a horror movie.

Bonnie whipped around to face him. "Stefan," she said, shocked. "You followed me here?"

"Yeah, it wasn't too hard," Stefan informed her. "You should probably be more careful."

"Don't listen to him, Bon," Lucy spoke up, putting a discard card in the pile; Bonnie whipped around to see her and Joel, giving them a confused look. "He's been here all morning."

Bonnie looked back to Stefan. "what do you want with me?"

"Relax, I just need your help."

"Why would I help you?" Bonnie raised her chin defiantly. "Elena said you saved Klaus' life."

"Let me fill you in on a little secret about Klaus," Stefan drawled, ignoring her comment. "He kept his family with him at all times. Daggered and stored in coffins. Now, I have them and I need you to help keep them hidden."

"You're out of your mind," Bonnie shook her head. "You're just going to make him angrier."

"His family is his one weakness," Stefan insisted. "As long as I have that, I have something over him."

Bonnie shook her head incredulously. "I don't have enough power to hide four Originals."

"That's why we're here," Lucy got up from the table and walked over to Bonnie. "I had a theory that the spirits could help you. They hate Klaus, too."

"You can figure something out," Stefan added.

Bonnie sighed. "Fine, I'll try," she agreed before looking at Lucy. "Why are you doing this with him? I didn't think you would want to get involved with something like this."

"I usually wouldn't," Lucy nodded. "but Stefan said he wouldn't hurt my siblings and I think that it would be best if Klaus left Mystic Falls. Nobody's going to get hurt."

Lucy regretted saying that to Bonnie only ten minutes later because Elena had called Joel, telling him that Jeremy was compelled by Klaus—with the help of Tyler—to stand in the middle of the street to be run-down by one of Klaus' hybrids. Jeremy was fine but Alaric took the hit for him and was currently dead on the couch in their living room.

She felt horrible that she had put her family in this situation without them even knowing it. She couldn't go along with this if Klaus was willing to kill people—she felt stupid that she even thought he wouldn't. She had to tell Stefan to give the coffins back to Klaus.

She was taking back her word but what was she supposed to do? Let Jeremy or Alaric die in order to get Klaus out of Mystic Falls?

Lucy stared at Alaric's peaceful face as she sat next to Jeremy on the floor. She had siphoned off any compulsion that Klaus might have done and held his hand tightly, assuring herself that he was okay.

Elena sat nearby with Joel in the living room; the four of them waited anxiously for their surrogate—in Lucy's case, biological—father woke up from his death nap.

The door opened and Damon walked into the house. "How is he?"

"He's dead but he had his ring," Elena reported. "Klaus' hybrid hit him so now we just wait."

Damon quickly looked over Alaric's body before turning to Jeremy. "Jeremy, why aren't you wearing vervain? Where's your bracelet?"

All eyes turned to Jeremy as he looked for the bracelet that was usually around his wrist. "I don't know."

"It was Tyler," Elena declared. "It had to have been. That's why he was hanging out with you, to get you off the vervain."

Lucy raised her eyebrows in surprise; she hadn't known that Tyler was that deep into his sire bond. Honestly, she felt bad for him. He had no control over the sire bond but everyone around him was acting like he had a choice whether or not he followed Klaus.

"Klaus is trying to send us a message," Damon muttered bitterly. "He wants us to find Stefan, who stole the coffins of all his dead family members."

Lucy schooled her expression and exchanged a quick look with Joel, who said nothing.

"Coffins?"

"Yep," Damon nodded at Elena. "So, all we have to do is find four coffins, and viola, no one else on your family's Christmas list has to die."

Jeremy pulled his hand from Lucy's and stood up, looking at Damon in disbelief. "Wait, that's your big plan?" he scoffed. "Steal back four dead Originals so this evil hybrid doesn't kill me and everyone else we know?"

"You got a better idea?"

"Yeah, let's get the fuck out of here. Pack our bags and go."

Lucy, Joel, and Elena stood up at the aggression and fear in Jeremy's voice.

"Hey, Jeremy, calm down," Elena tried to sooth him.

"No, I'm not going to calm down, Elena," he snapped at her. "This happens every time no matter what we do. You get on my case about school and work but who cares? None of us are going to make it out of this town alive."

As Jeremy stomped upstairs to his room, Elena turned to Damon. "He said he wants his family back…"

"No, I know what you're thinking," Damon shook his head firmly. "and the answer's no."

"If we give him Rebekah…"

Lucy looked at them in surprise; what were they talking about?

"Yeah, then Klaus un-daggers her and the first thing she does is kill you," Damon stated. "Frying pan, fire. Not an option."

"You daggered Rebekah?" Lucy spoke up, narrowing her eyes at Elena.

When Stefan told her of the whole plan they had come up with, he didn't say anything about daggering Rebekah, especially since she helped lure Klaus back to Mystic Falls. He thought that she was going to the dance with Matt and he hadn't seen her at all since then.

"She might have ruined our plan," Elena defended herself. "We didn't want that to happen."

"Yeah because that plan turned out so well," Lucy rolled her eyebrows.

"Oh, get off your high horse, Twitch," Damon said, annoyed. "You didn't protest when she daggered Elijah."

"Yeah because Elijah was planning on using her to kill Klaus," Lucy snapped at him. "Rebekah has done nothing to you guys."

"No one cares," Damon said slowly, infuriating Lucy.

"Guys, that's not the issue right now," Elena shook her head, unbothered by Lucy's comments. "Klaus' coffins. How many did you say there were?"

Lucy rolled her eyes and walked into the kitchen. Once she was sure that Elena or Damon didn't follow her in the room, she pulled out her phone and began to text Stefan.

_**Goofy**__: I didn't say anything but Elena and Damon might be coming for you_

_**Broody**__: Okay. On it. Why'd you leave?_

_**Goofy**__: Alaric was killed by a hybrid. I think we should stop. Klaus tried to kill Jeremy. No one else can get hurt._

It didn't surprise Lucy that Stefan hadn't texted her back after telling him she wanted to stop everything. She felt bad that she was bailing on him but she knew it was the right thing to do. If Jeremy and Alaric were at being threatened, she couldn't risk it.

Joel and Elena went to the Boarding House to offer Rebekah up in exchange for Jeremy's safety, Jeremy went to get revenge on Tyler, and Damon went to talk to Stefan, so that left Lucy to watch over Alaric's body.

She was a little anxious as she waited for Alaric to wake up. It was taking longer than usual but it could have been due to the range of his injuries. Getting hit by a car was no joke—ask Grey's Anatomy.

Lucy leapt forward from her seat on the coffee table as Alaric gasped softly. Hovering over him, she watched as his hazel eyes opened and blearily looked up at her.

"Hey," his voice was gruff, like he had woken from an eight-hour nap.

"I'm glad you're awake," Lucy smiled as she helped him sit up. "You really scared me. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he coughed slightly. "How's Jeremy?"

"He's okay," Lucy informed him. "I siphoned the compulsion and he's on vervain again."

"Good—" Alaric started coughing again, its intensity picking up. Blood splattered out of his mouth and onto the area rug as he hunched over, holding his stomach.

"Ric, are you okay?" Lucy exclaimed, her heart starting to race. Coughing up blood wasn't good, right?

"Something's wrong," Alaric groaned, more blood falling past his lips. "The ring…"

Lucy gasped in shock as he slumped off the couch, his eyes falling closed as he hit the rug. She quickly knelt next to him and laid him on his back with shaky hands before grabbing her phone to call an ambulance, blood staining the screen of her phone.

It only took the paramedics fifteen minutes to get to the house but Alaric hadn't gained consciousness yet. She hurriedly let the paramedics in and watched with wet and panicked eyes as they checked him over.

"What happened?" one of the paramedics asked.

"He got hit by a car and he's coughing up blood," Lucy's voice was high and almost hysterical.

The paramedic nodded at his partner. "Get his vitals."

The other paramedic quickly checked Alaric over, pressing his fingers to his throat. "Pulse is thready and weak. Looks like internal bleeding. We got to get him out of here."

"Let's move."

"_Let's not and say we did."_

Lucy whipped around at the new voice and saw a man standing at the threshold, staring at the two paramedics. She didn't recognize the guy at all but she could tell he was a hybrid because he started to compel the paramedics.

"_Why don't you two meet us at the hospital?"_ the hybrid suggested.

"What?" Lucy breathed as the paramedics packed their bags and headed out of the house. "No! You have to help him!"

The paramedics ignored her and kept walking toward the ambulance.

"What are you doing?" she screeched at the hybrid.

"You can still save his life, Lucy," the hybrid informed her, raising his wrist. "Here, take my blood."

Lucy narrowed her eyes at him, knowing there was a catch.

The hybrid sighed loudly. "But I can't get in. You're going to have to invite me."

Lucy couldn't invite him in but if Alaric died and she didn't do anything to help him, she was going to be devastated.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Klaus asked for his family," the hybrid stated. "No one delivered."

Tears welled up in Lucy's eyes; this was all her fault. She should have never agreed to help Stefan with the coffins. She should had known that Klaus would get his revenge.

Alaric coughed wetly, bringing Lucy out of her dark thoughts. She immediately knelt next to him and wiped the blood off his face. "Oh, my God."

"He's dying," the hybrid said matter-of-factly. "I would invite me in, Lucy."

The sound of an arrow being shot went off and the hybrid groaned in pain as it hit him in the heart. Lucy stood up and walked to the door as the hybrid fell onto the porch and was shocked to see Jeremy standing in the front yard with a crossbow.

"Jeremy?"

"He's not dead yet," Jeremy declared as he walked into the house. He came back out seconds later, a meat cleaver in his hand.

Lucy stared at it in horror. "What are you doing?"

Jeremy didn't answer as he knelt down next to the unconscious hybrid. He lifted the cleaver in the air and Lucy only just turned away with a disgusted squeal when he brought it back down, cleanly slicing off the hybrid's head.

"Jere…" she breathed, shocked by his actions.

"Now he's dead," Jeremy said as he stood up. "Come on. We've got to get Alaric to the hospital, now."

Lucy nodded, hoping that they weren't too late.


	48. Lies

**[3x11; Our Town]**

_**October 10, 2008**_

_Lucy stared at the small tattoo on Caroline's foot, a grin slowly taking over her face. Caroline beamed proudly down at her, proud with the design that would be on her foot for the rest of her life. _

"_Do you like it?"_

"_I love it," Lucy told her happily. "I can't believe your mom let you get a tattoo at sixteen."_

"_Well, Dad helped me convince her," Caroline shrugged. "So, what do you have planned today?"_

"_Since you were kind enough to wait the weekend for your party, I have taken the liberty of planning the best sixteenth birthday ever," Lucy said excitedly. "We get to skip school today and tomorrow so our moms can take us to New York City for the night."_

_Caroline gasped in excitement. "You're kidding?"_

"_Nope," Lucy smiled. "And, like any best friend duo, we will be seeing Wicked on Broadway."_

"_Lucy Eleanora Gilbert!" Caroline shrieked, pulling Lucy into a tight hug. "You are the bestest friend I could ever have. I love you so much!"_

"_I love you, too, Carebear," Lucy smiled into her shoulder. _

_That night, after their show, as they went back to their hotel, Lucy presented Caroline with a beautiful painting; it showed a beautiful meadow of flowers with a blonde and brunette facing away from the viewer, daisies in their hands. The phrase from one of the most popular Wicked songs printed underneath: Because I knew you, I have been changed for good._

_Caroline had cried on Lucy's shoulder for a solid twenty minutes after she was presented with the painting. When they got home to Mystic Falls the next day, Caroline had it framed and put in her bedroom. _

Lucy stared at the painting she gave Caroline two years ago for her sixteenth birthday as Caroline got dressed for her big day. Her blonde best friend was melancholy and Lucy wasn't sure if it was because she and Tyler had a falling out over his sire bond to Klaus, or the fact that she thought nothing was planned for her eighteenth birthday.

Lucy and the others did have a plan; cake by the falls like they used to do when they were kids. During the day, however, Lucy had plans to bring Caroline to the mall in Charlottesville. She was wondering if she should change her plans, though, because she had never seen Caroline less excited for her birthday.

"Are you okay, Care?" she asked, sitting up on Caroline's bed as the blonde pulled on a blue cardigan.

"I'm fine," Caroline tried to muster a smile for Lucy but was unable to. She knew there was no point; Lucy could see right through her. Proving her right, Lucy gave her a be-honest look. "Tyler stopped by before you got here."

"He gave you that bracelet?" Lucy nodded at the silver charm bracelet on her wrist; Caroline nodded. "It's pretty."

"Yeah…"

"And Tyler's not the only thing you're upset about," Lucy stated knowingly, grabbing Caroline's hand to pull her onto the bed with her. "What's wrong, Care? You can talk to me."

Caroline sighed. "I guess I'm not feeling my birthday this year," she confessed. "I mean, I'm dead. I'm not going to age. I'm going to be stuck in a seventeen-year-old body," she scoffed. "Seventeen was just a filler year, anyway, you know? I'm stuck in a filler year."

Lucy bit her lip, trying to figure out the best thing to say. She had to let Caroline know that it was okay to be sad about her birthday but it was something she couldn't fix. There was nothing Caroline could do about the fact that her body wouldn't age as her mind did.

"You think you're stuck but you're not," she finally said, squeezing Caroline's hand. "Sure, your body won't age, but your mind will. Your mind's another year older, Care. Another year mature. And, hey, all that matters is in here," she pointed to Caroline's forehead and then her chest. "and in here. That's Caroline Elizabeth Forbes."

Caroline smiled slightly, still not convinced but feeling a little better anyways.

"Besides, you'll be smoking hot when I'm an old bag of wrinkles," Lucy joked, kissing her forehead.

A giggle broke out of Caroline's lips, making Lucy smile.

"Come on," Lucy jumped off the bed and pulled Caroline with her. "We're going to get manicures and talk about how fucked up our lives are."

Caroline nodded. "Thanks, Luce."

"Anything for my best friend," Lucy smiled as she pulled out her phone to message Matt, Bonnie, and Elena.

_**Lucy**__: Change of plans. Meet at the Fell tomb at eight with cake & booze. Bring jackets._

"So, Jeremy's really leaving tomorrow?" Caroline asked Lucy as her best friend drove through Mystic Falls after ten uninterrupted hours of shopping and spa treatments.

"Yep," Lucy sighed. "Elena, Joel, and Ric decided he needed to go to Denver to be safe."

"And you don't agree with them?"

"I think Jeremy should go to Denver," she stated her opinion. "I just wish they wouldn't compel him to do so. I hate that he didn't make that choice on his own."

Lucy was conflicted about Jeremy leaving for Denver the next morning. She was glad he was going to be safe but she hated that Joel compelled him to leave instead of just talking him into it. It should have been Jeremy's choice to leave. It wasn't and that unsettled Lucy. Free will was a big thing for her and after Elena had Damon compelled Jeremy last time, everyone had promised not to do it again.

She supposed that in the long run, it was the right thing to do. She just wished Jeremy hadn't had his choice taken away from him.

"I think Jeremy will be fine," Caroline assured Lucy.

Lucy nodded as she pulled into the cemetery where they were meeting Elena, Matt, and Bonnie. "I think so, too," she admitted. "I'm just gonna miss him."

"He's your baby brother," Caroline sat up straighter as she realized where they were. "What are we doing here?"

"We," Lucy parked her car behind Matt's truck and Bonnie's car. "are meeting Bonnie, Elena, and Matt for your birthday."

"Luce, I don't feel like celebrating," Caroline reminded her slowly.

"I know, just…just trust me, all right?" Lucy turned off her car and opened her door. "Come on."

Caroline reluctantly got out of the car and followed her to the Fell tomb, where the door was open and candlelight lit up the inside. Matt, Bonnie, and Elena stood when they entered, giving Caroline a chorus of happy birthday.

"Thanks, guys," Caroline smiled at her friends. "So, what are we doing here?"

"Lucy filled us in on your birthday blues," Bonnie told Caroline. "Which is kind of sad, considering your birthday is our favorite day of the year."

"So, we brought cake," Elena pointed to the small pink cake with large candles.

"And tequila!" Matt added.

"I know it's creepy," Lucy smiled at Caroline. "but you were right. You're dead. You don't need a birthday; you need a funeral. You need to say goodbye to your old life so you can move on with your new one."

Caroline bit her lip in contemplation. "Okay, fine," she gave in. "Here lies Caroline Forbes…"

"Cheerleader, Miss Mystic Falls," Elena grinned. "third-grade hopscotch champion."

"Friend, daughter, overachiever," Bonnie continued fondly, making Caroline giggle.

"Mean girl," Matt went on. "sometimes. No offense."

"Ah," Caroline shrugged. "None taken."

"Sister, control freak, platonic soul mate," Lucy finished with a smile as Elena brought the cake over to Caroline. "Caroline Forbes was seventeen and she had a really good life."

"Rest in peace, so you can move forward," Elena said softly. "That's what you really need—what we all really need. Amen or cheers or whatever."

The five of them broke out into giggles at Elena's awkward finish.

"Bonnie?" Elena gestured to the candles on the cake.

Bonnie nodded and closed her eyes briefly; the candles glowed as flames appeared from thin air.

"Nice," Lucy grinned at her before looking at Caroline. "Okay, make a wish."

Caroline bit her lip and closed her eyes before softly blowing out the candles on the cake. Lucy, Matt, Bonnie, and Elena cheered as the flames went out.

The cake was quickly cut and handed out and the bottle of tequila was broke into. It didn't take long for the mood to lighten as they ate their cake and drank their booze. They were only there for an hour by the time most of them were tipsy or drunk.

Lucy was on her second piece of cake as Matt and Elena passed the bottle of tequila back and forth. Bonnie sat next to Lucy, staring off into space as Caroline texted in the corner—Lucy presumed she was talking to Tyler in her drunken state of mind.

"Ah, I need it more than you do, trust me," Elena clicked her tongue and took the bottle back from Matt as he sat next to her. "Caroline, what are you doing?"

"Huh? Hmm?" Caroline looked up innocently, hiding her phone behind her back. "What? Nothing."

Elena raised an eyebrow at her. "Okay, you're a bad sober liar and an even worse drunk liar."

"I might have texted Tyler…"

Elena sighed. "Caroline!"

"What? I'm delicate."

Lucy rolled her eyes at Elena's attitude. It was Caroline's birthday and she loved Tyler. It wasn't her fault—or Tyler's fault, really—that her boyfriend was sired to the Original hybrid. Plus, Caroline was affectionate when she was drunk.

Lucy didn't see the harm in texting him.

It's wasn't Lucy that spoke up in Caroline's defense, however. It was Bonnie, who was giving Elena quite the annoyed look.

"Oh, give her a break," she rolled her eyes at Elena. "You can't control what everyone does all the time."

Lucy bit her lip to stop the laughter that was threatening to escape her mouth. She had never heard Bonnie speak so truthfully to Elena before and it was kind of funny. And Bonnie _was_ right. Elena tried to control everyone around her and it always annoyed Lucy, who had a bit of trouble following someone else's lead. She would have never guessed that Bonnie felt the same way as her.

"Wow," Elena gave her a wide-eyed look.

"Ouch, Bon," Matt smirked in amusement.

"Sorry, I know it's Caroline's birthday—funeral, or whatever," Bonnie gave Caroline an apologetic look before turning back to Elena. "but I just feel it's really wrong to compel Jeremy to leave town."

"I'm doing it to protect him, Bonnie," Elena defended herself. "I want to give him a chance to have a quiet, normal life."

"He should be able to choose how he wants to live it," Bonnie objected. "You're taking his choice away."

"I agree with Bon," Lucy added her opinion, since this was her own brother they were talking about. "Jeremy should have made the choice to leave on his own."

"Guys," Elena gave her and Bonnie a warning look. "you can't tell him."

"Why?" Bonnie raised a daring eyebrow. "Are you gonna compel me not to?"

Lucy gave Bonnie an impressed look; that was something she would say to her sister but she never thought Bonnie would have the guts. She and Elena were so close and they hardly ever fought.

"You know, you guys are ruining a perfectly good funeral," Matt spoke up, looking between Elena, Bonnie, and Lucy.

Bonnie sighed and stood up. "I'm sorry," she apologized to Caroline. "I'm just gonna go sleep it off or something. Happy birthday, Care."

Caroline gave her a grateful smile as she left the tomb.

Lucy's phone had buzzed a total of nine times by the end of the second hour of Caroline's birthday-funeral. Stefan's name popped on her screen each time and each time she ignored him. It was Caroline's party-funeral and she didn't want to spend the remainder of her buzz thinking about Stefan's erratic behavior.

Despite the fact that Elena had begged Stefan to stop Klaus in order to save Jeremy, Stefan hadn't given in. He was hell bent on getting Klaus out of town even if Lucy had bowed out at the sight of her younger brother in danger.

So, Lucy was currently not talking to her best pal. Luckily, she was having fun with Caroline, Matt, and Elena. Her disagreement with Elena about compelling Jeremy was pushed to the side in order to properly celebrate Caroline and that was perfectly okay with Lucy.

Matt had just finished telling a goofy joke when Tyler walked into the tomb, responding to Caroline's numerous drunk texts.

Caroline's giggles faded as she turned to see him.

"Sorry," Tyler apologized, taking in the glares that Matt and Elena were sending him. "I didn't mean to crash the party."

Matt stood up defensively. "So don't."

"No, it's—" Caroline, who had her head in Lucy's lap, sat up. "it's okay. Hi."

Tyler gave her a quick smile. "Can I talk to you for a sec? It's kind of important."

Caroline sighed softly but agreed to talk with Tyler; the former couple left the tomb together, leaving Lucy, Elena, and Matt to stare awkwardly at each other.

Lucy saw the frown on Matt's face as he sat back down next to Elena. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I want her to be happy, you know?" Matt sighed and took a sip from the bottle of tequila. "It's what I want for all of you guys, in the middle of this crazy life you got stuck in."

Elena furrowed her eyebrows. "Is that how you see it?" she asked him. "That we're stuck?"

"I'd say it's attached itself to all of you pretty tight, yeah."

Lucy lowered her head, thinking about what Matt said. Ever since the Salvatore brothers came to Mystic Falls, their lives had been one big adventure full of ups and downs and highs and lows. She couldn't blame it on Stefan and Damon, though. Things still would have happened, just differently.

Either way, Lucy was still a siphoner and the reincarnation. Elena was still Katherine's doppelganger. Joel had still been turned into a vampire by Isobel. Bonnie was still a witch. Even without Stefan and Damon in Mystic Falls, their lives would still be connected to the supernatural.

A thousand years ago, when Lucy was born for the first time, she was destined to be part of this life. She may not like it but that was the truth. There was no other path for her.

"You and Bonnie were right, Luce," Elena admitted, catching Lucy's attention. "Joel and I had no business messing with Jeremy's head."

Lucy gave her a small smile. "I get why you did it," she told her sister. "He's in danger and we can't lose anyone else."

"We shouldn't have compelled him, though."

"No, you shouldn't have," Lucy agreed.

Lucy's phone rang, cutting the stillness of the tomb. She checked her phone and sighed when she saw that it was Stefan once again. She excused herself to her sister and Matt before answering the call.

"Did ignoring your texts not give you a hint?"

"_Meet me outside,"_ Stefan told her firmly_. "We need to talk."_

"I'm not at my house," Lucy sighed, ignoring the curious look Elena was giving her. "What do you need?"

"_I'm outside the Fell tomb. I need to talk to you."_

Lucy sighed. "Are you serious?"

Stefan didn't answer, which was an answer in itself.

"Fine," she muttered angrily. "be right out."

"_Hurry_."

Lucy rolled her eyes and hung up, shoving her phone in her jeans as she stood from the stone bench she was sitting on. "I gotta go meet Stefan," she told Elena and Matt apologetically. "Can you text me if we're moving the party back to Caroline's?"

"Yeah," Elena nodded, giving her a suspicious look. "What do you have to talk to Stefan about?"

"Honestly, I have no idea," Lucy waved at her and Matt before leaving the tomb.

It didn't surprise her to see Stefan waiting for her right outside the door. By the impatient look he was giving her, he wasn't happy to be standing in the middle of a cemetery at night.

"Come on," he said simply as he started walking away from the tomb.

Lucy sighed, exasperated, and followed Stefan through the cemetery to his car, which was parked behind hers. Once he unlocked the Porsche and they both settled in, Stefan drove out of the cemetery.

"What's with the fieldtrip?" Lucy asked, leaning her head back against her seat. "Why did we have to drive to a whole new location for us to talk? You know what they say about secondary locations, right?"

Stefan gave her an annoyed look. "I'm not kidnapping you," he reminded her as he drove out of town. "You came with me willingly."

"I came with you because you were being insistent and impatient," Lucy huffed. "What did you need to talk about?"

"Our plan," Stefan said as they passed the Mystic Falls sign. He slowed down not long after and pulled to the side of the road. "We need to go to the next step."

Lucy scoffed. "I told you I didn't want any part in this after Klaus nearly killed Jeremy and succeeded in killing Ric."

"I realize that," Stefan nodded. "That hybrid and all the other hybrids Klaus turned are a problem, especially since Klaus can order them to do whatever he wants, including trying to kill Jeremy."

"Stefan…"

"I visited Klaus today," he informed her, raising his eyebrows. He knew what he told her would get her on his side and see things from his point of view. "I killed one of his hybrids and I overheard a little conversation."

Lucy quirked a brow. "Which was?"

"Klaus told Tyler to bite Caroline."

Lucy stared at him, trying to see if he was being truthful. The thing about Stefan was that he was a horrible liar. He was worse than she was, which was saying something considering the fact that she used to be the worst liar in her family. His forest-green eyes held nothing but honesty and it made her blood boil.

She was absolutely sick of Klaus trying to ruin their lives. First it was Jenna and Elena, then Stefan and Tyler, and now it was Jeremy and Caroline. Klaus was supposed to be her brother, someone she could look up to and feel safe with but he was none of those things. Her brother Niklaus was no more and Klaus needed to get the hell out of Mystic Falls—after healing Caroline, of course.

"What do you want to do?" she asked Stefan. "I'll help."

Stefan looked relieved that she was agreeing to help. "What we need to do is outsmart Klaus," he told her. "We need to figure out his weaknesses."

"You already have Elijah, Kol, and Finn," Lucy pointed out. "What else could we do?"

Stefan tapped his fingers on his steering wheel as he thought of something.

"What if he couldn't make his hybrids?"

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows. "Elena's blood makes his hybrids, though."

"I could change her into a vampire."

Lucy gaped at Stefan, shocked by his suggestion. "You're kidding me," she said flatly. "Stefan, Elena doesn't want to be a vampire and you're not turning her to get revenge on Klaus! Are you out of your mind?"

"Fine," Stefan rolled his eyes. "What if we just convince Klaus that I'm willing to change her?"

Lucy pursed her lips thoughtfully. Something like that could work but was it worth scaring Elena over? Elena couldn't act—she wouldn't be able to convince Klaus it was real if she knew exactly what was going on.

"Elena won't do that," Lucy eventually shook her head, letting Stefan in on her thought process. "and if she knows what's going, it's not going to be believable."

"What about you, then?"

"Me?"

"Yeah," Stefan nodded. "Obviously, Klaus has a soft spot for you. If he thinks you're in danger, he'll get his hybrids to leave."

"I don't know, Stefan."

"Look, I know you, Lucy," when Lucy looked out the passenger window, he grabbed her chin to face him again. "you will do anything to make sure the people you love are safe. If Klaus' hybrids leave, he'll be the next to go and we won't have to worry about him. Don't you want that?"

"I want everyone to be safe," Lucy told him.

"I know you do," Stefan nodded encouragingly. "but we won't be if Klaus is in town. You and me? We're the only ones who can do something about that."

Lucy knew that he was right. She had the power to make her friends and family safe and if she had to manipulate Klaus to do that, she would. Maybe that made her a bad person, but she didn't care. She loved her friends and family more than anything.

"Okay," she finally agreed.

Stefan broke into a smile that had her stomach flipping. "Okay," he repeated, softly stroking her chin with his thumb—she hadn't realized he hadn't dropped his hand. "This is what we're going to do…"

Lucy looked up from her grimoire and nodded at Stefan, ready to begin their plan. They were in the clearing by Steven's Quarry where Lucy confessed her feelings for Stefan before he left for the summer, where they wouldn't be bothered by anyone.

Stefan had driven back to town so Lucy could pick up her grimoire for the spell they wanted to use. While Lucy was in her bedroom, she got a call from Elena and Matt, telling her about what Tyler did to Caroline. She assured them she'd be there as soon as possible before grabbing her grimoire to meet Stefan.

Their plan to fool Klaus into agreeing to send his hybrids away was risky but Lucy was willing to endure a little pain in order to keep everyone safe. While Stefan called Klaus, she would use a spell to break her arm, ensuring that her pain was believable. If all went well, Klaus' hybrids would be gone from Mystic Falls and Lucy would be all healed up with Stefan's blood.

"Are you sure you're ready?" Stefan asked carefully. Just because he wanted to go through with the plan didn't mean he was eager to see Lucy in so much pain.

"I'm ready," Lucy confirmed. "Are you?"

"Let's get this over with," Stefan sighed and dialed Klaus' number on his phone.

Klaus quickly picked up. "_Stefan, how nice to hear you voice_."

"Tell you hybrids to get out of town, Klaus," Stefan demanded. His voice was loud and firm; Lucy could hear the anger and vengeance pouring from him.

"_Well, that's not going to happen until I get my coffins back," _Klaus stated matter-of-factly.

Stefan pressed his lips together and locked eyes with Lucy; she nodded. "Okay, well, than I'm going to have to kill your precious Luciana."

There was only a pause before Klaus called Stefan's bluff. _"I don't believe you, Stefan_," Klaus sounded so sure. "_You won't kill her_."

Stefan nodded at Lucy and she nodded back. Holding up her right hand over her left arm, she used the magic she had already siphoned to break her arm in half. She screamed as soon as the bone snapped, becoming almost delirious from the pain she had caused herself.

Stefan winced and looked away from Lucy as Klaus shouted, "_What was that? What's going on?"_

"I just broke your sister's arm," Stefan told him harshly over the sounds of Lucy's sobs. "Get your hybrids out of town or I'm breaking her fucking neck."

"…_You won't do it_," Stefan could hear the worry in Klaus' voice that he was sure the hybrid didn't want him to hear.

"Try me," Stefan scoffed and turned around, grimacing, as Lucy screamed again as she managed to break her leg. "After Lucy, your other siblings are the next to go. Say goodbye to your family, Klaus."

Lucy pleaded for Stefan to stop and to have mercy on her, sobbing uncontrollably from the pain her body was in. Stefan hated that they were putting her through this pain, but he had to admit that her acting was astounding. If he weren't in front of her, watching as she inflicted the pain on herself, he would have thought that it was actually him doing this to her.

"_Fine!"_ Klaus agreed hastily, hearing Lucy's pain through the phone. "_I'll send them away. You win."_

Stefan waited, wanting to hear confirmation so Lucy wouldn't have to go through more pain. Of course, Klaus thought that he was continuing to torture Lucy as she let out another ear-piercing scream.

"_Don't touch her, Stefan!"_ Klaus yelled.

"Nice doing business with you, Klaus. Bye, now."

Stefan quickly hung up the call and sped over to Lucy, sitting down next to her. He made soothing noises as he gently pulled her into his lap and, once she was settled against his chest, bit his wrist and held it out for her.

Lucy reluctantly grabbed his arm and put his wrist to her mouth, trying not to throw up the blood that she was slowly drinking from him.

"I'm so sorry, Luce," Stefan whispered into her hair, resting his cheek on the crown of her head. "I'm so sorry."

Lucy pulled away from his healed wrist and felt her pain slowly ebb as her bones healed back into place. She closed her eyes and slumped into his chest, exhausted.

Stefan sighed as he heard her heart beat slow down and looked around the clearing. "This is where you told me that you were pretty sure you were in love with me," he reminded her softly. "Before I left with Klaus, remember?"

"You don't have to remind me," Lucy scoffed weakly. "It was stupid."

"It wasn't stupid."

Lucy squirmed in his hold until he released her enough so she could face him. "It was," she disagreed with him. "You know why? Because I ruined our friendship. Why else were you teasing me about it when your humanity was off?"

"Lucy, when I had my humanity off, you were one of the few people who could actually get me to turn it back on," Stefan informed her seriously. When Lucy shook her head in denial, he continued, "I teased you about your feelings for me because I needed a reason to talk to you. Because even without my humanity, I wanted to be near you. I _needed_ to be near you."

Lucy looked at Stefan in shock, trying to get her tired mind to understand what exactly he was saying.

"When I left you that night, I knew that I was stupid for not realizing my feelings for you," Stefan went on. "Because I do have feelings for you, Luce."

"What?" Lucy breathed, her eyes wide.

Lucy once thought that if Stefan ever did have the same feelings as her, she'd be over-the-moon happy about it. That wasn't the case, though, because she knew that he was still in love with Elena. If it was possible, she felt worse than when she realized she had romantic feelings for Stefan.

Stefan saw the pain and conflict in her eyes and because he knew her so well, he knew what was going on in that pretty head of hers. "I know this is confusing and I know that I have to figure out what I'm doing," he assured her. "but I can't right now. All I can focus on is Klaus and what I did when I was with him."

Lucy swallowed harshly. "I understand."

And for all their talk about Lucy being a better liar, Stefan could see right through her.


	49. Bonding

**[3x12; The Ties That Bind]**

_Lucy hovered outside of Jeremy's room, watching as he packed his phone charger and laptop into his bag. He had only minutes until he had to leave with Alaric to make his flight to Denver and Lucy was dreading saying goodbye to him. _

"_I can feel you staring, you know," Jeremy commented as he zipped up his bag and turned around to face her. "It's creepy."_

"_Well, I don't want to forget your ugly mug," Lucy smiled teasingly as she stepped into his room; Jeremy rolled his eyes with a smile. "You have everything packed? Clean underwear? Heavy jacket? I heard it gets cold in Denver."_

"_Stop being a mother hen," Jeremy grinned. "I have everything, including a jacket."_

"_What about a hat and gloves?"_

"_Stop worrying," he told her. "Everything is going to be fine, Lou. I'll be fine."_

_Lucy scoffed, her eyes stinging. "My baby brother is moving away. Allow me to be worried, please."_

"_I'm only ten months younger than you."_

"_Exactly," Lucy grinned and walked forward, pulling him into a tight hug. "Don't get into trouble."_

"_I won't."_

"_Make sure you study."_

"_I will."_

"_Be safe."_

"_I will, Luce."_

_Lucy sniffed wetly as she squeezed him tighter. "I'm going to miss you, Jerebear."_

_Jeremy kissed the top of her head. "I'll miss you, too," he admitted as he pulled away and smiled sadly at her tears. "I'll call once a week."_

"_Twice a week and numerous texts in between," Lucy corrected him with a slight smile; Jeremy chuckled. "I love you, Jere."_

"_Love you too, Lucy," Jeremy promised before checking his watch. "I gotta go. Ric's waiting for me. Are you coming down?"_

"_No," Lucy shook her head and grabbed his bag off his bed, handing it to him. "I don't want to watch you leave."_

_Jeremy shook his head in amusement and went to leave his room, Lucy following him. "Be careful, Luce," he told her as he shut his door. "I'll see you at Christmas."_

_Lucy nodded in agreement. "At Christmas."_

"I've been having these dreams for days now," Bonnie told Lucy and Elena as the three of them stood in the basement of the witch house. "It's like the witches are trying to send me a message."

When Bonnie came to Lucy the day after Jeremy left Mystic Falls, telling her that she needed her and Elena's help with the coffins, Lucy was reluctant. Stefan was adamant about Elena not knowing about them—he said she would try to take charge—and she was already avoiding Stefan at the moment. It didn't help that every time she looked at Elena, she was punched in the gut with guilt.

But Bonnie was insistent, so Lucy gave in and took her sister to the witch house where the spirits were hiding Lucy's siblings.

Elena crossed her arms over her chest, looking at the coffins in shock. "I just can't believe you guys have kept this from me this whole time."

"Stefan thought if you knew about the coffins, Klaus could threaten people to get the information out of you," Lucy told her.

Elena nodded with a sigh, silently admitting that Stefan had a point. "So, this is the rest of your family?"

"Yeah, Elijah's in this one," Lucy pointed to the coffin on the far right. "Kol's in the middle and Finn's there," she gestured to the coffin on the left.

"And this one," Bonnie walked over to the fourth coffin. "is the one we can't open. We don't know who's in it or what's in it, only that I think my dream's telling me that it can be used against Klaus."

The sound of someone coming down the stairs made the three girls look that way. Lucy awkwardly shifted as Stefan appeared, his eyes darting from Elena to Lucy and then to Bonnie.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked Bonnie and Lucy, obviously irritated that Elena knew about the coffins.

"I needed her to know about the coffin," Bonnie spoke up defensively.

"And I needed you to keep her out of it, Bonnie."

Lucy rolled her eyes as Elena snapped at Stefan, "So what are you going to do, Stefan?" she glared at him. "Are you going to compel me to forget?"

"No, I'm not you, Elena," Stefan retorted harshly.

"Okay, okay," Lucy sighed, breaking up Stefan and Elena's glaring contest. "Elena, Stefan didn't want you to know because you have loose lips. Stefan, Bonnie thinks she knows who can open the coffin."

Elena sent her a glare and Stefan looked unimpressed. "What does that have to do with telling Elena?"

"I need Elena to help me find her," Bonnie spoke up.

"Find who?" Stefan raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"I couldn't place her face at first," Bonnie walked over to Lucy and Elena, pulling a picture from her pocket. "then I realized…"

Lucy and Elena looked over the photo Bonnie held out for them to see. Lucy gasped softly as she recognized the picture that Grams used to have on her fireplace mantle. It was Bonnie and her mom before she left.

"Oh, my God, Bonnie…" Elena looked at her best friend with wide eyes.

Stefan impatiently pulled the picture from Elena's hand and looked it over. "Who is this?"

Bonnie bit her lip. "It's my mom."

Lucy shuffled through the papers in front of her, trying to find a profile that matched the picture Bonnie had of her mom. There were more than a hundred Abby Bennett's in the United States, which meant that she, Bonnie, and Elena hadn't even put a dent in their piles.

"Los Alamitos?"

Bonnie peered at the paper Elena held up to her. "Um, too old?"

"Honolulu?"

"Ugh, I wish," Bonnie scoffed. "How many of these are there?"

"A lot," Lucy sighed as she flipped onto another page. "I asked Deputy Ryan to pull up every single Abby Bennett in the country."

Bonnie nodded and smiled at the Gilbert sisters. "I know we haven't been able to really…that things have been weird because of Jeremy," she acknowledged. "So thank you guys for helping me with this. I know you have a lot to deal with."

Lucy smiled back at her, knowing that there was no way she'd let Bonnie go through this alone. It had to be one of the hardest things to look for your mother who left you when you were young and Lucy wanted to be there to support her friend.

"There's nothing more important, Bonnie," Elena assured her.

"It's surreal," Bonnie sighed. "Having to track down a woman who bailed on her own kid."

"You know you don't have to, right?" Elena gave Bonnie a pointed look. "Let Stefan obsess over opening up the coffin. It doesn't have to fall on you."

"The coffin is spelled shut and Lucy can't siphon it," Bonnie shook her head. "That makes it a witch problem, so it does fall on me. I was bound to see my mother again sooner or later."

"Sooner," Damon called as he walked through the front door. "_Abby Bennett-Wilson_," he read from the folder in his hand. "_Monroe, North Carolina. Born in Mystic Falls Hospital, graduated from Mystic Falls High_—blah, blah, blah."

Bonnie grabbed the folder from him, looking at it anxiously.

"A little compulsion helps to speed up the research process," Damon boasted.

Bonnie opened the folder and looked at the picture on the first page. "This is her."

"Yep, road trip," Damon smirked. "I call shotgun."

"Yeah…no," Elena shook her head.

"Why? You want me to hang out in the back with you?" Damon winked at her.

"No, you're not going, Damon," Lucy spoke up, rolling her eyes.

"Neither are you, Lucy," Elena told her.

"Why? I'm the one who found her."

"Why can't I go?"

Elena rolled her eyes at the complaints from her sister and oldest Salvatore. "Look, Bonnie hasn't seen her mom in over fifteen years," she told Damon. "We don't need your snarky commentary narrating the experience."

"Well, that doesn't explain why I can't go," Lucy raised a finger to get Elena's attention.

"I need you to watch Stefan and Damon so they don't screw anything up."

"Ugh, why does that always fall to me?"

"I don't need a babysitter," Damon objected. "Well, unless you're offering…"

Elena sent him an annoyed look, though her eyes quickly softened. "Shut up."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows as Damon and Elena stared at each other like they had forgotten that she and Bonnie were in the room. She knew that Damon and Elena had feelings for each other and were getting closer but something else had to have happened. They were oozing sexual tension.

Bonnie seemed to have the same train of though. "What's going on with you two?"

"We kissed and now it's weird," Damon told her before looking back at Elena. "Have a great trip."

Lucy gaped at Elena as Damon left the house, trying to think rationally and not judge her sister. She didn't have much room to be judgmental because she had feelings for Elena's boyfriend—or ex-boyfriend, who really knew—but at least she hadn't physically acted on her feelings.

What the hell was Elena thinking?

"Um," Elena awkwardly looked between Lucy and Bonnie. "We should probably go…"

"Yeah," Lucy's tone hardened along with her eyes as she stared at her sister. "Monroe's pretty far. Good luck, Bon."

Bonnie gave her a small smile before hurrying out of the house, Elena on her heels. Lucy exhaled sharply as she walked into the living room and turned on the television, turning it to re-runs of the Office to take her mind off of things.

She was in the middle of her fifth episode when Stefan walked into the house, not bothering to knock. Lucy stiffened as he walked into the living room and gave her a questioning look.

"Where are Elena and Bonnie?"

"I don't know," Lucy replied innocently as a commercial interrupted her show.

She definitely didn't want to talk to him. Beside the obvious awkwardness between them since the night of Caroline's birthday, she hated keeping secrets from him. She knew that Stefan wouldn't be happy about Elena and Damon kissing and she was not the person who was going to tell him. It wasn't her place.

Stefan rolled his eyes. "I know you're lying."

"I thought I was a good liar?" Lucy stood up and walked to the kitchen for a snack; Stefan followed her, watching as she grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl on the island. "_If_ I was lying, I mean."

"I know you too well," Stefan said simply. "and Elena's not here, so where is she?"

"She and Bonnie went to Whitmore with Joel," Lucy said from the top of her head.

"Mmhm, sure," Stefan hummed and pulled his phone out of his pocket to call Elena. "I guess you don't mind if I call Elena."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "You do whatever you want, Stefan."

"_What_?" Elena answered the call as Stefan put his phone on speaker.

"Where are you?"

"_Bonnie and I are going to spend the night at the lake house while we wait for Sheriff Forbes to give us some more addresses."_

As soon as Elena spoke and ruined the lie Lucy told Stefan, Lucy looked away from the vampire, who was giving her an annoyed glare.

"You're kidding me, right?" Stefan asked.

His question was more toward Lucy than Elena, but Elena answered anyway. "_No, Stefan, I'm not. We need a night off from your insanity."_

"Klaus is getting antsy," Stefan turned away from the kitchen island and paced toward the dining table. "He knows I'm stalling him. We need to move faster."

"_Well, we're doing everything we can_," Elena said, annoyed. "_So, could you maybe not call every five minutes?"_

Lucy narrowed her eyes at Stefan as he looked down at the table covered in papers about the Abby Bennett's of the United States. She rushed toward him as she remembered that Bonnie's mom's profile was still on the table for him to see. Stefan picked up the paper just as Lucy reached for it, scooting out of the way so she couldn't grab it from him.

"Sure, Elena," Stefan read the address on the paper. "Whatever you say."

He hung up the phone and turned to Lucy with raised eyebrows as he handed her the paper. "They're at Whitmore, huh?"

"Bonnie hasn't seen her mother since she walked out on her fifteen years ago," Lucy defended herself, Bonnie, and Elena. "She didn't need you ruining it."

"I don't give a damn about that."

"Well, I do," Lucy stared at him firmly.

Stefan scoffed and turned around, heading to the front door.

"Where are you going?" Lucy followed him.

"I'm going to Monroe."

"No, you're not!"

"Yes, I am," Stefan raised his eyebrows at her in disbelief. "and I don't think you can stop me, so…"

"Ugh," Lucy scoffed, shaking her head. "You're being such a dick."

"Yeah, I know," he rolled his eyes and opened the door. "You and Damon need to watch over the coffins while I'm gone. Don't let Klaus get them."

As he left the house and shut the door behind him, Lucy yelled, "I'm really tired of people telling me what to do!"

Because Lucy was an idiot, she watched over the coffins by herself, paranoid that Klaus would show up at any minute and kill her for hiding their siblings from him. Luckily, Joel joined her halfway through her four-hour shift and they were able to clear the awkwardness between them that had been brewing since he compelled Jeremy to leave Mystic Falls.

It was nice that she and Joel were back to their normal relationship because they had always been close. When Joel was having problems, Lucy was there to give him advice. When Lucy felt lost or conflicted, Joel was there to help her in any way he could. Lucy regretted that they hadn't spent much time together lately, so she wanted to fix that.

Luckily, Alaric called them as the sun was starting to set, asking them over to his condo for dinner. That was how Lucy found herself in Alaric's kitchen, an apron tied around her waist, as she cooked burgers and fries.

"Onions are chopped," Joel declared as he settled his knife on the cutting board in front of him. "Next?"

"Mix them into the meat," Lucy advised as she set up Alaric's fryer. "Then you can form them into patties."

Joel nodded and got to work, scrapping the onions into the bowl of seasoned ground beef. As he picked up a handful of the meat, Alaric walked over to the island, looking over everything curiously.

"Are you sure you don't need help?"

"Nope!" Lucy grinned at him. "You're not the only one capable in the kitchen, you know."

"Our dad taught Lucy how to make this and now she's teaching me," Joel placed a hamburger patty onto the cutting board. "The recipe's pretty simple, actually."

"Do you have any recipes that are special to you, Ric?" Lucy looked at Alaric questioningly.

She hoped that he did. Lucy loved to cook and that was one of the main ways she bonded with her dad. She knew from experience that Alaric could cook, too, and she wanted to learn the way he did things. That way cooking could be something she shared with both of her dads.

Alaric smiled. "You know how to barbeque?"

"Like the sauce?"

"No, I'm talking smoked meats, cornbread, fried okra, coleslaw with mayonnaise," Alaric explained. "Every class Texas barbeque staple."

Lucy raised an eyebrow at him. "I thought you were from Boston."

"I am," Alaric confirmed. "but my dad was from Texas. He went to Boston for college and met my mom. I was born and raised there."

"Oh," Lucy appreciated the fact that she was learning more about her biological paternal family. "cool."

Alaric chuckled. "Yeah, cool," he mocked her playfully. "Now, put me to work."

"Fine," Lucy gave in and scooted toward Joel. "You can fry."

"Excellent."

An hour later, as they were finishing up their meal, Damon walked through the door uninvited. Alaric sighed as Lucy and Joel exchanged annoyed looks, none of them very happy to see the oldest Salvatore brother—especially when it was his turn to watch the coffins.

"What are you doing here?" Alaric asked Damon as he wandered through the kitchen, picking up a few fries and stuffing them in his mouth.

"Ah, looking for a bunny," Damon replied coyly, picking up the extra burger they made and taking a bite. "You're good for now."

"Are you still obsessed with Meredith?" Lucy spoke up, knowing how frustrated Alaric was about his relationship with his new fling. He had told her and Joel that she seemed normal but Damon had told him that her ex-boyfriend had showed up dead.

Damon shrugged and gave her a sarcastic smile.

"Don't you have an original vampire to worry about?" Alaric added.

"For your information, your doctor vervained me," Damon retorted as he took the empty seat next to Joel. "and then she blood-jacked me."

"What?" Alaric narrowed his eyes.

Joel raised his eyebrows in surprise. "When did you even see her?"

"When I went to the hospital to accuse her of killing her ex-boyfriend," Damon told them. "Which, by the way, is a very sensitive subject."

Alaric sighed angrily, his eyes narrowing. "Damon, what the hell are you doing?" he stood up and brought his plate over to the sink.

Damon gave him an affronted look. "Why are you mad at me?"

"I told you I'd handle this!" Alaric exclaimed as Lucy's phone buzzed.

"I proved your theory," Damon shrugged simply. "Diagnosed psycho case. You're welcome."

Lucy gasped as she read the text message Bonnie sent her. "Guys, we have a problem," she informed Alaric, Damon, and Joel. "Bonnie says Klaus knows where the coffins are."

Damon stood up, ready for action. "So we move them."

"We'll only have time to move the locked one," Joel joined him by the door. "I think the anti-vampire cave will do."

"Good thinking, JoJo," Damon complimented him.

"Wait," Lucy called as he opened the door. "I have an idea…"


	50. Kol, Finn, and Esther

**[3x13; Bringing Out the Dead]**

Lucy walked into the kitchen and mumbled a greeting to Alaric, Joel, and Elena as she rubbed her temple, trying to ease the pain of her headache. She had woken up with it and she assumed it had something to do with the memory she said during the night where she was murdered as Lucia. It went exactly like Katherine had told her she died hundreds of years ago.

It wasn't a thrilling experience.

She opened the vitamin cabinet and searched for the Aspirin, which happened to not be in its place. "Don't we have Aspirin?"

"I have it," Alaric spoke up groggily, passing the bottle of medicine over to her. "Rough night?"

"Rough memory," Lucy swallowed two pills with the water Joel passed her. "You?"

"_Weird_ night."

"I told you that you don't have to feel guilty about inviting Meredith over here," Elena reminded Alaric.

Joel playfully whistled as Lucy giggled. After Alaric confronted Meredith about vervaining Damon and taking his blood, she explained that she used vampire blood to heal patients that were too far gone. Alaric had taken her home to show him his hunting weapons and Elena walked in on them making out. Joel had filled Lucy in on the gossip as soon as he got home from making sure the sealed coffin was safely placed in the anti-vampire cave.

"I know and I thank you for that," Alaric rolled his eyes at Joel and Lucy as he addressed Elena. "but I do feel guilty for whiskey dialing her at two in the morning."

"No!" Lucy groaned, embarrassed for him.

"Tell me you didn't," Joel pleaded.

"Oh, yes I did."

"Oh," Elena exchanged wide-eyed looks with her siblings. "was she cool about it?"

"Well, as soon as these pills kick in and I remember the conversation, I'll let you know," Alaric mumbled.

The Gilbert siblings laughed as the doorbell rang. Joel cocked his head in confusion, as they weren't expecting anyone, and walked to the front door. Lucy, Elena, and Alaric followed him as he opened the door and greeted Liz.

"Is everything okay?" he asked the sheriff as they walked out onto the porch where Liz was waiting.

"This is an unconventional conversation we're about to have," Liz warned them. "So, I hope you'll protect me on it."

Joel nodded. "Of course."

"I assume you all heard our medical examiner was murdered the night of the Wickery Bridge fundraiser."

"Yeah," Alaric confirmed. "Brian Walters. Why?"

"We've been investigating," Liz informed them and held up an evidence bag with a bloody stake inside. "Someone drove this stake through his heart."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows as Alaric took the evidence bag to study the wooden stake.

"That's one of ours," Elena observed in confusion. "It's from our lake house."

Liz nodded. "That's why I'm here. I haven't told anyone but forensics ran it for prints and found only one clean set," she looked over at Elena. "Yours."

"What?"

After Liz assured Elena that she thought she was innocent, she left to continue looking for another suspect. Lucy, Elena, Joel, and Alaric instantly went back in the house, all of them bewildered about the strange turn of events.

How on earth did someone use their stake to kill the medical examiner? How would they even have access to it?

"_So, you're the prime suspect, huh?"_ Damon asked through the phone after Elena suggested they call him.

"She's doesn't think that I did it," Elena told him. "She's just trying to find out why somebody used one of our family weapons to kill a council member."

"_Well, why don't you just ask Ric if his dirty little doctor had access to the weapons,"_ Damon said, thinking he was just on the line with Elena.

Lucy rolled her eyes as Alaric snapped, "You're on speaker phone, dick."

"_I'm just saying, first suspect's usually the right one,"_ Damon defended himself. "_Don't get so defensive."_

"Brian Walters was killed days ago, right?" Joel spoke up thoughtfully. "Ric didn't show Meredith anything until last night."

"Okay, so it wasn't Meredith," Lucy placed a soothing hand on Alaric's tense shoulder.

"_But Brian Walters was her ex-boyfriend and Ric saw them fighting that night_," Damon replied.

"It's not Meredith, okay?" Elena voiced her opinion, turning her eyes to Alaric. "I refuse to believe that your luck with women is that tragic."

"_Who else knows about your secret little slayer stash?"_ Damon asked.

"Who doesn't? I got weapons everywhere; here, the school, my condo, your car."

"_It's Klaus_," Damon determined. _"It has to be. He's screwing with us_."

Lucy was doubtful. "I doubt that Klaus would spend his time killing a medical examiner."

Alaric and Joel cocked their heads, agreeing with Lucy's assessment for the moment.

"What if it was Stefan?" Elena spoke up carefully. "You said he was crazy that night and you know he was trying to get underneath Klaus' skin. He was capable of pretty much anything."

Lucy bit her lip. "It's wasn't Stefan," she told them, getting curious looks in return. "I was with Stefan that night, remember?"

Elena's eyes narrowed furiously at her, as if she hadn't already known that Lucy left Caroline's party-funeral to meet Stefan. "What were you doing with Stefan?"

Lucy didn't get why Elena was mad at her. She didn't do anything wrong. "If you must know, we were making sure Klaus' hybrids got out of town."

Elena didn't lose the angry look on her face but she did back down.

"_Ahh, makes me nostalgic for the time that Stefan was a bunny-snacking pacifist," _Damon sighed wistfully. _"Anyway, got to go. We'll know more later."_

"Hey, where are you?" Alaric asked.

"_Tea with an old friend_," Damon answered simply before ending the call.

Lucy, Joel, and Alaric exchanged smiles, knowing that Lucy's plan actually worked. Elena eyed them curiously, having not heard what they did before moving the sealed coffin out of the witch house.

"What is he talking about?"

"When Damon and I moved the sealed coffin from the witch house, we pulled the dagger out of Elijah," Joel informed her.

"What?" Elena was shocked. "Are you serious?"

"Elijah's calmer than Klaus so I figured he'd help us get him out of town," Lucy told her, crossing her arms over her chest. "Now, why are you mad at me? What'd I do this time?"

"And this is our queue to leave," Alaric mumbled; Joel nodded in agreement as they both left the kitchen.

Lucy raised an eyebrow at her sister. "Well?"

"You want to know why I'm mad at you?" Elena retorted; Lucy nodded. "Fine. Stefan told me that you two have feelings for each other."

Lucy stiffened, shocked that Stefan actually told Elena what was going on. She knew that her sister had to find out sometime, but she wanted to tell her herself. She didn't want to hurt Elena and she wanted to let her know that Lucy would never do anything to ruin her relationship. Yes, Lucy loved Stefan but she would never do anything to drive him away from Elena. She wasn't that type of person and she loved Elena with all her heart.

"I-I—"

"Don't bother denying it," Elena snapped. "Stefan told me everything."

Lucy ground her teeth together angrily; she'd have to think Stefan later for going behind her back to confess everything to Elena. It really made her life a whole lot easier.

"I was going to tell you."

"When? Hmm?" Elena glowered at her. "Were you going to tell me after you and Stefan kissed? Or when you slept together?"

Lucy scoffed. "I would never do that, Elena and neither would Stefan."

"You fell in love with my boyfriend!"

"And are you or are you not in love with Damon, too?" Lucy retorted in frustration. Elena's face fell and Lucy sighed, "Look, you can be mad at me. I don't blame you. But you can't judge me, Elena. Not about this."

Elena didn't say anything but her glare was back as she stormed out of the room. Lucy sighed and pulled her phone out of her pocket, ready to leave Stefan some angry messages.

The beeping of heart monitors and the lady's voice over the intercom unnerved Lucy. Her nose wrinkled from the sterile smell around her, hating the fact that it ruined the smell of cleaning supplies for her.

She hated hospitals. Every time she was in one she was reminded of waking up after her parents died or when Jenna stabbed her and she had to get her spleen removed. There were no good memories associated with hospitals. None.

But Lucy stored away her disgust to be by Caroline's side as she picked up her dad from the hospital. Bill had been brought in after he was attacked by Tyler—who was changed into his wolf form—and had been treated with vampire blood by Meredith. Apparently he had been at death's door when she gave him Damon's blood—the same blood she stole from him earlier—but not he was perfectly healthy.

Lucy waited with Elena as Caroline spoke with Meredith and checked her dad out of her care. Somehow, she and Elena had ended up picking up Caroline together, even though they currently weren't speaking to one another.

Caroline was informed of what was going on between them but she hadn't commented. It was a good thing because she was on Lucy's side and she didn't want Elena to be further upset.

"Elena," Lucy spoke up quietly, her guilt bubbling in her stomach. "can we please talk about this?"

"No," Elena snapped at her. "I just want to know Meredith's intentions with Ric."

Lucy sighed but perked up when she saw Caroline walking toward them with her phone in her hands.

"That was fast," Lucy observed as they all started walking down the hallway.

"Yeah, he's not here. He was already discharged," Caroline informed her before turning to Elena. "And she seems perfectly nice, by the way—a little intense, maybe. But I think it's sweet you guys want to make sure Alaric's not dating a total psycho."

Caroline dialed her dad's number and pressed her phone to her ear.

"He's family," Lucy said firmly; that was one thing she and Elena agreed on today. "We have to look out for him."

Elena nodded in agreement but noticed Caroline looking around in confusion. "What?"

Caroline shushed her and pulled her phone from her ear. "I hear it."

"Hear what?"

"My dad's phone," Caroline answered Elena and veered left down the hallway, entering one of the supply rooms.

Lucy and Elena slowly followed her into the dark room, looking down the aisles of sterile supplies as they listened to Bill's phone ring. They passed the third aisle when Caroline gasped loudly and rushed into it, falling to her knees beside Bill's body.

Bill was unconscious, leaning against the metal shelf with a knife stuck in his abdomen. Blood had soaked through his clothes and was pooled around his body. Upon further examination, Lucy saw that his throat had been slit, as well.

Tears came to her eyes as Caroline burst into sobs. "Dad? Dad!" she cried. "Don't be dead, don't be dead, don't be dead!"

Lucy swallowed harshly as Caroline pulled the bloody knife out of Bill's stomach.

"Oh, my God," Elena breathed, her eyes darting around the bloody scene.

"Daddy!

"Caroline," Elena spoke up, though Caroline wasn't paying much attention as she tried to tend to her dad. "He has vampire blood in his system."

"…what?" Caroline asked distractedly, looking back at Elena and Lucy.

Elena didn't have to repeat herself as Bill startled awake, entering his transition.

"Oh, my God," Caroline sighed in relief as she hugged her shocked father. "You're okay, you're okay."

"What happened?" Bill looked around, disoriented.

"We should get him cleaned up and you can explain what happened, Care," Lucy suggested, taking charge, as Caroline helped Bill off the floor. "I'll call Liz and tell her what's going on."

"Okay, okay," Caroline nodded shakily. "Um…"

"Meet us in the furthest room from the nurses' station," Elena told Lucy.

Lucy nodded and pulled out her phone as Caroline and Elena led Bill out of the supply room. She called Liz and explained what happened to Liz, waiting patiently and offering sympathetic words as Liz freaked out over her ex-husband's death and future transition. Once Liz pulled herself together and told Lucy that she was on her way to look at the crime scene, she left the supply room and went to the room that Elena told her they would be.

By the time she entered the room, Bill was cleaned up and shockingly calm as Caroline and Elena spoke to him.

"Okay," Lucy closed the door behind her. "I called Liz and she's on her way to examine the supply room."

Caroline sighed. "Thanks."

"Mr. Forbes," Elena addressed Bill. "did you see your attacker?"

"I didn't see anything," Bill denied. "I tried to sneak out the back exit and someone came up from behind."

"Okay, we'll figure this out," Caroline tried to soothe everyone, though she was really the only one who needed soothing. "In the meantime, we _need_ to get you some blood."

Bill looked disgusted at her suggestion. "I'm not going to drink any blood."

Caroline gaped at him in shock while Lucy pressed her lips together. They should have known that Bill wouldn't want to be a vampire. He tortured his own daughter for being one, after all.

"You have to," Elena reminded him. "You died with vampire blood in your system. If you don't feed and finish the transition into a vampire, then you'll die."

"I understand how it works and that's what I'm prepared to do," Bill said firmly, rubbing his throat. "Now get me out of this hospital. I smell blood everywhere."

"Get dressed," Damon told Stefan as he walked out of his bathroom, damp from his recent shower. "We're going out."

"Yeah, sorry, not interested," Stefan told his brother as he threw his towel into the laundry basket and picked up a clean shirt to put on.

Everything was a mess for Stefan right now; he was upset with Damon and Elena for kissing—though not as upset as he should or wanted to be—Lucy was mad at him for telling Elena about their feelings for each other—he had gotten five very angry text messages from her—and if he saw Klaus' face one more time he swore he was gonna throw himself off a bridge. His mind was scrambling as he tried to figure out how to fix everything with Elena and Lucy—and figure out his feelings for the two Gilbert sisters.

"I didn't ask. Elijah and I have scheduled a very old-fashioned sit-down with you, Klaus, and Lucy," Damon informed him, holding up two black button-up shirts. "I say go with the black. It makes you look all villain-y."

Stefan shrugged his denim shirt on and turned around to face his brother. "Klaus won't make a deal, Damon."

"He didn't have to," Damon threw the shirts to the side. "All we're doing is buying a little time to give our wicked witches a chance to pop the top off the coffin."

Stefan rolled his eyes and walked over to his full-length mirror, buttoning up his shirt. "So, that's your plan? Stall Klaus?"

"If you didn't go postal on his hybrids then maybe we'd have some options."

"So you unleashed an Original to help him out?" Stefan scoffed.

"For the record, it was your side-piece that wanted to undagger him," Damon defended himself.

Stefan narrowed his eyes at him. "Don't call Lucy a side-piece, dick."

"Fine, whatever," Damon shrugged. "Lucy's plan was smart, anyway. After what Klaus did to him, he's in vengeance mode. It's perfect."

"There's nothing smart about trusting Elijah," Stefan pointed at his brother. "He screwed us over the last time he promised to help us get rid of Klaus."

"Yeah, well, with the way you've been acting, I trust him about as much as I trust you."

Stefan angrily pressed his lips together as he walked away from Damon. He didn't understand the audacity Damon had sometimes. Stefan pulled the plug on killing Klaus because it saved Damon's life. It was Damon's life he was saving when he went with Klaus in the first place. It was Damon who had been in love with his girlfriend for more than half a year—and had kissed her on multiple occasions.

And Damon didn't trust him?

"Hmm," he chuckled bitterly. "I guess that goes both ways, doesn't it?"

"Oh, yes," Damon drawled, raising his eyebrows. "this is about me kissing Elena."

"It's not about Elena," Stefan said truthfully.

And it wasn't. Sure, Stefan was upset with Damon and Elena but he wasn't mad. He had no right to be considering his own feelings for Lucy. No, he was mad that Damon didn't recognize the sacrifice that he went through for him. He was mad that his relationship with his brother was falling apart at the seams for a girl once again. He was mad that Damon was judging him for trying to get back at Klaus when the hybrid had ruined his damn life.

"Sure it's not," Damon scoffed. "Just get ready and get happy. We have to pick Twitch up before we go to negotiate a fake truce and I don't want your attitude screwing it up."

Stefan rolled his eyes at his brother as he left the room.

"Have you heard back from Tyler yet?" Lucy asked Caroline through the phone as she pulled a dress out of her closet so she could get ready for the dinner Damon sprung on her out of nowhere.

"_No_," Caroline sniffed. "_I've left messages for him everywhere. Does Alaric really think Dr. Fell did it?"_

"According to Elena, yeah," Lucy sighed. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay with you? I'll cancel and be at your house in a few minutes."

"_It's fine, Luce_," Caroline assured her quietly. "_We need Klaus out of town and you need to be there to help it happen."_

"Okay but I'm coming over as soon as the dinner's done."

Caroline laughed sadly. "_You know, my mom's sitting with my dad. I don't think they've been in the same room this long since I was ten years old…"_ she paused for a second and Lucy assumed she was wiping her tears. "_I can't let my dad die, Lucy. I think I'm gonna force him to feed."_

"Care, he doesn't want to," Lucy said softly. "The only thing your dad has left is his choice."

Caroline let out a sob that made Lucy's heart ache. "_I hated him so much for what he did to me. So much," _she cried. "_Now all I want to do is save his life."_

"Of course, you do," Lucy's eyes stung. "He's your dad."

"_What was the hardest part for you?"_ Caroline sniffed. "_When you lost your dad?"_

Lucy wiped her tears and tried to stay strong for her best friend. "It was when I finally realized that he wasn't going to be there for the best parts in life, you know? The parts I wanted him to see."

Caroline broke down crying again and Lucy wished she was there to hold her. She whispered comforting words to her as she pulled on her dress. She had gone through what Caroline was going through now and it was one of the hardest things you have to deal with in life. Losing a parent was like losing a part of yourself. It was horrible and heart breaking and she wished she had the power to protect Caroline from that pain.

"_I gotta go_," Caroline whispered when her cries died down. _"Matt and Elena are here."_

"Okay," Lucy said. "I love you, Care. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"_Love you, too."_

When the call ended, Lucy put her phone into her purse and finished getting ready, making sure that her eyes weren't red from crying. She made sure her black dressed was buttoned up correctly and slipped into some leather flats before making her way downstairs to wait for Damon and Stefan to pick her up.

It didn't take long for Damon's Camaro to pull up to the house. She slid into the backseat without a word. It was awkwardly quiet as Damon started driving toward Klaus' house but Lucy didn't really feel like talking to either of the vampire brothers.

"Are you okay?" Stefan asked her, turning his head to look at her.

"I'm fine," Lucy replied shortly, giving him a closed-lipped smile before turning to look out the window.

Damon cleared his throat awkwardly and it wasn't long before they pulled up to Klaus' house, which was more like a mansion. Lucy had to admit that it the architecture was beautiful and exactly what she expected out of Klaus. He was a pretentious little shit.

The three of them walked up to the huge door and Damon rung the bell. It was only seconds later that Elijah opened the door to let them in.

"Stefan. Damon," Elijah greeted them politely before smiling at Lucy. "Luciana, you look beautiful."

"Thanks, Elijah," Lucy smiled at him as they entered the house. "It's good to see you again. I like your haircut."

"Thank you," Elijah gave her another fond look before turning toward the foyer. "Niklaus, our sister and her guests have arrived."

Elijah led them through the large foyer, which included two marble staircases, and into the dining room. Lucy examined the beautiful room, seeing three women dressed as personal waitresses, who she assumed Klaus compelled. Klaus himself was standing next to a round table set for five people.

"Ah, little sister, I see you're healed," Klaus acknowledged Lucy with raised eyebrows before greeting the brothers. "Damon, Stefan. Elijah tells me you seek an audience. Very bold. Let's discuss the terms of our agreement like civilized men and women, shall we?"

He gestured toward the table while Elijah walked past Lucy, Stefan, and Damon. "It's better to indulge him," he advised as he pulled a seat away from the table. "Luciana?"

Lucy gulped nervously and tried to remind herself that Elijah would never hurt her as she slowly walked over to the chair and sat down. Elijah pushed her chair closer to the table and joined Klaus in looking at the Salvatores expectantly.

"I didn't come here to eat, Klaus," Stefan griped as he walked a few steps forward. "In fact, I didn't want to come here at all but I was told I had to because you would hear us out."

"Hmm," Klaus smirked. "Well, we can sit and eat or I can reach down your throats and pull out your insides. The choice is yours."

Stefan looked to be considering Klaus' offer, so Lucy quickly intervened. "Stefan, sit down."

Stefan gave her an annoyed look but nevertheless took the empty seat on her right side. Klaus gave him a satisfied smile and sat down across from him while Elijah sat on Lucy's left side and Damon sat between Stefan and Klaus.

They were quickly served by the compelled women and despite the fact that Lucy had little to no appetite, she started to eat. Broccoli happened to be her favorite vegetable, so it wasn't hard to force them down.

"Thank you, love," Damon grinned at one of the women as she poured him a glass of wine. He stared at her backside as she walked away, making Lucy roll her eyes.

"You lost your appetite," Klaus observed, looking at Stefan, who made no move to eat any of the food on his plate.

Stefan raised his eyebrows challengingly.

"You'll have to excuse him," Lucy said politely as she kicked Stefan's foot under the table. "He's not a fan of broccoli."

"Eat," Damon forcefully advised his brother. "I thought we agreed that we would leave the grumpy Stefan at home."

Lucy saw Stefan's jaw clench but he picked up his fork and stabbed a piece of his steak with a bitter smile in Klaus' direction.

"That's the spirit," Klaus grinned at him. "Isn't this nice? The five of us dining together? Such a treat. Is that what you had in mind when you pulled the dagger from my brother?"

"He's my brother, too, Niklaus," Lucy reminded him while giving Elijah a sweet smile.

Klaus rolled his eyes at her.

"And I know how he felt about you," Damon added. "so I figured the more, the merrier."

"Well, Elijah and I have had our share of quarrels over the centuries," Klaus acknowledged, glancing at Elijah. "but we always make it through."

"Kind of like you and Rebekah, right?" Stefan spoke up with a sarcastic grin. "Where is she, by the way? Last I checked she was still daggered because you were afraid to face her."

Lucy and Damon both gave Stefan annoyed looks as Klaus' grin fell from his lips.

"If you're referring to the fact that Rebekah knows I killed our mother, I've already come clean to Elijah."

Elijah simply nodded in confirmation, quietly taking a sip of his wine.

"Hey, Stef, remember when you killed Dad?" Damon chided his brother. "Might want to dial down the judgment until dessert."

"We're here to make a deal, Damon," Stefan snapped, keeping his hard eyes on Klaus. "Doesn't mean we need to kiss his ass for seven courses."

Klaus smiled in amusement as he cut his steak while Lucy sighed heavily.

"I'm just saying we have a long evening ahead of us," Damon warned him. "Pace yourself."

Stefan gave in for the moment and fell quiet, continuing to eat some of his food. Despite the fact that Lucy wasn't hungry at the start of the meal, she was almost done with her plate. Stress-eating was going to be the death of her.

"Stefan," Elijah said pleasantly as he set his fork down. "Where is the lovely Elena tonight?"

"Damon would know more than I would," Stefan answered, taking a sip of his wine.

Lucy closed her eyes as Klaus started to chuckle, wishing that this wasn't happening. When she opened them, Elijah was giving Klaus a confused look.

"I'm sorry, you've missed so much," Klaus apologized to him while he continued to laugh. "Uh—Elena and Stefan are on the outs and Damon and Lucy have taken their siblings' places."

Lucy's eyes widened in horror. "_Niklaus_!"

"One more word about Elena and this dinner is over," Stefan threatened Klaus; Klaus simply grinned, pressing a sarcastic finger to his lips.

"You know what, it's probably best just to keep Elena in the do-not-discuss pile," Damon suggested.

"You're probably right," Klaus agreed as he popped a piece of broccoli into his mouth. "It's just—" he set down his fork and looked at everyone in amusement. "the allure of the Petrova doppelganger, still so strong."

He looked over at Elijah. "What do you say, brother?" he asked him. "Should we tell them about Tatia?"

Lucy perked up at the familiar name while Elijah chuckled nervously. "Now why should we discuss matters long since resolved?"

"Tatia," Lucy hummed, scanning her Luciana memories. "She was the originator of the Petrova doppelgangers, wasn't she?"

"Correct," Klaus winked at her. "and given their shared affection for both Elena and Katerina, I think Stefan and Damon might be curious to learn about her.

Lucy wished they wouldn't share the story about Tatia. From what she now remembered, Tatia almost completely destroyed Klaus and Elijah's relationship. She was a foolish girl that taunted them both. She and Rebekah couldn't stand the girl. It was weird that she now had two sisters that shared her face.

"Well, we're not going anywhere, Elijah," Damon raised his wine glass. "Please, do tell."

Elijah cleared his throat and began, "When our family first settled here, there was a girl named Tatia. She was an exquisite beauty. Every boy of age desired to be her suitor, even though she'd had a child by another man," he told Lucy, Stefan, and Damon. "And none loved her more than Niklaus."

Klaus cocked his head. "I'd say there was one who loved her at least as much."

Stefan straightened in his seat, realizing where this story was going. It sounded familiar. "Wait a minute," he looked between Klaus and Elijah. "you both loved the same girl?"

"Our mother was a very powerful witch," Elijah continued without answering Stefan. "She sought to end our feud over Tatia and so she took her. Klaus and I would later learn that it was Tatia's blood that we consumed in the wine on the night where our mother performed the spell which turned us into vampires."

Elijah paused to take a drink of his wine and then went on, "Tatia wouldn't make a decision between the two of us, so for a time, Niklaus and I…" he hesitated. "grew estranged. Harsh words were traded. We even came to blows, didn't we, brother?"

"I remember," Lucy spoke up, looking at her brothers. "It was Samhain and she was dancing with Niklaus. You were upset and she went to you…"

Elijah nodded solemnly.

"In the end," Klaus raised his glass toward Elijah and Lucy. "we realized the sacred bond of family."

Elijah nodded and clinked his glass against Klaus'. "Family above all."

"Family above all."

They both nodded at Lucy—though they didn't pressure her to toast with them—and drank from their glass. Lucy smiled weakly at them, wishing that is was that simple for her. She had more family than just them. She would never be able to decide between the Mikaelsons and the Gilberts. Her heart wouldn't allow her to, even if it was for the best.

Klaus gestured for the waitresses to take their plates. As soon as the table was cleared, Elijah cleared his throat and addressed Lucy, Stefan, and Damon.

"So, why don't we move this evening along and discuss the terms of this proposal?" he suggested.

"Well, that's very simple," Damon stated. "Klaus gets his coffin back and, in exchange, he and the Original family—excluding Lucy—leave Mystic Falls forever. Me, Elena, Stefan, and Lucy live happily ever after. No grudges."

Elijah cocked his head and looked at Lucy. "We would be able to contact you, Luciana?"

"Of course," Lucy assured him with a small smile. "I'll even visit you as long as you leave Mystic Falls."

Elijah nodded and turned to Klaus. "The deal sounds fair, brother."

"I don't think you understand," Klaus sighed in frustration. "Elena's doppelganger blood insures that I will always have more hybrids to fight those that oppose me and I want Luciana with us as a family. I will never leave them behind."

Lucy sighed softly and rubbed her temple, wishing her brother wasn't so stubborn.

Klaus got up and stood behind his chair, gesturing wildly. "Let's say I do leave Elena here, under your protection. What then?" he asked the Salvatore brothers. "How long before one of you turns her into a vampire? Or worse, how long before she dies caught between your feuding? You see, each one of you truly believes that you're the one that can protect her and that is simply a delusion."

Lucy ignored the unpleasant twisting in her stomach and glared at Klaus. "My sister is not an object that you can barter over."

Klaus shrugged at her in dismissal and smirked at Stefan and Damon. "Nevertheless, the worst thing for Elena Gilbert is the two of you."

Damon pressed his lips together and stood up. "I'm going to get some air."

As he walked out of the room, Elijah went to follow him. "Let me deal with this."

"All this talk has made me thirsty," Klaus hummed, gesturing for one of the waitresses. He brushed the hair away from her neck and smirked at Stefan. "What do you say, Stefan? Can I interest you in a little after-dinner drink?"

Lucy gasped in disgust as Klaus bit into the woman's neck, her stomach twisting dangerous. She instantly looked over at Stefan to see how he was doing and wasn't surprised to see the dark veins popping up underneath his eyes.

"Hey," Lucy grabbed his hand, forgetting about Klaus for the moment. "Don't look," she told him softly; Stefan's green eyes bore into her hazel ones. "just focus on me, okay?"

Stefan's face softened and he nodded, gripping her hand tightly as his features relaxed and he controlled his bloodlust. Lucy smiled at him encouragingly, glad that she could help him. She didn't know exactly when Stefan quit drinking human blood again, but she figured he was back on animal blood when he started to react so strongly to the blood Klaus drank.

"Delicious," Klaus sighed as he dropped the waitress to the ground and smirked at Stefan and Lucy. "Aged to perfection."

Stefan stiffened at the reminder that he and Lucy weren't the only two people in the room and released Lucy's hand, standing up to walk over to Klaus. "Well, I guess the only reason you agreed to this evening is to drive a wedge between me and my brother."

"Oh no, you did that well enough on your own," Klaus snarked back as he stopped in front of Stefan. . "As soon as you saved my life, you lost your brother. Add in the fact that you're in this ridiculous love-trapezoid and you're not doing so well, are you?"

"God, Niklaus," Lucy hissed as she stood up. "Would you mind your business?"

Klaus rolled his eyes at her and looked back at Stefan. "All of your indecision is tacky anyway," he continued. "I should think my sister deserves better."

Lucy paused, her heart warming slightly at Klaus' words. He was a dick but he _was_ the only one who was telling the truth about the situation she was in. She deserved more than the second-hand feelings Stefan had for her. Klaus was right, even if it was hard for her to swallow.

She completely missed the murderous look that Stefan aimed at Klaus when Damon and Elijah walked back into the room.

"What do you say, Klaus?" Damon called as Stefan went to stand by him in solidarity. "It's time for you to put something on the table. We've made our offer, now you counter."

Klaus walked over to the chair Elijah was standing behind and took a seat. "Okay," he wiped his mouth of leftover blood. "I offer Elena _and_ Luciana's future happiness. You see, what they need right now is to be rid of you lot. Lucy can go to university and Elena can fall in love with a human," he glanced at Elijah. "Maybe that nice football player. You know, the blonde one?"

Damon scoffed. "Matt Donovan, really?"

"Yeah, why not?" Klaus grinned. "They'll marry, live a long and fruitful life and pop out a perfect family. Lucy, of course, is free to travel and whatnot. Whatever she wants, our family will provide."

Lucy pursed her lips thoughtfully as Stefan gave her a sad look.

"So, Elena can continue the Petrova bloodline," Damon filled in the blanks bitterly. "Every few hundred years, you'll have a new doppelganger to drain and never run out of hybrids."

Klaus smirked. "Consider it a small return on my investment in her well-being. See, after you hand me back the coffin, I'll ensure her safety for the rest of her natural life. You know it's what's best for her," he stood up and walked over to the fireplace. "So, what do you say, Stefan?"

Stefan looked at Lucy for a few quiet seconds and then at Damon before walking over to Klaus, his hand outstretched. Lucy sucked in a sharp breath, hoping that he wasn't about to just hand her life over to Klaus without consulting her—or Elena, for that matter.

"What are you doing?" Damon hissed at him.

Stefan took Klaus' offered hand. "Nice try, Klaus," he whispered. "but no deal."

Klaus' grin fell sharply; he quickly twisted Stefan's arm, snapping the bone, and pushed him to his knees. Lucy shouted in objection as he thrust Stefan's hand into the fireplace.

"Stop!" Damon yelled as he and Lucy were pushed back by Elijah. "What are you doing?"

"Stop!" Lucy shrieked at Klaus as Stefan groaned madly in pain.

Klaus turned to Damon and snarled at him, "Now, bring me my coffin before I burn him alive."

Damon glowered at him. "I'll get it."

"Go with him, brother, and keep him honest," Klaus ordered Elijah. "And when you return, I will make good on my promise to you and I will hand over our family."

Elijah stared at him for a few seconds before nodding. "Come, Luciana," he urged, pushing her out of the room behind Damon.

Lucy wanted to object and stay to make sure that Klaus didn't do anything else to Stefan, but Elijah was pretty insistent. She followed him out of the room and was surprised when he and Damon led her into a room where the three coffins that held her siblings were waiting.

Lucy was shocked to see that the coffins were open and Rebekah, Kol, and Finn were awake, standing around while drinking blood bags.

She looked at Damon and Elijah, confused. "What?"

Damon pressed his finger to his lips to shush her and mouthed that he and Elijah undaggered the rest of the Originals while they left earlier. Lucy nodded and looked over at Rebekah, Kol, and Finn, a swell of excitement bubbling in her gut.

"Luciana," Finn—who, as far as Lucy understood, had been in his coffin for nine hundred years—breathed in shock when his eyes landed on his youngest sister. "You're alive."

"Hi," Lucy's eyes watered as she looked between him and Kol. "It's nice to finally see you again."

"Finally," Kol scoffed, and to her surprise, stalked toward her and pulled her into a tight hug. "What bloody year is it?"

As Kol let go and she was passed to Finn, Elijah answered his younger brother. "It's 2010."

"It's been a century?" Kol chocked.

"Over nine hundred years," Finn growled after he hugged Lucy and greeted her fondly.

Elijah calmed down Finn and Kol and explained what was going on as Lucy smiled sheepishly at Rebekah. Rebekah sighed and rolled her eyes before wrapping her arms tightly around Lucy. Lucy squeezed her back, telling her sister how much she missed her.

"Come," Elijah grabbed the daggers that were in his siblings. "I think it's time we confront Niklaus."

Finn, Kol, and Rebekah agreed with him and Lucy stuck to Damon's side as they left the living room to go confront Klaus. Elijah pulled one of the waitresses from the kitchen and gave her two of the daggers on a covered tray before he, Damon, and Lucy followed her into the dining room. Rebekah made her way through the house to go through the other entrance while Finn and Kol waited for their entrance.

Drama was a must with the Mikaelson family.

"Elijah," Klaus looked at him in surprise. "why haven't you left?"

"Well, where are you manners, brother?" Elijah asked coyly. "We forgot dessert."

With all the dramatic antics of a performer on stage, Elijah whipped away the cloth covering the daggers. Klaus' eyes widened in shock and horror.

"What have you done?"

"What have you done?" Elijah snapped. "You see, I've learned not to trust your vulgar promises, Klaus. We're doing this on my terms now."

Kol entered the room, smirking at Klaus, who gaped at him.

"Kol."

"Long time, brother."

Klaus sped toward the tray of daggers but was stopped as Finn appeared, taking one of them and stabbing Klaus through the hand. Lucy flinched as Klaus screamed in pain and backed away from Finn and Kol.

He tried to escape from the other entrance but Rebekah was there to block him.

"Rebekah!"

Rebekah smirked and shoved a dagger into his stomach. As he groaned, she whispered, "This is for our mother."

She pulled the dagger from Klaus; Klaus tried to back away but Kol and Finn wrapped their arms around him, keeping in him place.

"You're free to go," Elijah told Stefan and Damon. "This is family business."

Damon nodded at Stefan but Stefan looked to Lucy, who was staring at her siblings in shock. "Luce?"

Lucy looked at him with wide eyes. "Huh?"

"She can stay," Elijah offered. "No harm will come to her and I'll take her home myself."

Lucy bit her lip and nodded encouragingly at Stefan, who looked reluctant to leave without her. Eventually Damon forcefully grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the mansion.

"I live what you've done with the new place, Nik," Rebekah said snidely as she picked up one of Klaus' vases and threw it at the wall. It hit one of his paintings and shattered, bringing the painting down with it.

Klaus looked at the floor, ashamed and resentful for the beating he just took from most of his siblings. Lucy stood to the side, feeling a little out of place, while Kol and Finn stood on either side of her, each of them nursing some wine.

"I wanted it to be for all of us," Klaus said quietly. "A place we could all call home. A place we could all be a family. None of us would ever have to be alone again."

Rebekah rolled her eyes at his sob story and stood next to Kol.

"Well, you're right," Elijah conceded as he took his place next to Rebekah. "None of us will be."

"You're staying behind," Finn added.

"We're leaving you, Nik," Rebekah informed him. "Right after I kill that doppelganger wench, then you'll be alone. Always and forever."

Lucy grimaced and hoped that she could talk Rebekah into leaving Elena alone. She was mad that she daggered Rebekah, too, but she didn't want her sister to die.

Klaus stood up, his eyes narrowed into slits as his chest heaved in anger. "If you run, I will hunt all of you down."

"Then you'll become everything you hate," Elijah replied. "Our father."

"I'm the hybrid!" Klaus shouted at them. "I can't be killed! I have nothing to fear from any of _you_!"

"You will when we have that coffin."

Klaus' watery eyes widened at Elijah's statement, obviously haunted about what laid in the coffin deep under the Lockwood property.

Strangely, the door opened behind Lucy, Elijah, Kol, Finn, and Rebekah. They all turned around, shocked at who came through the door. Esther walked into the room, looking the same as she did in Luciana's last memory of her.

She looked completely healthy. There was no sign of the damage Klaus inflicted when he killed her a thousand years ago.

"Mother?" Rebekah gasped.

Esther looked at all of her children warmly before passing through them to speak to Klaus. Klaus' eyes were glaring at the floor, like he was expecting Esther to lash out and kill him where he stood.

"Look at me," Esther demanded of him; Klaus lifted his tearful face to look her in the eyes. "Do you know why I am here?"

"You're here to kill me," Klaus breathed.

"Niklaus, you are my son," Esther stated. "and I am here to forgive you."

Esther earned looks of disbelief from the rest of her children. They were all shocked that she could forgive him for killing her all those years ago. Lucy was just shocked that shew as somehow alive.

None of this made any sense.

Esther turned around to look at Lucy, Finn, Kol, Elijah, and Rebekah and declared, "I want us to be a family again."

Why was Lucy's life so complicated?


	51. Mikaelson Ball

**[3x14; Dangerous Liaisons]**

Lucy squirmed under Esther's gaze, feeling nervous, excited, and awkward all at once. The memories she had of her first mother were full of nurturing moments, magic lessons, and love. She couldn't see the monster that Klaus had called her, even if he was right. Esther certainly didn't look like a horrible person; she gazed at Lucy with loving, blue eyes.

When Lucy came back to Klaus' mansion after spending the night with Caroline, she was astonished to see Finn, Kol, and Esther with modern haircuts and clothing. Apparently, they had been busy while she was sleeping.

They had breakfast as a family and it was amazing. Lucy had been so happy to be around her oldest siblings all at once, even if one of them had killed her aunt and was using her sister as a human blood bag. It felt like she was Luciana once again and they all went back a thousand years ago to make more memories with each other.

The siblings all caught up with one another; Klaus told Finn and Kol about becoming a hybrid—there was a little side-eyeing Esther, but she looked unbothered—and Lucy told them about her life now as a part of the Gilbert and Saltzman families. Esther had looked delighted about the fact that she was part of the town's planning committee and had promptly announced that they would be having a ball to celebrate their reunion.

Lucy and Rebekah were the only Mikaelson children not to object but, with stern looks from Esther, the boys quickly gave in. After breakfast was finished, Lucy and Esther met to start the planning.

They had already sent out invitations and hired the decorating crew and caterers by the time Esther allowed them to have their first break.

"So, darling, tell me about your siphoning skills," Esther took a sip of the tea one of Klaus' maids brought her.

"Well," Lucy bit her lip nervously. "I just learned that I was a siphoner a year ago, so I'm not sure I'm doing it the right way."

Esther raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Once I siphon the magic, I forget about it. It's like I'm not paying attention to the way my body holds it," Lucy tried to explain. "I've been trying to last longer between siphons."

Esther hummed and set down her teacup. "You should be able to hold your siphoned magic for up to forty-eight hours. Of course, that depends on how much magic you have siphoned."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows, ashamed that she could hardly last half an hour with the magic she siphoned. "How much magic should I be able to siphon, though?"

"It depends on the type of spell and how much you practice," Esther informed her. "The more you practice, the more magic you'll be able to siphon."

Lucy bowed her head and nodded

Esther, seeing the embarrassed look on her youngest daughter's face, reached forward and squeezed Lucy's hand comfortingly. "Don't fret," she said soothingly. "You will have time to practice."

Lucy looked up and gave her a weak smile.

"You should go spend time with your siblings," Esther suggested, pulling her hand away from Lucy. "I'm sure you will need to have your dress fitted for tonight."

"Oh," Lucy raised her eyebrows in surprise. "I have dresses at home."

"Nonsense," Esther grinned at her. "You shall have a new dress. Go on, I'll finish up here."

Lucy gave in and left Klaus' office where she and Esther were set up with a sweet smile toward her first mother. She wandered toward the large living room where Elijah, Rebekah, Finn, and Kol were waiting, in various stages of getting their formal wear fitted.

"There you are," Rebekah beamed at her; she was dressed in a beautiful emerald-green gown with a seamstress working down at the bottom. "Hurry, I picked you out a gown."

Five minutes later, Lucy was wearing a form-fitting blue gown with a mermaid skirt and beaded bodice. The dress was beautiful and she was so grateful Rebekah picked out something that she actually liked. The dress didn't fit her perfectly, but that was why she currently had another seamstress at her feet, hemming the bottom of the skirt.

While her dress was being fitted, Lucy enjoyed her time with her siblings. Finn was quiet and thoughtful, not sharing much since he hadn't lived many years outside of his coffin. But Kol was mischievous and rambunctious, like a rowdy toddler. He reminded Lucy of what Joel was like before their parents died. He often said things that would earn Elijah's disapproving glare but he wasn't bothered. He enjoyed flirting with Lucy's seamstress and the woman doing Rebekah's nails, all the while making sure his tuxedo fit him perfectly.

"Rebekah, tell me how handsome I am," Kol requested, adjusting his jacket as he looked into the mirror someone had brought out.

Rebekah barely glanced up from her nails. "Ah, Kol, you know I can't be compelled."

Finn smiled at Rebekah's remark as Lucy giggled. Kol just huffed and turned his eyes to his youngest sister.

"Ana, darling?"

Lucy raised her eyebrows in his direction and smiled sweetly. "You look lovely, Kol. You're a real peach. 

Kol didn't catch the sarcasm in Lucy's voice like Elijah and Rebekah did; he grinned smugly into the mirror. "Thank you. At least someone has taste in this family."

Elijah clicked his tongue as he compared different colored shoes with his own tuxedo, disapproving of Kol's comment. Lucy suspected that he was offended on the behalf of the suits he always wore.

The French doors into the living room flew open, a furious Klaus striding into the room. Lucy rolled her eyes, wondering what had angered him now.

"You went after Elena?" Klaus glowered at Rebekah. "What is wrong with you?"

Lucy had already gotten the story from Elena and Rebekah. After leaving Alaric at the hospital—he had been stabbed by the mystery killer but had fully recovered—Elena ran into Rebekah, who was a little mad about the dagger Elena had plunged into her back. Thankfully, Elijah was there to stop Rebekah from killing Elena.

Lucy was disappointed in Rebekah but she knew there was nothing she could do about the rivalry Rebekah and Elena had going on—and Elena did stab Rebekah in the back…It was all complicated.

Rebekah sighed as the woman painting her nails backed off. "Oh, here we go."

Klaus loomed over her where she was sitting on the couch. "Do you want another dagger in your heart?"

"Again with the dagger threats?" Kol spoke up in Rebekah's defense, turning away from the mirror to glare at Klaus. "Don't you have any other tricks?"

Klaus sent him a scathing look. "Oh, go back to staring at yourself."

"And who are you, my father?" Kol smirked at him.

"No, Kol, but you're in my house."

A threatening look came over Kol's face as he stepped up to Klaus. "Then perhaps we should go outside."

Lucy pressed her lips together in annoyance. Klaus and Kol never got along, even when they were all children. Their two conflicting personalities sparked against one another and Klaus had always been closer to Elijah and Rebekah. Lucy remembered Kol once telling her—Luciana—that he felt left out sometimes.

Lucy wasn't an psychologist, but she figured that the reason Kol lashed out so often was to get the attention of his siblings.

"Enough!" Esther joined them, giving Klaus and Kol stern looks. "Niklaus, come."

Klaus sent Kol another hard look before following their mother out of the living room. Kol sent his back a triumphant look, seeming to have won this round. He plopped down onto the couch next to Rebekah, a satisfied smirk on his face.

"What a dick."

"Oh, Kol," Elijah rolled his eyes; Kol shrugged innocently.

Stefan crossed his arms over his chest as he stood between Joel and Damon, waiting for Elena to tell them about her run-in with Rebekah and Elijah the previous night. She took her sweet time as she wiped down the island with bleach to get rid of the evidence of the attack on Alaric.

"It was their mother, Esther, who was sealed in that coffin," Elena finally told them, squirting more cleaner onto the counter.

Stefan raised his eyebrows at her; he hadn't heard anything from Lucy about the fact that her first mother was back from the dead. "As in the Original Witch?"

"What?" Joel asked in surprise. "How is she even alive? I thought Klaus killed her."

Elena shrugged and finished wiping off the counter, throwing the rag into the sink. "I don't know. I'm guessing she has a couple connections in the witching community. Elijah said that she wants to live in peace with her family, including Klaus."

Damon scoffed in disbelief. "She was supposed to be the weapon to help us kill Klaus."

Stefan looked at him in confusion as Elena answered, "Well, not anymore."

"Wait, wait," Stefan spoke up, looking between Elena, Joel, and Damon. "Our plan wasn't to kill Klaus. We're supposed to just get him out of Mystic Falls."

"No, that was your plan," Damon corrected him shortly. "Our plan is to kill him."

"You're joking," Stefan's voice was flat as he looked over to Joel and Elena. "You're going to kill Lucy's brother?"

"He's using me as a blood bag, Stefan," Elena reminded him firmly. "I'm sure Lucy will get over it."

Joel looked much more unsure. "Klaus killed Jenna."

"And you guys are gonna put Lucy through more grief," Stefan stated seriously.

"Oh, cry me a river," Damon spat, rolling his eyes at his brother. "Twitch's feelings are the least of our concerns right now."

Elena nodded in agreement. "Look, Elijah said that his family wouldn't hurt us and I believe him, but we still have to find a way to kill Klaus."

Elena's statement was emphasized by the doorbell ringing. She hurried to the door, Damon following close behind her, while Stefan turned to Joel, his eyebrows raised.

"Do you really want to do this to Lucy?" he asked him quietly as they made their way to the door together.

"No, I don't," Joel answered. "but I want Klaus dead. It's not anything he doesn't deserve."

Stefan agreed with Joel, he really did. Stefan knew, out of almost all of them, that Klaus deserved to die. He had done so many bad things and he made Stefan do bad things, too. But he couldn't do that to Lucy. No matter how much it made Stefan uneasy that Klaus was alive and each look at his face reminded him of a dark period in his life, he couldn't kill Lucy's brother.

One of the things that Stefan loved most about Lucy was the fact that she loved deeply. She loved her siblings more than herself and with her mind and Luciana's—and Lucia's, for that matter—melded together, he knew that it was impossible for her to just stand by while one of her brothers is killed.

Stefan didn't blame her, really. If someone was trying to kill Damon, despite all that Damon had done to him—and other people—he wouldn't let it happen.

"What is it?" Stefan's attention was pulled as Damon asked Elena what she was holding.

Elena passed one of the envelopes in her hand to Joel before tearing open the one she held onto. "It's an invitation," she told them. "_Please join the Mikaelson family this evening at seven o'clock for dancing, cocktails, and celebration_."

Damon furrowed his eyebrows. "Who the hell are the Mikaelsons?"

Joel rolled his eyes as he read his own invitation. "The Original family, idiot."

"It's not bad enough they're moving to town, now they want a housewarming gift?" Damon snarked.

Elena turned the invitation over and hesitated. "Wait, there's a note on the back," she started reading, "_Elena, I think it's time we finally met. Esther_."

"Why does she want to talk to you?" Stefan asked Elena, confused. Wasn't this the same witch that tried to kill her from the Other Side?

"I don't know," Elena shrugged and walked into the living room. "but if Esther wants to talk to me, maybe I should find out why."

"Well, that's a dumb idea," Damon stated. "she already tried to kill you once."

"Actually, I think it's a good one," Joel spoke up, leaving against the living room threshold.

Damon gave him a look of disbelief. "Are you kidding?"

"Nope. Elena should find out what Esther wants," Joel insisted.

Elena gave her brother a grateful look.

Damon shook his head and turned to Elena. "You can't protect yourself."

"I'll go with her," Stefan suggested; if something was gonna go down with Klaus, he wanted to be there to break the news to Lucy. Damon, Elena, and Joel seemed very determined to kill Klaus.

Damon scoffed at his brother. "You pissed off enough Originals to last a lifetime. I'll go," he took the invitation out of Elena's hands, ignoring her protest. "End of story."

As Damon waltzed out of the living room, Joel called after him, "You know I'm going, right? I can protect my sister just fine, thank you!"

It was kind of late for lunch, but Lucy's stomach growled as she and Rebekah walked into the Grill. Rebekah wanted to invite Matt to be her guest at the ball and after Lucy texted Matt to see where he was, they set off to the most popular restaurant in town.

Lucy thought it was kind of cute that Rebekah was asking Matt to the ball, especially since they didn't get to go to homecoming together.

"We'll get you something to eat while we're here," Rebekah told her as they walked between tables. "Caviar is delicious but it doesn't soothe hunger very well."

Lucy wrinkled her nose. "I've never had caviar."

"You will tonight," Rebekah insisted. "and you'll love it. Oh, look, it's Elena and Caroline."

Before Lucy could protest, Rebekah dragged her over to Elena and Caroline's table. It wasn't that she didn't want to see her sister and her best friend, it was the fact that Rebekah currently hated Elena and Elena was still angry with Lucy about Stefan.

"Careful, Caroline," Rebekah greeted the younger blonde as they walked up to the table. "It's all well and good until she stabs you in the back."

"What are you doing here?" Elena glared up at her. "I know your mom's rules. No hurting the locals."

Lucy rolled her eyes at Elena's know-it-all tone while Rebekah pursed her lips angrily. "Get over yourself, Elena. It's not all about you."

Rebekah spotted Matt bussing a table, so she walked away to give him the invitation she wanted to hand deliver. Lucy slid into the booth next to Caroline and greeted her and Elena with a smile.

"So, are you guys going to the ball?"

"You're going?" Elena raised her eyebrows at her younger sister.

"Of course," Lucy nodded. "My family's putting it on. So, are you going?"

"I was invited."

"Me too," Caroline added onto Elena's statement, her eyes traveling to where Rebekah was pulling a invitation out of her purse to hand to Matt. "Oh, my God. She's inviting him to the ball. Why is she inviting him?"

Elena narrowed her eyes at Rebekah. "Probably to get this reaction from us."

"Actually," Lucy defended Rebekah. "She likes Matt. And, they were going to go to homecoming together, but…" she trailed off, giving Elena a pointed look.

Elena rolled her eyes in annoyance.

Caroline huffed as Matt accepted the invitation with a smile. "What time is this stupid dance?"

"It's a seven," Lucy informed her with a grin, happy that Caroline agreed to go. "You're gonna love it."

Lucy smiled at Finn's lost expression as a waiter walked up to them, holding a tray of caviar. Just like she had never tried it, Finn hadn't either. Lucy couldn't imagine what it was like losing nine hundred years of your life; Finn had to be struggling.

"What is this?" Finn asked his little sister, eyeing the dark-green goo with trepidation.

"Caviar," Lucy informed him patiently while taking some from the waiter. "I haven't tried it but Rebekah says that it's amazing."

Finn hesitantly took the caviar off the tray and nodded at the waiter before turning to Lucy. "And what is this caviar made of?"

"I'm pretty sure it's fish eggs," Lucy said. "Rich people eat it during fancy occasions."

"Ah," Finn nodded. "Shall we?"

Lucy grinned at him and popped the caviar into her mouth, the eggs popping on her tongue as she chewed. The caviar was slightly salty and tasted lightly of fish which turned Lucy off. There were some expensive foods she liked, but it seemed that caviar wasn't one of them.

"Do you like it?" Lucy asked Finn as she chased the taste away with some champagne.

"It is nice," Finn confirmed, discarding the spoon it was served with on the tray of the waiter. Lucy did the same and thanked the waiter, allowing him to slip away. "Did you like it?"

"I don't think so," Lucy shook her head. "It's just not my taste."

Finn hummed and looked around the room, studying the select choosing of the Mystic Falls population gathered in the large, marble foyer of Klaus' mansion. His eyes stopped on someone and he turned to Lucy to ask, "Is that one of the vampires who was here last night?"

Lucy followed Finn's gaze and saw Stefan walking toward them, handsomely dressed in a classic black tuxedo. He was stopped by Mrs. Lockwood, who greeted him kindly, but gave Lucy a small smile over her shoulder when he saw her looking.

"That's Stefan," Lucy told Finn.

"Ah, the one who stole our coffins."

Lucy didn't have the heart to tell him that she helped Stefan keep his coffin away from Klaus—or that she didn't undagger him while she had the chance. It was selfish, but she didn't want her brother to think less of her.

Instead of answering Finn, Lucy kept quiet, making the silence between them awkward. Lucy could feel it and it seemed that Finn did too.

"Well, he seems to be making his way over," Finn pointed out to her. "so I will take my leave."

Lucy gave him a quick smile as he walked away. It only took Stefan ten more seconds to approach her, a soft smile on his face as he subtlely looked her up and down.

"You look beautiful."

Lucy's cheeks flushed with warmth and she felt her heart skip but she tried to pull herself together. She was still irritated with Stefan from when he told Elena everything, without consulting her—but man, did he look good in that tux.

"Thank you," she gave him a closed-mouth smile. "You look handsome. I like the black buttons."

Stefan absentmindedly brushed his fingers over the black buttons on his white shirt. "Thank you."

"You know, I don't think you were invited, Stefan," Lucy raised a playful eyebrow at him, knowing that Klaus was still pretty angry with the youngest Salvatore. "How did you even get in?"

Stefan slowly smirked. "I just charmed my way in."

Lucy laughed. "Okay, sure."

Stefan was charming but Lucy knew that he hardly, if ever, used that to his advantage. If he wanted something to be done—by a human or non-human—he was forceful and he didn't stop to ask questions. It was hot, sure—but Lucy was pretty sure she was the only one who thought that.

"You're right," Stefan chuckled, giving in. "I just snuck past the doorman when he was occupied by Mrs. Fell."

Lucy smiled and shook her head fondly. "So, what are you doing here? I would have thought you wanted to be a hundred miles away from the Original Family."

"No," Stefan denied softly. "That's a hundred miles away from you."

The amused smile fell from Lucy's face as she stared at Stefan. He looked completely serious and his eyes were full of emotion that had Lucy's heart racing and her stomach flipping pleasantly.

At the same time, her mind was split. There was a part of her that wanted to give into him and enjoy the feeling that came with Stefan's affection. But that other part of her—the rational part—kept her from doing that.

From the moment Lucy had met Stefan, he was in love with Elena. He had never given Lucy a second glance until he left Mystic Falls and by that time, Elena had been falling for his brother. He was bound to be hurt and confused. And Lucy loved Stefan but she knew that she didn't deserve his indecision. She deserved to be completely and overwhelmingly loved.

Was Stefan willing to do that? Lucy didn't know, but she wasn't giving in until he decided what he wanted.

Stefan saw her mind's war behind her hazel eyes. He quickly picked up a fresh glass of champagne for her and himself as a waiter passed by and handed it to her.

"Sorry," he murmured as he took her empty glass.

He knew what he was doing to Lucy and he absolutely hated it. It wasn't like he was lounging around, waiting for a reason to figure out his feelings. He was constantly thinking about his feelings for Lucy and whether or not they're real or just something to focus on other than the fact that Elena was practically in love with his brother.

Lucy gave him a weak smile. "It's fine."

A microphone squealed softly, interrupting the soft music being played on the other side of the room.

"If everyone could gather, please," Elijah requested through the microphone.

Lucy and Stefan joined the other guests as they all crowded in front of one side of the marble staircase, decorated in twinkling lights. She faintly saw Joel and Damon come up on the other side of Stefan but she was too focused on her original siblings, who had gathered on the staircase in front of them.

They looked like something out of a magazine photoshoot. They were all dressed spectacularly and had the pose of people who didn't care if you were watching them but they knew you were.

"Welcome, thank you for joining us," Elijah ditched the microphone as he stood on the step below Finn and Rebekah. He gestured to Esther as she slowly joined her children and continued, "You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it's a tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance."

Lucy looked over to Esther, who was smiling down at all of her guests.

"Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz," Elijah informed everyone. "so, if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom."

After Elijah started down the stairs, there was a slight buzz in the room as people searched for a dancing partner. Lucy looked around at the gathered guests and decided that she'd sit this dance out. There really wasn't anyone she wanted to dance with.

"Would you join me for a dance?"

Okay, there was one person she wanted to dance with.

The corners of Lucy's painted lips quirked when she saw that Stefan had stepped in front of her and held his hand out with a hopeful smile that was kind of cheesy. He had a playful look in his eyes and she knew that he was trying to lighten their mood from the tense moment before.

"Come on," Stefan wiggled his fingers at her. "It's our tradition."

"Well, how could I say no to tradition?" Lucy grabbed his hand and allowed him to lead her to the ballroom.

They joined the many other couples who were getting lined up for the waltz. Lucy and Stefan ended up behind Matt and Rebekah, the sisters exchanging smiles. As the music started up, Lucy smiled in recognition.

Ed Sheeran was always a yes from her.

_Give me love like her…_

Stefan and Lucy stood side-by-side, their hands reached over to hold each other. They stepped to the beat, following Rebekah and Matt down the ballroom.

"Why am I not surprised that you know this waltz?" Stefan asked Lucy quietly as their line turned to face the other—which housed Caroline, Klaus, Elena, and Damon.

"Because you know me," Lucy replied, passing Caroline and Klaus as they slowly stepped across the room to the beat.

_Paint splattered teardrops on my shirt…_

Stefan lifted his arm, still holding onto Lucy's hand, and Lucy twirled underneath it, coming to a stop as they rearranged themselves to start the waltz. Lucy smiled as they danced in a small circle, stepping backward each rotation so they would complete a circle with the other couples around them.

Stefan's green eyes were searing as he stared at Lucy and she swore he was trying to read her mind. She had tried to keep from making eye contact with him but she couldn't help it. The look in his eyes when he stared at her…She had seen it before.

_No, I just wanna hold you…_

As the chorus started, Lucy looked down at her feet unsurely. She was a confident dancer, and she always had been, but Stefan—and the way he was looking at her—was making her falter.

"You don't have to hide from me," Stefan murmured, letting go of her hand for a second so he could gently lift her chin. "You've never done that before."

Lucy sighed. "That was before everything happened. Everything's changed."

"Not everything," Stefan disagreed. "You're still you and I'm still me."

"Are we?"

"Of course, we are," Stefan smiled down at her. "We're Stefan and Lucy. I brood too much and you get me to laugh. You get lost in your head sometimes and I bring you out of it."

"When you put it like that, it seems like we compliment each other," Lucy mused.

Stefan grinned. "I know we do."

_Give me love…_

Lucy's lips twitched as she and Stefan pulled away from each other and he spun her to her next partner. To her surprise, she was pulled into Klaus' arms, where he continued the dance without missing a beat.

"You look amazing, Luciana," Klaus complimented her. "Are you enjoying this evening?"

"Yeah, I am," Lucy admitted with a small smile. "I like dances."

"That's not surprising," Klaus laughed a little, the dimples that he and Lucy shared coming out with his smile. "You loved dancing as a little girl. During Samhain you'd be off with all the others your age. Henrik would throw a fit when you tried to persuade him to dance with you."

Lucy could recall what he was talking about. The memories flashed through her head like a movie. "I remember," she hummed and looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. "You've been alive for over a thousand years. How do _you_ remember that?"

Klaus shrugged modestly. "Some memories are more important than others."

_Give a little time to me…_

Lucy couldn't help but smile at him. For the past few weeks, she had wanted Klaus out of Mystic Falls for good and for longer than that, a part of herself hated him for killing Jenna. She would have never imagined herself at this moment, finding herself comfortable in his presence.

She supposed that it was the Luciana part of her. The part where she knew that Klaus would never let anything hurt her. The part where she was nurtured and taught how to paint by him. Lucy was used to being conflicted about her siblings—mainly Klaus, Elijah, and Katherine—but she was sick of it. She just wished everyone could live in harmony. She knew that would never happen, but she hoped it would. She really hoped.

The song ended and everyone went back to their previous partners; Lucy gave Klaus a weak smile and went to leave his side but he grabbed her hand to stop her.

"I would like to show you something," he requested kindly. "If you don't mind."

Lucy bit her lip and looked for Stefan; he was talking to Caroline and Matt while sipping on a glass of champagne. She turned back to Klaus and agreed, "Sure."

Klaus' face lit up. "Excellent," he began to lead her out of the ballroom to the restricted area of the mansion. "I wanted to show you earlier but you've kind of hated my guts."

Lucy rolled her eyes at him. "With good reason, Nik."

Klaus shrugged. "I suppose."

He stopped in front of one of the doors in the hallway and unlocked it, ushering Lucy into the room. Lucy gasped when she discovered what he was showing her; the room was full of his paintings, finished and in-progress, with various art supplies organized neatly around the room. It was everything Lucy loved and wished for in an art room.

Klaus' paintings were absolutely beautiful, with great techniques that she assumed came with his years and years of experience. She only wished that she'd get to his level of painting. She was great at what she did but Klaus was leagues ahead of her.

"Stefan told me you still painted," Klaus spoke up as she walked from painting to painting in complete awe. "I don't know if you remember, but I was the one who taught you to paint."

"I remember," Lucy confirmed, turning to him. "You showed me how to mix paints and to prepare the animal fur as a canvas."

Klaus smiled fondly. "We always had fun together."

"Yeah, we did," Lucy's smile faltered as she turned back to one of the large landscape paintings hung on the wall. "I wish I could paint like you, though."

"You will one day," Klaus assured her. "Elijah told me that you're quite talented. I was wondering if I could see your paintings for myself one day."

"Of course," Lucy agreed. "I'll bring some over soon."

Klaus looked happy with her offer, glad to be bonding with his favorite sibling once again. It had destroyed him when he accidently drained her all those years ago and it took him a long, long while to forgive himself like Luciana would want him to. He always looked back on memories with Luciana and Henrik fondly, it was some of the best times of his life while also being a reprieve from Mikael's violence.

"Excellent."

"Where were you two?" Caroline asked Lucy and Klaus as they joined her and Stefan in the foyer.

Lucy smiled gratefully as Stefan gave her a glass of water—she was feeling a little tipsy from the champagne. "Klaus showed me his art room," she told Caroline. "You should see his paintings. They're fantastic."

"Yours are as well, I'm sure," Klaus said humbly.

Lucy rolled her eyes at him and then looked at Stefan and Caroline. "He's being humble. One of his paintings are at the Hermitage. You should see some of them, Care."

Caroline hummed, her eyes flickering between Lucy and Klaus, who seemed to be getting on well. "Maybe."

Lucy grinned and stepped closer to Stefan's side, noticing how tense he seemed with Klaus close by. She gave him a reassuring look, squeezed his hand, and whispered, "Don't worry. I'll protect you."

Stefan relaxed and chuckled. "You're my hero, Luce."

The chiming of silver against crystal caught everyone's attention. All eyes went to Esther, who stood on the right staircase, a glass of pink champagne in her hand.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," Esther smiled kindly as she looked over everyone. "Waiters are coming around with champagne. I invite you all to join me in raising a glass."

Lucy, Stefan, Caroline, and Klaus took the champagne from the waiter that walked over to them, giving him polite smiles. Lucy smelt the champagne, noting that it smelt slightly of strawberries.

"It provides me no greater joy than to see my family back together as one," Esther continued, smiling down at her children. "I'd like to thank you for all being a part of this spectacular evening. Cheers."

Lucy raised her glass with everyone. "Cheers."

She put the glass to her lips and took a sip, forcing herself to swallow the bitter bubbles. The champagne was not as tasty as its scent suggested; Lucy much preferred the champagne they were serving earlier.

As the waiters took away empty glasses, Klaus and Caroline slipped away so he could show her his art room. As soon as they left Lucy and Stefan, Stefan turned to Lucy with a smile.

"Another dance?"

"Actually, I wouldn't mind food that wasn't caviar," Lucy laughed and grabbed his hand. "Come on, I think they have a chocolate fountain."

Stefan allowed Lucy to drag him over to the sweets table, where, indeed, there was a chocolate fountain with various types of fruits and sweets to use. Lucy happily skewered a strawberry on the small silver rod and drenched it with chocolate before popping it in her mouth.

"Are you gonna have one?" she asked Stefan as she swallowed her chocolate-covered strawberry.

"Nah," Stefan shook his head, his eyes focusing on the small bit of chocolate on her upper lip. "You have a little…"

Lucy watched with wide eyes as Stefan gently wiped the chocolate off her upper lip and then stuck the tip of his thumb into his mouth, licking it off.

Was that one of the hottest things she had ever seen? Yes.

A hint of a smirk settled on Stefan's lips when he saw Lucy's pupils dilate. It was nice to see that he affected her as much as she affected him. He couldn't count the nights where he stayed up, thinking about her; there were too many.

The smirk faded as something caught Stefan's attention. There was a fight going on outside and some of the grunts suspiciously sounded like Damon. He excused himself from Lucy and walked to the front entrance; Lucy and some of the Originals followed him, wondering what was going on.

Stefan was right; Damon was in the thick of it. He was crouched over Kol's body, the Original's neck having just been snapped.

"Damon!" Stefan yelled at him as he rushed out of the house. "Are you crazy?"

They had no idea if the Originals were going to retaliate; if they were offended with Damon's actions, they were dead. The Salvatore brothers were already on the Mikaelsons' hit list.

Damon's eyes went to Elena, who had rushed out behind Lucy, Joel—who Lucy hadn't seen until then—and the Original siblings. "Maybe a little," he admitted. "Far be it from me to cause a problem."

Elena gave him a disapproving look and Damon smirked, stalking away from the mansion.

Lucy grimaced as she looked down at Kol's unconscious body. "We should probably move him before someone sees."

Elijah sighed heavily. "Mother will not be happy."

That was an understatement.

"Thanks for taking me home," Lucy smiled at Stefan as they entered her bedroom. "Elijah was busy with Esther."

"I don't envy him," Stefan scoffed in amusement.

"Me either," Lucy agreed as she set the bag full of her day clothes on her bed. "Esther hardly was ever angry but when she was," she shook her head. "she was bad. Not as bad as Mikael, of course."

Stefan made a noise of agreement as he watched her cross the room to her vanity and slip the diamond earrings out of her ears.

"Did you have fun?"

"Yeah," Stefan confirmed, walking over to sit on her bed. "But that's not surprising when you planned it."

Lucy smiled bashfully and turned toward him. "I didn't plan it all."

"Most of it," Stefan insisted before hesitating. "So, you're getting along with Klaus now…"

Lucy bit her lip, knowing that this was boing to be a tough subject for Stefan. She had to tell the truth, though, because she couldn't lie. She was tired from all the conflict she had and maybe she should keep it to herself, but she wanted to explain a little of it to Stefan so he could understand where she was coming from.

"I know he's done terrible things, Stefan," Lucy sighed. She took off her high heels and neatly stacked them in her closet before joining him on the bed. "I mean, look at what he did to you and Jenna…"

Stefan looked at her intensely. "But…?"

"But it's so hard for me to hate him," Lucy confessed, playing with the bracelet Stefan had gifted her long ago. "I have all these memories from my life as Luciana. Memories where Klaus held me when I cried, where he taught me to paint, where he protected me from Mikael."

Tears stung Lucy's eyes as she tried to say what she was feeling. It was hard for her to explain because no one understood what it was like for her. It wasn't anything that anyone could relate to.

The thing was, she didn't want to persuade Stefan into forgiving Klaus because what Klaus did was unforgivable. She doesn't blame Stefan for hating Klaus, she just wants him to understand that she couldn't hate him.

Lucy tried to hate Klaus—she had tried so hard—but she just couldn't hate him.

"Um," Lucy wiped her eyes and looked up to meet Stefan's eyes. "I know it's not really a comparison because Klaus did worse things than Damon but you still love your brother right? After all you've been through together? What you're going through?"

Stefan nodded, swallowing harshly. When Lucy put it like that, he could understand. He loved Damon just as much as Lucy loved her siblings—all of her siblings—so he knew a little of what she was going through. He knew how hard it was for Lucy to separate her feelings as Luciana and Lucia. He was one of the only people who knew.

This in no way meant that Stefan would forgive or even like Klaus but he understood why Lucy couldn't hate him. He understood probably more than anyone.

"I get it," he said quietly.

Lucy's eyes widened as she looked at him hopefully. "You do?"

"Of course, I do," Stefan confirmed, reaching up to wipe away her tears and a little mascara. Even when she resembled a raccoon she was beautiful. "You love so much, Lucy. I don't think you could hate anyone."

Lucy giggled. "Yeah, I can."

"Nope," Stefan grinned at her. "That's just not who you are."

"If you think so," Lucy huffed playfully. "Thanks for tonight. I had a great time with you, even if you weren't invited."

Stefan beamed at her, his green eyes sparkling with humor and adoration. "I'd sneak into any party to be with you, Goofy."

"Should we hit the Met Gala next then?"

"No violence," Esther told Elijah as she stormed into her room, her son on her tail. "That was all I asked. Rebekah and Kol disgraced our family tonight."

"It won't happen again, Mother," Elijah assured her as she turned to look at him. "I'll deal with them."

Esther sighed, feeling a tingle of guilt in her belly. She slowly walked forward and placed a doting hand on his left cheek.

"Thank you, Elijah," her voice had lost all sharpness. "I wish the others were more like you."

Elijah grabbed her hand and brought it away from his face, squeezing it affectionately. He left the room and within a second, Finn was walking in, closing the doors shut behind him.

"Are we all right to speak freely?" Finn asked as Esther walked over to her desk.

"Yes," she glanced back at him as she pulled out a medium-sized length of parchment and fountain pen. "the sage still burns."

She set to work on writing the names of her children on the parchment, guilty thoughts flying through her head. Finn picked up the expression on her face.

"You're not having second thoughts, are you?"

"Of course not," Esther huffed, finishing up her writing. "It's just Elijah…he's so moral. And Luciana, she's young and innocent."

"You're doing the right thing, Mother," Finn consoled her.

Esther's eyes stung as she kept her gaze away from her oldest son. "You understand what this means, don't you?" she looked toward him. "The spell I'm casting tonight will bind you all together as one."

"I understand," Finn nodded solemnly. "When it is time, I will be ready to die."

"Then we must complete the link," Esther stood up and grabbed a knife, slicing through the hand that Finn offered her.

As the blood dripped from Finn's hand onto the parchment, Esther began casting her spell. The blood started at the bottom of the page and spread upward, covering each of her children's names.

_Kol. _

_Rebekah. _

_Finn. _

_Elijah. _

_Niklaus. _

_Luciana. _

Esther finished speaking, looking down at the tree the blood made on the parchment.

"The link is complete," Esther declared. "You are one."


	52. Collateral Damage

**[3x15; All My Children]**

Lucy heaved her bag downstairs, cursing herself for packing it so tight with the paintings she intended on showing Klaus. She had told him the night before that she would bring some paintings over and she wasn't going to go back on her word. There was nothing else she had do today, since she had already called Jeremy to inform him of everything going on. Alaric wasn't free, since he was having lunch with Meredith, and Elena and Joel had some mysterious plans going on.

She had finally lugged her bag off the last stair and reached for her keys off the hook when Joel and Elena walked into the room, dressed warmly for the cool weather outside.

"Where are you going?" Joel asked his sister, eyeing the bag in her hands. "What's that?"

"They're the paintings I'm showing Klaus," Lucy informed him, pulling a fluffy hat on her head.

"You're going over there again?" Elena raised a judgmental eyebrow at her. "Did you forget what they did? Rebekah tried to kill me less than twenty-four hours ago."

"I didn't forget, all right?" Lucy glared at her. "and you stabbed Rebekah in the back, Elena. Did you expect a thank-you card?"

Elena gasped indignantly while Joel pressed his lips together. Lucy waved and muttered a goodbye under her breath before leaving the house. The ride to Klaus' mansion wasn't far and parking was far more easier when they didn't have to park in the grass with twenty other cars.

She walked into the mansion without knocking and entered the living room, greeting Kol and Klaus, who were sitting around leisurely.

"Morning, Ana," Kol chirped.

Lucy gave him a sweet smile before turning to Klaus, gently placing the bag down in front of him. Klaus set his sketchbook aside and looked at the bag curiously.

"What's this?"

"Some of my art," Lucy told him, unzipping the bag. She pulled out a painting that she had made after a special memory of their family. Every one of her family was included except for Mikael, who was absent from the memory. It was one of her bests, if she did say so herself.

"This is amazing, love," Klaus gawked at her talent. She had been good years ago but now that she had the time and supplies, she had really added to her skill.

"I want to see!" Kol insisted.

Klaus rolled his eyes and showed the painting to Kol.

"I'm impressed, Ana," Kol smirked at her and then pointed at place where Klaus was painted. "Dear God, look at that hair, Nik!"

Lucy giggled as Klaus scowled at their brother.

"There's more in there," Lucy told Klaus as she sat next to him on the couch. "Feel free to look."

Klaus nodded and carefully set down the canvas before pulling another one out of the bag. This particular painting was of the night sky with realistic colors that stood out brightly.

"So, you paint, huh?" Kol asked her once Klaus was distracted.

"I draw sometimes," Lucy shrugged.

Kol nodded. "And what about your siphoning abilities?"

"I'm working on them," Lucy frowned self-consciously. "I'm getting better at making the magic last longer."

"You can protect yourself?"

Lucy nodded. "I know some spells."

Kol was very interested in her siphoning abilities and he had been before, when she was Luciana. Kol had always been the most supportive when it came to her and Henrik learning about their abilities. He was often the one who taught Luciana anything that had to do with magic. He even snuck around Esther and let her siphon from him to practice the spells he learned.

"I'll pick you up one of the grimoires I've collected over the years," Kol informed Lucy. "I've got one specific for siphoners that you can have."

"I thought that there wasn't much on siphoners."

"Not much," Kol conceded. "but I've run into some over the years. They're not very tolerated in the witch community."

Lucy scoffed. "No kidding."

Kol gave her a sympathetic smile but Lucy knew that she was much more privileged than some of the siphoners that came before her. In this life, she had been discriminated against for her siphoning abilities only once—her life as Lucia was much darker, until she was murdered for her nature.

It was quiet as Klaus went through the rest of the paintings she brought, giving her quiet compliments once in a while, or giving her a critique that she appreciated and wanted to try next time she painted. It felt nice to talk to someone about her art; Jeremy was a drawer and wasn't a big fan of paint at all.

Rebekah walked into the living room thirty minutes later, her green dress ripped in some places and her hair a mess.

"Well, well, well, there's our girl," Kol crowed as he stood up and came face-to-face with her.

"Get out of my way, Kol," Rebekah snapped at him, adjusting her black heels in her grip.

"Out all night," Kol fell away and continued to tease his sister. "What a scandal. I trust you did better than that commoner. Matt, was it?"

"Kol…" Lucy gave him a warning look, offended on Matt's behalf.

"If you don't shut your mouth, the next thing to come out of it will be your teeth," Rebekah threatened him before catching the small smirk on Klaus' face. "Don't start, Nik."

Klaus looked down at his sketch with an innocent smile. "I didn't say anything."

Lucy rolled her eyes at her brothers and gave Rebekah a sympathetic smile.

"I'm bored," Kol sighed dramatically. "Our sister is a strumpet but at least she's having fun. I need entertainment."

"What are you waiting for?" Klaus looked at him. "Go on. Have at it."

"It's no fun to go alone," Kol whined. "Join me, Nik. It's the least you could do after sticking a dagger in my heart."

Lucy had to bit her lip to keep in her laughter at Kol's pathetic puppy-eyed face. She was actually surprised that Klaus fell for it, but it seemed he had a guilty conscious.

"Okay, why not?" Klaus shut his sketch book and stood from the couch. "I didn't have nearly enough to drink last night, what with you trying to murder Rebekah's date," he smirked at Rebekah as he walked past her.

"Yes, please go," Rebekah called after them. "This house has enough men rolling around in it."

"Just like you, Bekah!" Kol smirked, dodging the high heel that Rebekah whipped at him.

"Good riddance, both of you!" she shouted.

Lucy sighed and stood up, walking over to her sister. "Just ignore them. You're a modern woman, you can do whatever you want."

Rebekah smiled at her. "Exactly."

"Rebekah," Elijah entered the room, looking pensive. "Luciana…"

"Not you, too, Elijah," Rebekah groaned softly.

Elijah didn't seem to know what she was talking about. "I'm worried about Mother," he confessed to his sisters. "Have you not noticed her strange behavior?"

Lucy shook her head while Rebekah sighed. "She's been dead for a thousand years. What's strange for her?"

Elijah held out his hand to show Lucy and Rebekah some burnt herbs wrapped in a cloth. "Burnt sage."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows at it. "She was doing a privacy spell?"

"You know she fancies such things," Rebekah was unbothered by Elijah's worries as Lucy took the burnt sage from him. "Why don't you ask Finn? He's been doting on her."

Elijah shook his head. "I don't trust Finn. He hates what we are. He always has."

"That's not true," Rebekah told him. "And, as for Mother, she returned for one reason; to make her family whole. She loves us. What trouble are you looking to find?"

As Rebekah walked out of the living room, Lucy turned to Elijah. What she knew of Esther came from a pre-teen's point of view. She didn't know her like Elijah or Klaus did. If Elijah was suspicious about their mother, wasn't that a good reason for her to be?

"I can talk to her?" Lucy suggested to Elijah. "I'll ask if she can teach me a privacy spell and see if she does anything weird."

Elijah gave her fond smile. "That would be helpful, Luciana. Thank you."

Lucy smiled back at him and left the living room, heading up to Esther's room on the second floor. She didn't know exactly if Esther was going to be in her room but if she wasn't, Lucy would try again later.

She knocked on the double doors of Esther's room and received a call to enter.

Esther looked surprised when Lucy came in, but not overly so.

"Luciana, darling," she smiled pleasantly from her seat at her desk. "how unexpected."

"Sorry," Lucy smiled apologetically. "Um, I was just wondering if you could teach me a privacy spell?"

Esther's eyebrows furrowed. "What for?"

"Oh, you know, there's so many people at my house sometimes," Lucy smiled weakly. "And I share a bathroom with my brother."

"I see," Esther nodded and stood up, walking over to her. "Come. I'll see what I can teach you."

Lucy gave her a grateful smile and then everything went black.

"He was gloating, like actual gloat," Elena told Bonnie about what happened when she and Joel went to the Boarding House earlier. "Like he was proud of himself for sleeping with her."

Joel sighed heavily and leaned his head against her door, wishing that Bonnie's privacy spell would actually work so he didn't have to hear his sister's love-pentagon drama.

"Is it working?"

Joel opened Elena's door and peeked into the room where Bonnie was trying to burn sage. "It's not working," he told the girls. "I can hear every jealous word that you're saying about Damon."

"I'm not jealous."

Joel rolled his eyes as Bonnie said, "I don't know. It's a tricky spell."

"When Esther did it, she kept the sage burning," Elena informed Bonnie. "There was a lot more smoke."

Bonnie shook her head and put the sage back into the candle's flame. "All right," she nodded at Joel, who closed the door with another sigh. "Speaking of Esther, you should know she came to see me and Abby this morning."

"And all this time you let me vent about Damon?" Elena scoffed.

"I didn't want you to worry."

"Okay, well, what did she want?"

"She wanted to introduce herself," Bonnie explained. "Abby and I helped bring her back. She's channeling our entire ancestral bloodline for power. I think she thought she was being polite."

"Is there a way to stop her from channeling you?" Elena asked anxiously.

"Even if there was, why would I want that?"

"I just keeping thinking…before the Sun and the Moon ritual, Elijah found a way to keep me alive," Elena said quietly. "And now I'm in the exact same position and I'm just gonna let him die? It just doesn't feel right."

Joel opened the door again, annoyed with Elena's reluctance. She had been one of the creators of the kill-Klaus plan and now she wanted to back off? Sure, Joel had some reservations about killing Lucy's first batch of siblings but his hate for Klaus overwhelmed them.

"This privacy spell doesn't work," he said flatly before turning to Elena. "You're not doing this, Lena. Esther is doing this."

"There's no time to change your mind, Elena," Bonnie added. "They'll be dead by the end of the night."

Elena looked at her, shocked. "what?"

"It's a full moon. Esther needs to harness the energy of a celestial event. She asked me and Abby to join her."

Stefan walked out of his bathroom, running a towel through his damp hair. He stopped by the table in the middle of the room, checking his phone for any messages from Lucy. She didn't message him back and he texted her over an hour ago.

He was getting worried.

He sighed and dropped the towel in his laundry basket, turning around to see Caroline sitting on his bed.

"What the hell, Caroline?" he asked, glad that he got dressed in his bathroom. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here because I can't get a hold of anyone!" Caroline huffed. "Elena and Bonnie aren't answering my calls and neither is Lucy and she always answers me."

"Yeah, she's not answering me, either," Stefan sighed, looking at his phone again before sticking it in his pocket. "Next time you want to talk, how about you pick up the phone and call me instead of breaking into my room."

"I'm worried, sue me," Caroline crossed her arms over her shoulder. "Lucy really hasn't gotten back to you?"

"Nope."

"Well, I don't think she's mad at us," Caroline hummed and gave him a pointed look. "You two looked awfully cozy last night."

Stefan raised an eyebrow at her. "So did you and Klaus."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Well, I don't want to talk about last night, either," Stefan retorted before sighing. "So, what usually happens when Lucy doesn't answer you?"

Caroline scoffed. "Last time that happened we were in eighth grade and I ate the last piece of her coconut cake. We didn't speak for three days," she told him. "I don't think I've done anything to her."

"Maybe she's at Steven's Quarry?" Caroline suggested after a few thoughtful seconds. "She doesn't take her phone there."

"She doesn't go to Steven's Quarry anymore," Stefan shook his head. "Not after…"

Caroline nodded. "Right," she started pacing nervously. "Okay, so, Lucy's missing. There's no other explanation for it, right? Why else would she ignore both of us? We're her favorite people."

"Let's just calm down," Stefan said soothingly, placing his hands on her shoulder to stop her pacing. "We don't exactly know if something bad happened."

Caroline inhaled deeply. "Fine," she sighed. "but I'm going to look for her."

"I'll go with you."

Stefan and Caroline left his room and went downstairs. Joel and Damon were already standing in the living room, staring at a figure in front of the fireplace. Stefan was shocked to see that it was Elijah.

"Hello, Stefan. Caroline," Elijah greeted him pleasantly.

Damon barely looked over at Stefan. "He has Elena."

Stefan was not even aware that Elena was missing. What the hell was going on?

"Actually, she's with Rebekah," Elijah corrected Damon. "As you can imagine, my sister's just dying to tear her throat out. So, if you want to save Elena's life, I need you to help me stop my mother."

Stefan and Caroline looked at each other, confused.

"What's going on?" Caroline spoke up.

"According to our dear Elena, my mother has linked my siblings and I together," Elijah told Caroline and Stefan. "she plans on killing us all."

Stefan stiffened at the news, anger building in his stomach. He had told Damon, Joel, and Elena to stop trying to kill the Originals and they hadn't. He figured Damon would never let Elena talk to Esther so he assumed she wouldn't be talking to her at all. It seemed like she did and now all of the Mikaelsons were at risk.

Did this linking spell include Lucy?

"As I said before, if you stop my mother, Elena will live," Elijah repeated himself.

"I'm a little embarrassed to admit, but when it comes to killing thousand-year-old resurrected witches, I'm a little rusty," Damon quipped with narrowed eyes.

"Yes, unfortunately, even when killed, my mother doesn't seem to want to stay dead," Elijah stated bitterly. "Not with the spirits of nature at her side."

"So, what are we supposed to do?" Joel asked him.

"The witches that released my mother, she's drawing her power from their bloodline," Elijah informed him. "That lines needs to be broken."

"Broken?" Caroline looked to Stefan, Damon, and Joel for answers.

"Yeah, he means…" Damon made a slicing motion at his neck.

"You want us to kill them?" Stefan turned to Elijah incredulously.

"You know, I'd do it myself, but I've absolutely no idea where they are," Elijah said idly. "Besides, seeing me, they'd immediately know my intent. They won't expect to be harmed by the likes of you. In any case, you have until six minutes after nine o'clock to find them."

"Oh, how super-specific of you," Damon griped.

"By nine-oh-seven, the moon will be full," Elijah stated. "My mother will have the power she needs to kill me and my family. If you do not stop her before then, Rebekah will kill Elena. So, we all have our timeline. I suggest you get started."

Elijah went to leave but Stefan called his name to stop him.

"Elijah, does this linking spell include Lucy?" he questioned nervously.

If it did, then Lucy was probably taken by Esther. She was the most fragile out of the Mikaelson siblings, so it wouldn't take much to just snap her neck and kill the rest of her siblings with her.

Elijah pressed his lips together. "I do not know but if it does…" he hesitated. "then we need to find her right away."

The air outside of the old witch house was freezing and Bonnie's thick coat wasn't doing much in way of keeping her warm. Night had fallen, though, and Esther would be able to use the power of the full moon any minute now.

She exchanged a nervous look with Abby as Esther started making a pentagram with salt around six torches.

"The pentagram represents our connection to magic," Esther explained as she finished with the salt and started lighting the torches. "The salt is a symbol of the Earth."

"And the torches?" Bonnie spoke up curiously.

"Six torches. One for each of my children."

"What's the spell you're doing?"

"As the witch who cast the spell that made them vampires, I can also reverse it," Esther informed Bonnie and Abby. "When they become human again, they can be killed. As they are linked as one, my brave Finn will be the sacrifice. With his death will come theirs."

As if he heard his name, Finn came out of the witch house, carrying something in his arms. Abby looked at him curiously, shocked that he was willing to die to kill his siblings.

"And you're just willing to die?"

"My mother's releasing me from an eternity of shame," Finn replied as he set what he was carrying in the middle of the pentagram. "It's not a sacrifice. It's a gift."

Finn's words were but a blur to Bonnie as she studied the figure in the middle of the pentagram. She was pretty sure it was a person but she couldn't see the girl's face. She narrowed her eyes, trying to see who it was.

Bonnie gasped in horror when she realized that it was Lucy laying in the middle of the pentagram, unconscious.

"What is Lucy doing here?" Bonnie demanded sharply, turning her narrowed gaze at Esther.

"Luciana is one of my children," Esther said simply. "When Finn goes, she will go as well."

"She hasn't done anything," Bonnie protested, her heart starting to race. "She's human."

"No, she's a reincarnation," Esther disagreed. "She has lived too many lives."

"No, no," Bonnie shook her head frantically, walking toward the pentagram; the torches flared up. "How is the link even going to work on her? She'll siphon the magic away."

"I've already taken care of that," Esther looked down at her daughter with a cold yet reluctant gaze. "The symbol carved into her hand will keep the link intact."

Tears stung Bonnie's eyes as she looked down at one of her closest friends. They were going to lose Lucy if they killed all the Originals. She's be the only collateral damage but would it really be worth it?

Bonnie and Abby jumped in shock as Lucy gasped loudly, her back arching as she cried out in pain. Blood started to stain her pink shirt over her heart while Finn dropped to the ground next to her, turning gray.

"What is that?" Abby asked Esther. "Something's wrong."

"Unlink them!" Bonnie urged. "Lucy will die."

"No," Esther disagreed. "The others are daggered but Niklaus' healing ability will kick in and heal her."

Bonnie turned away from the pentagram, pulling her phone out of her pocket while Esther was distracted with Finn and Lucy. She quickly messaged Stefan, sending an S.O.S. for Lucy.

Across town, Stefan received the message just as Elijah arrived to stop Klaus from killing Damon. He furrowed his eyebrows when he saw that the message was from Bonnie.

_**Bonnie Bennett**__: Lucy is linked to the Originals. Esther is going to kill her._

"Stop, stop!" Stefan called, interrupting Elijah and Klaus conversation. "Lucy's linked to you."

Klaus looked from Stefan's guilty and furious face to his older brother. "What did mother do, Elijah?"

Elijah didn't answer him; he gritted his teeth and walked toward Joel and Damon. "You tell me where the witches are or I'll have my sister kill Elena right now," he threatened the younger vampire harshly.

Damon scoffed. "You told me we had until after nine!"

"I'm sure Rebekah would be more than happy to start her work early."

Ten minutes later, Stefan was walking toward the old witch house along side Klaus, Elijah, and Kol. He never thought that he'd be on their side but if he had to for Lucy, he would. There was no way he was going to let her be killed by her own mother.

He didn't want to be anywhere near Damon or Joel at the moment. He would let them decide who would incur Elena's wrath for killing Bonnie or her estranged mother. All he cared about at the moment was making sure Lucy was okay.

A few feet ahead of them, Stefan could see flames. Six torches were lit around a pentagram made of salt and in the middle were Esther, Finn, and Lucy, who was laying on the ground, unconscious.

Bonnie and Abby were no where to be found.

"My sons," Esther lifted her chin as she greeted three of her children. "come forward."

Finn put a cautious hand in front of her. "Stay beside me."

"It's okay," Esther took Finn's hand. "They can't enter."

Kol stepped forward, testing her theory. The torches flared, the flames soaring to the sky as Kol flinched away from the heat.

"That's lovely," Kol spat angrily. "We are stuck out here while the favorite son plays sacrificial lamb. How pathetic you are, Finn."

"Be quiet, Kol," Esther scolded him. "Your brother knows virtue you cannot even imagine."

Stefan scoffed quietly. Esther had no reason to be talking of virtue. She was here, about to kill all of her children. She was going to kill Lucy, who hadn't done anything wrong. She was innocent but Esther didn't care.

Stefan hated that Lucy was considered collateral damage to Esther or even to his brother. She wasn't that to him.

"Whatever you think of us, killing your own children would be an atrocity," Elijah spoke up. "Luciana is innocent. She's done nothing wrong. You'll regret this."

"My only regret is that I did not let you die a thousand years ago."

"Enough," Klaus drawled, moving from his place next to Stefan to stand in front of his brothers. "All this talk is boring me. End this now, Mother, or I'll send you back to Hell."

Esther narrowed her eyes at him. "For a thousand years, I've been forced to watch you, felt the pain of every victim, suffered while you shed blood," she glanced at Elijah. "Even you, Elijah, with your claim to nobility, you're no better. All of you, you're a curse on this earth stretched out over generations."

She pressed her lips firmly together and stepped back beside Finn.

"If you've come to plead for your life, for her life," she glanced at Stefan and then Lucy. "You've wasted your time."

Stefan waited nervously as Klaus, Elijah, and Kol paced outside the pentagram. Esther hadn't started to chant yet but she would any minute now. He had to think of someway to save Lucy. He had to.

"No!" Esther cried suddenly as the torches flared brightly. "Sisters, do not abandon me!"

Stefan and the others turned away from the flames and when they died down, Finn and Esther were gone. Stefan rushed past the three Originals and fell next to Lucy, relieved when he heard her take a breath.

"Lucy," he lightly shook her shoulders to wake her. "Luce, wake up. Come on."

He hardly noticed when Klaus, Elijah, and Kol stepped behind him, looking down at their sister worriedly.

"Lucy!"

"She'll wake," Kol told him, crouching down next to Lucy and picking up her right hand. He traced his finger across the carving at the back of it. An upside-down 'T'. "Esther must have put her under."

"What is that, Kol?" Elijah asked, gesturing to Lucy's hand.

Stefan looked at the mark, fury building in his chest when he saw the red carving in her skin.

"It's an anti-siphon symbol," Kol informed them. "This will be here until the link is broken. It's so she won't siphon it away."

"And she'll be okay?" Stefan asked worriedly, brushing the hair away from Lucy's face.

"Yes," Kol confirmed.

Stefan nodded and leaned over Lucy, pressing a short kiss to her forehead. When he stood up, he looked to Klaus, Elijah, and Kol. "Look after her," he told them. "I don't know what Damon will do to her if…"

He couldn't bring himself to say it. He knew that Damon would try to kill Lucy at his earliest convenience to try to get to her siblings. As much as he hated to admit it, Damon didn't give a damn about Lucy if Elena's life was in any way inconvenienced.

Klaus nodded solemnly. "We will."

Elijah and Kol nodded in agreement. Stefan took one last look at Lucy for the moment, wishing he could stay until she woke up, but he had to talk to his brother, Joel, and Elena.

He got to the Boarding House long before Elena, Damon, and Joel did. He had been waiting for them in the living room, his blood boiling with fury. When they came through the front door, he used his vampire speed to throw Damon into the wall.

"Stefan!" Elena cried out in shock.

Stefan ignored her and pushed Damon forcefully against the crumbling wooden panels. "It's not enough that you killed my best friend but you want to kill Lucy, too?" he growled. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Stefan, stop!" Elena yelled at him. "We didn't know!"

Stefan whipped around to glower at her. "You should have!" he turned back to Damon. "If you come near Lucy, I will kill you."

Damon scoffed and pushed Stefan away from him, using all his strength. Even if Stefan was back on animal blood, his strength was coming from his anger.

"It was a shot at the Originals," Damon pointed out. "I'm willing to give Lucy a great eulogy if it means that Klaus is dead."

"Damon, just shut up," Joel sighed, grabbing Stefan as he lunged for his brother again. "We're not doing anything until Bonnie can unlink Lucy from the rest of them."

Stefan shook Joel off of him and gave Elena a disappointed look. He didn't recognize her at all. She wasn't the same girl he fell for a year ago. And maybe some of it is his fault but what was he supposed to do anymore? Elena loved Damon and she had plotted to kill the Mikaelsons, which indirectly included Lucy.

Lucy was about to die. Just the thought of Lucy dying made him want to fall to his knees from the pain in his chest. He wouldn't be able to survive without her. What he had said to her before he left Mystic Falls before summer was true.

Yes, Lucy's light shined on him—and it would forever—but it was more than that. _She_ was his light.

Stefan didn't really know when he started to love Lucy but he knew that he never really had platonic feelings for her. Even at the beginning of their friendship, he would notice something about her that would ignite his body and make him feel like the luckiest guy in the world. He had tried to convince himself many, many times that he loved Elena and Lucy was just his best friend.

But he was wrong.

Every time Lucy would compliment his barely-there dimples, his heart would melt. Whenever she said something awkward or rambled, he had hearts in his eyes. When he read her letters over the summer, he had hope. She gave him hope and he survived the summer purely because of her.

Even with all of the darkness inside of him, Lucy gave him light. And he loved her for it.

He loved Lucy.

Stefan turned from his brother, Elena, and Joel, speeding up to his room to get a handle on his emotions. He went straight to his bookshelf and pulled out his journal from last year, opening it up to the page where he officially met Lucy.

_**August 14, 2009**_

_I met her, the younger girl I saved from the river. She was struggling with her locker and even if she was embarrassed, she gave me the most dazzling smile I have ever seen. Her name is Lucy and something about her draws me in. She's named appropriately; her name means light, after all. _

Lucy slowly opened her eyes, crinkling her nose in confusion as she looked around the unfamiliar room. She had no idea where she was or what had happened to her; her hand stung horribly and the back of her head ached.

"You're awake."

Lucy turned toward Elijah when she heard his voice. He was sitting in a chair that he had pulled to her bedside, a thick book that was halfway read in his hands. For the first time as Lucy, he was without a suit and dressed in casual clothing—well, as casual as Elijah could get.

"What happened?" Lucy asked quietly, sitting up.

"Mother tried to kill us…"

Lucy listened intently as Elijah explained all that went on during the day and well into the night. Esther had used Elena's blood to link them all at the ball and had planned to kill them. In order to break Esther channel to the Bennett blood line, Damon had turned Bonnie's mother into a vampire. The carving on her hand was so she wouldn't siphon away the spell that linked her to her siblings but it would go away once they were unlinked.

"Oh, my God," Lucy breathed.

"It's a lot," Elijah nodded in agreement. "Luciana, Stefan requested that you stay with Niklaus and Rebekah until you're unlinked."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "Why?"

"He believes that Damon may use you to kill us," Elijah said quietly, watching as her face contorted into sadness, hurt, and anger. "Niklaus and Rebekah will keep you safe, I assure you."

"Not you?"

"No," Elijah shook his head. "I'm leaving to find Finn or Mother. Kol has already left; he told me to tell you goodbye and that he will keep in touch."

"And will you keep in touch?"

Elijah smiled. "If you would like that."

Lucy nodded. "I would."

They exchanged a quick goodbye hug with Elijah dropping a kiss to the crown of her head before he left to pack his things and leave. Lucy sighed and looked around her new room, trying not to think about the events she missed while she was unconscious.

She felt lost; Joel, Elena, and Damon had planned to kill her siblings—and even her, she didn't know—and Bonnie's mom was now a vampire because Damon was forced to save Elena. If she was in Elena's place, would anyone even bother to save her?

She knew that her chances were low. If it were up to Damon, she'd be dead in a heartbeat.


	53. Mystery Solving

Lucy swung open the door, smiling when she came face-to-face with Stefan. He had texted only minutes before to say that he was on his way to pick her up from Klaus' house and she wanted to leave as quickly as possible so she could see how Alaric was doing.

She had gotten a phone call an hour before from Liz, informing her that Alaric had been taken in for the murders of Bill and the medical examiner. Apparently Dr. Fell had some substantial evidence that proved that Alaric was the murderer. It was all very confusing because Alaric had alibies for Bill and the medical examiner, plus he was stabbed by the murderer as well.

"Good morning," Stefan greeted her as she stepped out of the house and closed the door behind her. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," she told him as they walked to her car. "I'll be great when this link is gone."

Stefan glanced down at her hand where the anti-siphon carving would be, seeing that she had covered it with a large bandage. "I don't blame you," he sighed. "I'm sorry all of this is happening to you, Goofy."

"It's not your fault, Stefan," Lucy replied as they got into her car. "Currently, I'm trying to forget that Elena, Damon, and Joel were planning to kill my other siblings behind my back. I want to focus on Ric."

Stefan nodded as she started her car and pulled out of the driveway. "We can do that," he agreed. "How was your first night at Klaus' house?"

"It was fine. Elijah left early this morning, Rebekah's having lunch with Mrs. Lockwood today, and Nik has been holed up in his art room since breakfast," Lucy listed. "It's surprisingly calm for a family full of drama queens."

Stefan chuckled, enjoying the cute smile on Lucy's face. It was nice to see her like this so soon after what happened to her. He was concerned for her though; he didn't want her to avoid her problems. From his own experience, it didn't help much.

It was twenty minutes later that Lucy and Stefan were escorted to Alaric's cell by Liz. Alaric was already awake, standing at the bars of his cell with an adamant expression.

"I didn't do it," he declared once he saw Liz, Lucy, and Stefan.

"I believe you," Lucy assured him before turning to Liz. "Why was he arrested?"

"I didn't arrest him, I'm detaining him," Liz corrected her and turned back to Alaric. "The cell is for your own good. You were shot and Dr. Fell used vampire blood to heal you."

Alaric huffed in frustration. "Dr. Fell is the one who shot me."

"Because you came at her with a knife."

"Yeah, with a knife that I found hidden in her things."

"What about the fact that he was one of the victims?" Stefan spoke up. "He was almost killed that night."

"Well, Dr. Fell suggested his wounds could have been self-inflicted," Liz told him.

"My God, you think I stabbed myself?" Alaric scoffed in disbelief.

"Look, I think that I don't know what to think," Liz sighed. "I've got nothing except murder weapons from your stash and a respected member of a Founding Family pointing a very long finger."

"Obviously she's setting him up," Lucy spoke in Alaric's defense. "He's being framed."

Liz pursed her lips. "That may be so, but I don't have any proof of that."

"We'll find some then," Stefan shrugged, nodding over at Alaric.

"No, you two have to stay out of this," Liz shook her head and turned to Lucy and Stefan. "If you get involved, it's only gonna make matters worse."

"But—"

"Lucy, I'm serious," Liz warned her. "and pass that along to Damon, would you? Or I'm gonna put all of you in the cell with him."

Lucy sighed heavily and exchanged a look with Stefan; she was absolutely not going to stay out of this.

"_Have you checked on Ric yet_?" Elena asked Lucy over the phone. "_I heard from Caroline that her mom arrested him for the murders."_

Lucy rolled her eyes at her sister as she drove to the hospital so she could confront Meredith about what she had accused Alaric of. Elena had gone with Bonnie and Caroline to North Carolina with Abby to help her through her transition and adjust to living as a vampire. Currently, Bonnie wasn't speaking to Lucy but she was all right with Elena, which, admittingly made her upset.

Lucy wasn't the only person they saved when Damon snapped Abby's neck; Elena's life was on the line, too. She guessed that it didn't matter to Bonnie.

The fact that Elena didn't ask if she was all right or apologize for the previous night got on her nerves, too. She knew Alaric's predicament was important, but she wanted a little bit of concern from her older sister. At least Joel had attempted to apologize to her before he went to meet Damon and Stefan at the Grill.

"Yes, I have," Lucy sighed. "Liz wants me to stay out of it."

"_And are you?"_

"Of course not," Lucy scoffed. "It's Ric, I'm going to do anything I can to make sure he doesn't take the fall for this."

"_Well, keep me updated_," Elena sighed. "_See you later."_

"Mmhm, bye."

Lucy quickly hung up the call and threw her phone into the passenger seat, glad that she was done speaking with her sister. She just needed some time to cool off and forgive Elena…it would be easier if she just acknowledged what happened and apologized. Elena wasn't that type of person, though. If something didn't affect her, she didn't care.

Lucy pulled into the parking lot at the hospital and went to the employee's section. According to the sweet nurse who used to work with her dad, Meredith had a surgery in an hour she had to be here for. Luckily, Meredith pulled into her assigned spot just as Lucy was getting out of her car.

Meredith scoffed when she got out of her car and saw Lucy. "I'm due in surgery," she told Lucy. "Whatever case you're gonna make against Alaric, make it quick."

"I don't have a case," Lucy rolled her eyes, staying in place as Meredith continued walking toward the hospital. "Ric didn't do this. He wouldn't."

Meredith stopped walking and turned to face her. "How do you know?" she asked Lucy. "Sure, he's your biological dad, he takes care of you, and you live with him, but do you really know anything about him?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes at the older brunette. "I know what he wants me to know."

"Well, let me tell you what I know," Meredith retorted. "He was arrested for fighting four times before the age of twenty-one—"

"I already knew that."

"Did you know that when he was at Duke, his future wife, Isobel, filed a restraining order against him twice?" Meredith raised her eyebrows. "Although, then she married him, so I guess that says more about her."

Lucy gritted her teeth, angry that Meredith was creating lies to upset her. "You're making that up."

"Am I? How would you know?" Meredith asked rhetorically. "Your father is a borderline alcoholic vampire-hunter and you never even thought to look any deeper."

"Ric didn't kill anyone and you know it."

Meredith scoffed, shaking her head. "You're friends with vampires, Lucy. It shouldn't come as a shock to learn that your father is a murderer."

Lucy shook her head as Meredith walked away, not willing to believe anything that she was saying about Alaric. Meredith may have looked up Alaric's arrest report and his background but she didn't know him like Lucy did. Alaric was innocent and she was going to prove it.

She rounded the back of her car and opened her passenger door, picking up her phone to call Matt.

Lucy smirked in shock as Matt silently unlocked the door to Meredith Fell's apartment, sneaking them in without a key. She was impressed that Matt knew how to do that and she hoped that after this mess was all over and Alaric was declared innocent, he'd teach how to pick locks.

It was an innocent curiosity, of course.

"I'm impressed, Matty," she whispered as they entered the apartment.

Matt chuckled. "I'll add breaking and entering to the list of fun hang-out ideas."

"Good idea," Lucy shut the door behind them as Matt walked over to the table to look through the messy pile of papers that had Lucy cringing. "Okay, I don't know how much longer Meredith's gonna be in surgery, so we need to be fast."

Matt nodded and walked away from the table, peeking into the kitchen. "Don't you think that the police already combed through this place? She handed over everything she had."

"They probably did," Lucy acknowledged as she looked through the pile of papers. "but we have to find the evidence she didn't hand over."

"And you're sure we should be doing this?"

Lucy sighed. "At the moment, yes," she carefully put the papers back how Meredith had them and looked around the living room that was attached to the entrance. "but Ric's innocent and I'm sure Meredith has something lurking around. She's from a Founding Family, which means she bound to have some secrets."

Mainly, Lucy was thinking about how her parents had a secret closet full of vampire-slaying weapons hidden at their lake house. Mrs. Lockwood, Liz, and the Salvatores all had their private stashes as well, so she figured that the Fell family members had some too.

She wandered over to the closet by the front door and opened it, crouching down to shove a box away from the wall. She smirked when she saw a board that seemed out of place in the wall and knocked on it, looking back at Matt with satisfaction.

"Secret closets. Just like any member of a Founding Family."

Matt scoffed in amusement and slid into the closet next to her, carefully opening the hidden compartment. There was only one thing in it; a heavy blue cardboard box. Lucy opened it and narrowed her eyes when she saw that it was full of files and a few random things.

"Brian Walters," she read the first file before moving onto the second one. "Bill Forbes."

Matt pursed his lips and took out the largest file on the box to show her. "Alaric Saltzman."

Lucy sighed angrily and helped Matt heave the box out of the closet and onto the table. She went through Alaric's file while Matt rummaged through the rest of the box to see what he could find.

"She has everything on him," Lucy shook her head, going through the papers. "Medical records, old court documents."

Matt pulled out an old journal, looking at it in confusion. "What's this?"

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows and took the journal, thinking that it looked familiar. "It's an old Gilbert journal. How the hell did she get this?"

"Why is it in her closet?" Matt added as he continued looking through the box. In an unmarked file, he pulled out a piece of paper. "Didn't you say the medical examiner's time of death was between one and three in the morning?"

Lucy nodded. "Yeah. Why?"

Matt handed her the paper. "Because the county coroner's office says that's wrong."

Just as Lucy started to read the paper, they heard keys jingle outside the front door. Lucy winced and looked back at Matt with wide eyes; he picked up the box and Alaric's file, gesturing for her to hide in the closet.

Lucy did as she was told and Matt squished in there with her and shut the closet just as the door opened and Meredith stepped into her apartment. They listened carefully as she put her things on the table and then walked away. It was only a few minutes until Meredith walked back to the table and picked up her keys.

As the door shut, Lucy opened the closet. To her immense surprise, Meredith was staring right at her and Matt, her arms crossed over her chest with an unpleased look on her face.

"Shit," Lucy whispered before adopting an innocent smile. "Meredith! What a surprise to see you here!"

An hour later, after having to answer questions from the police that Meredith called over, she and Matt were sitting in Liz's office, sheepish looks on their faces. Liz stared at them in disappointment, not very happy with either of them.

"What were you thinking?" she demanded sternly.

"Okay, this is bad—"

Liz cut Lucy off. "Damn right, it's bad, Lucy. You broke the law."

"Yeah but we did find something that clears Alaric, so it's not all broken is it?"

Liz pursed her lips at her. "It's pretty broken."

"But Alaric has an alibi for the Brian Walters murder," Matt pointed out. "he couldn't have killed the guy."

Liz sighed and held up a paper. "You mean this?" Lucy and Matt exchanged looks as she explained, "This happens to be a letter from the county coroner's office correcting the error in the time of death of Brian Walters. Meredith Fell received it today. She brought it to me several hours ago, full of apologies for accusing an innocent man."

"W-Well—" Lucy stammered, trying to think of what to say. This was a huge change of events.

"Why would she have a copy hidden in her closet?" Matt asked, still suspicious.

"I can't ask those questions, Matt, because of the very fact that you two broke into her home to find it," Liz answered, annoyed. "Do you know how much I'm already protecting both of you?"

Lucy sheepishly looked down at her hands, embarrassed and ashamed of her behavior. "We're sorry."

Liz sighed heavily. "Just get out of my office and go home, please," she requested, her tone softening only slightly. "Alaric will be released as soon as the letter is authenticated."

Lucy nodded frantically and stood up, Matt on her heels. They got their belongings back from the deputy at the front desk and left City Hall. They quickly decided that they were going to order food from the Grill before going back to Lucy's house to wait for Alaric to be released.

They were just passing the alleyway next to the Grill when they spotted Joel, Damon, and Stefan surrounding an unconscious girl. Damon was feeding her his blood while Joel held back Stefan, whose face was covered in blood.

Lucy stopped in her tracks, getting Matt's attention, and walked into the alleyway. "What the hell is going on?"

Stefan whipped around, flinching out of Joel's hold, and stared at her in shock. Lucy's eyes went from Stefan to Damon, who was standing up to defuse the situation, and then to the girl. She closed her eyes briefly, disappointed.

It wasn't that Stefan was drinking human blood; she knew that he was having control problems and needed to learn how to stay away from the edge. It's that he was letting Damon—of all people—help him learn control. Damon himself had told her months ago that he had tried teaching Stefan control and it didn't end well.

Was that supposed to change within a century?

"Lucy…"

"Let's just go, Lucy," Matt urged as Stefan breathed her name, reaching for her arm.

She stepped away from him and reached into her purse, pulling out a couple of tissues. She slowly walked toward Stefan, his eyes wide as he focused on her, and shakily handed them to him so he could wipe his face.

"Lucy, come on."

"Are you okay?" she whispered to Stefan as he cleaned his face. Stefan simply nodded, looking ashamed.

"Okay," she sighed. "I'm going to go…"

She turned away from Stefan, Joel, and Damon and walked over to Matt, leading him away from the alley. Their food could wait; Lucy just wanted to go home.

Lucy sat in her living room, having messaged Klaus and Rebekah long ago that she was waiting for Alaric to come home before she went back to stay with them. She flipped through the old Gilbert journal that Matt had stolen from Meredith's house, reading through the beginning.

The writer of the journal was Samantha Gilbert and she was around Lucy's age during 1912. Even though Lucy wasn't biologically related to Samantha, they shared some of the same problems. Boys, academics, and family issues were documented much like Lucy's would if she even had a journal.

The only difference was that Samantha had a dark mind. There were entries where she was so confused about her recent behavior. She documented many blackouts and feelings of rage that Lucy couldn't relate to.

Lucy was distracted when the front door opened; she put the journal to the side as Alaric walked through the door. Jumping up from the couch, she rushed toward him and wrapped him into a tight hug.

"Are you okay?" she asked him.

"Yeah," Alaric assured her, kissing the top of her head. "I'm all right. How about you?"

"I'm fine," Lucy smiled weakly. "Come sit down. I'll make you some coffee."

"I don't know, Luce," Alaric smirked playfully. "you make it awfully weak."

"Ha-ha," Lucy laughed mockingly as she walked into the kitchen, Alaric on her heels. "Do you want decaf or not?"

"No, I'll take the real stuff," Alaric sighed as he sat at the island. "Listen, uh, Liz told me about everything you did today. I appreciate it, Luce, but I don't want you getting in trouble because of me, okay?"

"Ric," Lucy tilted her head and gave him a knowing look. "if I'm gonna get in trouble, it might as well be for you, yeah?"

"Don't say that," Alaric shook his head at her. "I'm supposed to take care of you, right?"

Lucy shrugged and started to make his coffee. "We can take care of each other."

"All right, deal," Alaric agreed. "What were you reading when I came in?"

"An old Gilbert journal," Lucy informed him as the coffee started brewing. "It's from Samantha Gilbert. She was around my age but she seemed unsettled."

"Huh," Alaric clicked his tongue. "Wonder why."

"I have no idea."

Alaric's coffee was made just how he liked it and while he sat in the kitchen to eat some leftovers, Lucy went back into the living room to ready a few more of Samantha Gilbert's journal entries. The more she read, the darker Samantha got. When she mentioned that she was killed by Stefan and Damon Salvatore and she had a magical ring she inherited from Jonathan Gilbert, she started putting things together.

And then the doorbell rang and Alaric let Meredith into the house. Lucy stood from the couch and peeked around the corner into the foyer, trying not to be seen.

"I know what this looks like," Meredith tried to soothe Alaric's glare.

"Yeah, well, I sure as hell don't," Alaric snapped at her. "You shoot me, you have me thrown in jail, and then you have me freed?"

"I did it for you, Ric," Meredith tried to explain as Lucy eavesdropped on their loud conversation. "I forged the coroner's note to clear your name."

"Oh, you know what," Alaric scoffed, shaking his head. "People are right. You are psycho."

Meredith shook his head. "Now that you've been cleared, they'll look somewhere else. They won't look your way again," she pleaded. "Please, you have no reason but I need you to trust me anyway. I can explain."

"Fine," Alaric crossed his arms over his chest. "Go ahead."

Meredith gave him a grateful smile and pulled out a file from her bag, handing it to him. Lucy couldn't see what Alaric was looking at as he turned through the pages, but from the expression on his face, it was nothing good.

Then she started to explain that Alaric was actually the killer and that she was covering for him. Lucy listened carefully as she started to list things that had happened that actually made sense. Alaric's ring was starting to stop working and he had no alibi for any of the murders. He knew that she gave Bill Forbes vampire blood and the medical examiner had been covering up victims of vampires for years.

"Like the sheriff said, the victims were killed with your weapons," Meredith finished.

"Yeah, but I was attacked," Alaric objected.

"With your own knife, a wound that could have been self-inflicted."

"That's impossible," he denied. "I would know if I were killing people."

"Would you?" Meredith raised her eyebrows at him. "Have you had any blackouts, instances of lost time?"

Lucy bit her lip, recalling Samantha's journal entries.

There was a moment of silence. "You're insane."

"No, but I think you might be," Meredith retorted. "You wear a ring that lets you cheat death, Ric. How many times can you die before it changes you? I think you're sick and I want to help you. This had happened before—almost a century ago."

Lucy inhaled sharply, unable to deny the truth that Meredith put right in front of her. She had seen it from Samantha's journal. She had been wrong, it was Alaric that was killing people, whether or not he remembered.

She stepped into the foyer, getting Alaric and Meredith's attention. "Ric," she breathed hesitantly, holding up Samantha's journal. "I think she's right."


	54. Alter-Ego

Lucy bit her lip, nervously fiddling with her bracelet as she and Joel waited next to Meredith in the MRI booth. Alaric was already in the machine, clad in a hospital gown, about to lay still for forty-five minutes so they could get a look at his brain. They had already been through a little testing and the MRI was the last test Meredith was able to give him.

Lucy was a nervous wreck but Joel's presence did calm her down. She was glad that she didn't have to do this alone, since Elena and Jeremy were out of town. She did have Stefan—who had sheepishly arrived at Klaus' house that morning with an apology bagel, which Lucy happily accepted even though she told him an apology wasn't needed—but since Alaric wasn't his guardian, he wasn't allowed back with her and Joel.

"What are you looking for?" Joel asked Meredith, just as worried as Lucy.

"I don't know," Meredith gave them a sympathetic smile. "A tumor, vascular anomalies…Anything physical that might explain his behavior. If it's medical, I can treat it."

"And if it's not?" Lucy spoke up quietly.

"Then we'll deal with that, too," Meredith assured her.

Lucy swallowed harshly and nodded. Meredith was right, if doctors couldn't do anything to fix Alaric, then she would find some way herself. Alaric had to be okay, she couldn't lose him too.

"When did you suspect him?" Joel asked the doctor. "That it was Ric who was killing all of those people?"

"It was after he told me about his ring," Meredith told him. "I remembered a story my grandmother had told me about Samantha Gilbert and her secret journal. I don't know if you know this, but we Fells are notorious busybodies."

Lucy smiled faintly. "Why did you protect him?"

"Because I'm a doctor," Meredith looked back through the window, peeking in on Alaric. "I don't like to see someone hurt by something they have no control over…and, because when he and I first met, I felt like—" she shrugged. "I don't know, I just kind of want to help him."

Lucy couldn't help the fact that her smile grew. It was nice that Alaric was moving on and now that she knew the truth about Meredith, she knew that she was good for her biological father. She couldn't think of another woman who would be doing the same stuff to help him like Meredith was.

"No!"

Lucy, Joel, and Meredith turned toward the window, watching as Alaric's feet squirmed. Meredith furrowed her eyebrows and clicked on the microphone so she could speak to him.

"Everything all right in there?"

"Yeah," Alaric called after a moment. "Yeah, everything's okay."

After Alaric's MRI was finished, he was shown back to his room. Stefan was allowed to come in while they waited for results and Alaric got dressed. It wasn't long until Joel came back with news about the MRI results.

"Meredith said that everything looked normal," he said as he entered the room.

"Because everything _is_ normal," Alaric sighed, shrugging on his coat. "Because there is nothing wrong with me. I didn't kill Brian Walters, I didn't kill Bill Forbes, and I sure as hell didn't shove a hunting knife into my stomach."

Lucy pressed her lips together in sympathy, exchanging a look with Stefan. Alaric looked down at his ring that he had stashed on the table and exhaled heavily.

"Or I did," he retracted his previous statement, looking at Joel and Lucy with regret. "and I've gone insane. Just like your ancestor who wore that ring."

"Look, I'm gonna call Bonnie. The rings were made by a Bennett witch, so maybe she can reverse the damage," Lucy told him, trying to stay strong for Alaric's sake. "If she can't find anything, I'll call Kol to see if he knows of something we can do."

Alaric pursed his lips and sighed, nodding. He looked down at the ring and picked it up, handing it to Joel. "Give this back to Elena. I don't want it anymore."

Joel gave him a disapproving look but took the ring anyway. "Come on, let's get you checked out of here."

Alaric nodded. "All right."

As Alaric and Joel left the room, Lucy turned to Stefan. He gave her a sympathetic look and pulled her into a hug. Lucy squeezed his shoulders and buried her nose into his chest, inhaling his comforting scent.

She could be strong for Alaric but she was also allowed to take a little comfort for herself. Her mind raced with things she needed to do; calling Bonnie was at the top of the list. Hopefully she'd actually take her call…

"Are you gonna be okay?" Stefan asked as they pulled out of the hug.

"I have to be," Lucy gave him a closed-mouth smile. "This scares the hell out of me but I have to be strong for Ric."

"You're already strong, Luce," Stefan brushed some of the hair that escaped her braid out of her eyes. "Ric's lucky to have you."

"I'm lucky to have him," Lucy shook her head and sighed, changing the subject. "Um, did you find anything else about Samantha Gilbert?"

"Yeah," Stefan nodded. "she was committed to an insane asylum. She tried to give herself a lobotomy with a knitting needle and bled to death on the floor of her cell. If the same thing is happening to Alaric, I don't know if there's anything we can do."

"Don't say that," Lucy's eyes stung as she thought about what Stefan was implying. "There's always something we can do. I can't just let this ruin him, Stefan."

"We'll find something then," Stefan was quick in assure her, pulling her into another hug. "I'll do some more research, okay? We'll find something."

Lucy sniffed into his shirt and nodded.

Normally Lucy would have found herself at the newest town event but Mrs. Lockwood had excused her since it was about the rebuilding of Wickery Bridge. Considering Lucy almost died and her parents _did_ die there, Mrs. Lockwood was more than sympathetic when Lucy gave her a sad look and told her that it was too soon.

Of course, it would be hard for Lucy but that wasn't exactly the reason she was skipping out. She had moved back out of Klaus' house with a grateful apology—she told him and Rebekah exactly what was going on with Alaric and surprisingly, they were pretty sympathetic—and had gone back to her house. She didn't care if Stefan was still worried about her safety with Damon around, her first priority was Alaric.

Currently, Lucy was making lunch for Alaric and Meredith while they were stopping by the rebuilding of the bridge. She took her time making homemade pizza, stopping every couple of minutes so she could call Bonnie.

She was annoyed that Bonnie wasn't answering her calls but also hurt. She had left numerous voice mails filled with apologies and she knew why Bonnie was upset. She didn't blame her, either, but it hurt that Bonnie was willing to spend time with Elena while ignoring Lucy for the same reasons.

As she slid the pizzas into the oven, she gave up and called Caroline, hoping that her best friend would at least speak to her.

"_Hey, what's going on?"_

"Nothing good," Lucy sighed. "How are you guys?"

"_Abby's struggling_," Caroline answered honestly. "_and I just had to give Jamie a pep-talk about avoiding her."_

Lucy frowned, remembering that Jamie was the guy that Bonnie's mom took in a couple years ago. "Is he afraid of her?"

"_Yeah but he was compelled by that hybrid, so…I don't really blame him."_

"No, I wouldn't either," Lucy agreed before hesitating. "Listen, Bonnie's not returning any of my calls."

"_Sorry, she's still mad_," Caroline said apologetically. "_and she's not listening to my attempts of telling her how hypocritical she's being about you and Elena."_

"We can worry about that later," Lucy stated. "She needs to focus on her mom and I understand that. I just need…Listen, something is happening to Ric and I really need her help."

"_Elena told us some of the stuff happening_," Caroline said somberly. "_Is he okay? Are you?"_

"I'm trying to stay strong for him but it's bad, Care," Lucy admitted. "I don't want to bother her, but if Bonnie could help in any way I'd be eternally grateful."

"_I'll talk to her_," Caroline promised. "_Love you, Luce."_

"Love you too, Care. See you later."

"_Bye."_

Lucy dropped her phone on the counter and pressed the heel of her palm against her forehead. Her eyes stung but she squeezed her eyes shut to stop her tears before they began. Everything was such a mess and she felt like she was going to explode.

"Hey, was that Bonnie?" Joel asked as he walked into the kitchen.

"It was Caroline," Lucy corrected him as she started to clean up her mess. "Bonnie is still not taking my calls because I apparently ruined her mom's life."

"You didn't ruin her life, Luce," Joel tried to comfort her. "Damon and I did that."

Lucy huffed, her eyes starting to glaze over. "Bonnie doesn't see it that way," she told him. "So, now I have to call Kol and see if he knows anything that could help us and after that, I have to find a way to break it to my best friend that my father killed her dad."

Joel stiffened when her heard her breathing pick up, wheezing through her lungs. Her heart raced as the tell tales signs of her panic attacks started. She gripped her head a little too tight and her sobs broke through what she was trying to tell him.

It made his heart ache to see her like this. It had been a long time since she had a panic attack and the last one was months ago, after she forgot what Jenna sounded like. She had been doing so well and he didn't want to her have a set-back like this.

"Lucy," he walked over to her and pulled her hands away from her face; she fought him as she cried but eventually he was able to pull her into a hug. "Breathe. Just breathe. Everything is going to be okay. Just breathe."

And Lucy was trying to but everything just kept flooding her mind, stressing her out all over again. Her chest ached so badly and she fought to breathe but it was so hard. She hiccupped as stars floated in her vision despite her eyes being closed.

"Remember that breathing that Jenna taught you?" Joel prompted her. "One long breath in, one long breath out," he began to slowly breathe in and out, hoping that she would copy him. "Come on, Lucy."

Lucy inhaled slowly, mimicking his breathing pattern, and then exhaled. She repeated her breathing over and over again until the ache in her chest started to fade, her tears dried, and she started to feel sleepy.

Once she felt like herself again, she squeezed Joel gratefully and pulled away from his embrace. She wiped her eyes, smearing mascara all over her face, and gave him a half-hearted smile.

"Thanks," she whispered, ashamed that she broke down like that. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize," Joel waved her off. "You should go get cleaned up before Ric and Meredith get home. I'll take the food out of the oven."

Lucy nodded gratefully and left the kitchen, heading upstairs to her room. After she cleaned her face of make-up and changed into different clothes that weren't stained with flour, she called Kol to see if he knew anything.

Kol had never hear of the Gilbert rings and he had been daggered much of the eighteen-hundreds so he couldn't offer much help. He was very apologetic about not knowing anything but Lucy assured him that it was fine. Kol reminded her of the grimoire he was sending her way before they both hung up with well wishes for each other.

When she finally went back downstairs, Alaric and Meredith had arrived and were eating pizza with Joel in the dining room. Lucy quickly grabbed herself a few slices before joining them at the table.

"There you are," Alaric smiled at her, his knowing eyes drifting over her bare and pale face. "You okay, Luce?"

Lucy gave him a weak smile. "Yeah, I'm fine," she lied, avoiding Joel's pointed look. She took a bite of her food, swallowed, and then asked, "How was Wickery Bridge?"

"I may have gotten in trouble with Mrs. Lockwood," Alaric admitted with a grimace. "I forgot the sign."

Lucy raised her eyebrows and laughed lightly. "Oh, no! She's been stressing about that for a couple of weeks."

"Yeah," Alaric winced. "I, uh, dropped the ball, I guess."

"Carol Lockwood has always been uptight," Meredith shook her head in amusement.

"It probably runs in the family," Joel snickered.

They all laughed together and continued eating. Lucy's mood was lifted slightly, seeing Alaric lighten up. She knew that this had to be scary to him but he was being strong for her and Joel, too. She lucked out, having two dads who loved her so much.

Lucy and Joel started to clean up the meal, putting away the leftovers and washing dishes as Alaric and Meredith went over his medical and criminal records. Lucy briefly heard him confess to her that he was the one who killed Logan Fell—that shocked Lucy in all honestly, as she had no idea that he was the one who staked the long-dead vampire—but Meredith didn't seem that worried about it.

By the times the dishes were washed and dried, courtesy of Joel, Alaric had finished writing out all of his information on a pad of paper. As Lucy went back into the dining room to see if he and Meredith wanted some coffee, he slid the paper over to her.

"Listen, I want you to have this," he declared. "This is a list of my bank accounts, passwords, where to find my will, and how to contact my family just in case this doesn't go my way."

Lucy bit her lip and shook her head. "Ric, please don't think like that."

"Lucy, I need to know that you and your siblings will be okay," Alaric stated seriously.

"We're going to be fine," Lucy smiled weakly, pushing the paper back over to him. "Just…just keep that until you're old and wrinkly and on your actual death bed."

Alaric gave her a sad look—Lucy knew he thought she was in denial, but she really wasn't—while her phone started to ring. She saw that it was Elena and answered it, hoping to have some news from Bonnie.

"Elena?"

"_Hey_," Elena greeted her back. "_I have some news. Abby thinks that Bonnie can reverse the damage with a spell. Supposedly this same thing happens with witches who become obsessed with dark magic. They lose control and start acting out their darkest impulses."_

"Oh, my God," Lucy sighed in relief.

"_Caroline's going to stay with Abby but Bonnie and I are leaving now,"_ Elena told her. "_Uh, hold on…"_

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows as she heard shifting on the other line. When the shifting stopped, Bonnie spoke, "_I need a personal effect of Alaric's_," she told Lucy. "_Something he wore before he started wearing the ring."_

"Okay, I'll get it," Lucy confirmed and hurried on before Bonnie could hang up on her, "Bonnie, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for everything. Thank you so much for doing this."

There was a few silent seconds before Bonnie sighed. "_Be ready to do the spell as soon as we get there. We have to work fast. I'll see you soon."_

The line was dead before Lucy could say another word. Alaric looked at her expectantly as she slipped her phone into her pocket.

"Good news, bad news?"

"Bonnie's mom things that there's a spell to help you," Lucy informed him as Joel and Meredith walked into the room.

"Well, it's worth a try."

Lucy nodded. "But she needs something that you wore before you put on the ring. Something personal."

Alaric inhaled sharply and glanced at Meredith. "Well, there's u, my wedding ring," he told Lucy. "It's at the loft."

"Okay," Lucy nodded and exchanged a look with Joel. "That's should be good."

Alaric went to stand up but Meredith gently pushed him back down into his seat. "I think it's better if you stay here with me."

Alaric quickly gave in. "Oh, you and your tranquilizers," he looked back to Lucy, who was joined by Joel. "It's in the dresser by the kitchen. It's in, uh, an Aspirin bottle and probably covered in cobwebs."

Lucy smiled in amusement and shook her head. "Okay, we'll go get it. See you soon."

"Be careful!" Alaric called as she and Joel left the house.

Stefan was waiting for them outside of Alaric's apartment, leaning casually against the wall as if he were a male model. He smiled at Lucy and nodded at Joel in greeting, shifting out of the way so Joel could unlock the door.

"I missed you guys at the house," he told them. "Ric told me you guys were coming here."

"We need to get his wedding ring so Bonnie can use it in a spell," Lucy explained as the three of them walked into the apartment. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I did some more research on Samantha Gilbert," Stefan closed the door behind him.

Joel raised an eyebrow, turning away from the dresser Alaric told them the ring would be in to ask him, "Anything helpful?"

"The Founding Families were always pretty good about destroying their records, but I found a couple of newspaper articles," Stefan told them as Lucy started turning on lights. "Samantha killed two people while she was in the institution—a nurse and a guard."

"So psychopaths run in the Gilbert family," Joel hummed sarcastically. "Nice."

"She was under suicide watch," Stefan went on, getting to his point. "No personal effects. No jewelry."

"Wait," Lucy turned back to him and Joel, her eyebrows furrowed. "are you saying that the violent behavior can still happen even if the person's not wearing the ring?"

Stefan nodded somberly. "That's exactly what I'm saying."

Lucy sighed in frustration and immediately turned to the dresser, pulling open the bottom drawer. She rummaged through some of the clutter that Alaric had collected, shocked that none of his things were organized. Joel and Stefan watched her huff and puff as she tried to find the ring, both of them worried.

"What if Bonnie's spell doesn't work?" Joel spoke up. "What are we gonna do?"

"We'll keep looking until we can find something that will help him," Lucy stated matter-of-factly, shutting the bottom drawer and moving on to the middle one. "We gave him that ring, Joel. It's our responsibility to fix him."

Stefan understood where Lucy was coming from but he was worried about her. He could see that her eyes were pink like they usually were after crying and her face was still pale; there was no hint of pink behind her dimples like there usually was. She was stressing herself out about this and everything else that was going on. He wished that there was something more he could do to help but, to be honest, he didn't see Alaric getting better.

"You can't put that on yourself, Luce," he said quietly. "You can't save anyone."

Lucy narrowed her eyes at him as she closed the second drawer and tried to open the top drawer; unfortunately, it was stuck. "I'm not one to give up, Stefan," she said pointedly. "and if I can help Ric, then I will."

Stefan pressed his lips together and reached forward, using his vampire strength to forcefully open the drawer, which was actually locked.

The Aspirin bottle was on top but there was a lot more stuff in the drawer. It was full of gruesome pictures, a stack of papers, and a couple files of research. One of the pictures on top was of Brian Walter's dead body and the other one was of Bill Forbes, his throat slashed and his stomach stabbed with Alaric's knife.

"What the fuck?" Joel breathed as Stefan picked up some of the photos.

"They're pictures of his victims."

Horrified, Lucy pressed her lips together and took the manila folder that Joel handed to her as he went through the drawer. On the front of the thick folder was Jeremy's name written with black ink in Alaric's handwriting.

She pulled out the large stack of papers inside and found a note on top.

"_Jeremy, if anything happens to me, carry on my work_," she read out loud for Joel and Stefan. "_You have the ring. Let the ring make you strong. The council must be cleansed before the work can begin."_

While Stefan took the stack of papers from her, Joel hissed angrily, "Fuck."

"It's the Founder's Council roster," Stefan looked over the first page in the stack. There were numerous names, some of which were highlighted. "It looks like some sort of hit list."

Lucy sighed, realizing that Alaric was much worse than everyone thought. "Ric wrote all of this," she whispered. "and he wants Jeremy to continue his work…"

"I'll call Jeremy when we get home," Joel declared as he took the note from her and ripped it up. "Let's get back."

Lucy nodded and grabbed the Aspirin bottle, popping it into her jacket pocket. "Let's go."

The house was dark when Lucy, Joel, and Stefan arrived at the house. There were no sounds; the television wasn't on nor were Alaric or Meredith talking in the dining room or kitchen. There was an eerie feeling that made Lucy shiver.

Stefan stiffened when he heard quiet shuffling and a low curse; he exchanged a look with Joel—who nodded knowingly—and put a finger against his lips to warn Lucy to be quiet. He and Joel whisked away, each of them searching a different part of the first floor for Alaric or Meredith.

Only seconds later, Alaric clomped down the stairs, smiling at Lucy as he wiped off his hands. "Hey there."

Lucy arranged her face into a smooth mask, swallowing down her fear. "Hi," she smiled, closing the front door. "Where's Meredith?"

"Oh, she got called in to the hospital for a last-minute surgery," Alaric smiled widely; it made Lucy feel a little creeped out. "She's be back later."

Lucy hummed, her eyes darting to the cloth he was wrapping around his hand. "What happened?"

"Oh," Alaric chuckled and looked at his injured palm; Lucy could see the blood starting to soak through the cloth. "I broke a coffee cup and sliced my hand open trying to pick up the pieces. I'll live. Where's Joel? Did Stefan catch up to you guys?"

"Joel's picking up ice cream," Lucy lied. "and we didn't see Stefan."

Alaric nodded in understanding, his eyes searching her face. "Well, did you get my ring?"

Lucy shook her head. "I couldn't find it."

"Yeah, well, my place is a bit of a disaster," he chuckled as he finished walking down the stairs. "I guess I'll, uh, I'll just have to go get it."

Lucy pressed her lips together, fully knowing that Alaric's alter-ego had taken over. He was creepy and sneaky and, other than Stefan and Joel's weird behavior, the bloody knife on the floor only a few inches away from her feet had been a dead giveaway from the start.

Alaric's eyes followed her gaze down to the knife. He blinked and lunged toward her; just as Lucy flinched away and went to siphon from her necklace, Stefan appeared, wrapping his arms around his neck.

"Don't hurt him," Lucy warned Stefan nervously.

"I'm trying not to," Stefan grunted as Alaric fought him. When Alaric ran out of breath, he slumped in his arms, unconscious. Stefan laid him down carefully on the floor and looked up at the ceiling.

"Where did Joel go?"

"He's calling Elena," Stefan answered, his eyes still on the ceiling. "Lucy, I'm gonna need your help."

"Why?"

"Meredith's in your bathroom and I don't have much control."

Lucy nodded in realization, knowing that Stefan had been having a hard time with human blood lately. After the night before, it was kind of obvious. If Meredith was bleeding out and Stefan was the only one who could help, of course Lucy was going to help Stefan keep control.

"Okay," she took his hand and Stefan intertwined their fingers. "Let's go."

They went upstairs as quickly as possible, where Stefan broke down one of the locked doors into the bathroom. Lucy rushed into the room, her eyes trailing over the large amount of blood smeared all over the counter, floor, and some of the drawers.

Meredith was sitting on the floor against the counter, unconscious. Her stomach was sliced open from Alaric's assault and there was blood all over her, soaking her purple sweater and jeans.

"Meredith!" Lucy breathed, ignoring the blood as she kneeled next to her. She looked up at Stefan and saw the dark veins popping out underneath his eyes. "It's okay, Stefan. I'm here. You're not gonna hurt her."

Stefan hesitated, looking at Meredith unsurely.

"You're going to be okay," Lucy told him firmly, hoping that it would help his control.

It took a second but Stefan gained control, his vampire features slipping away. He bit into his wrist as he kneeled on the other side of Meredith and put it to her lips, healing her with his blood.

Meredith slowly woke up, cringing from the ebbing pain in her stomach. Lucy quietly comforted her, assuring her that she would be okay, while smiling at Stefan. She was so proud of him; he controlled his bloodlust and with an injured human right in front of him, that was a huge deal.

Stefan smiled weakly at her and sped out of the bathroom, presumably to make sure Alaric didn't wake up. Lucy sighed in relief and helped Meredith off the floor so she could explain what happened and help her clean up.

By the time that Meredith was clean, dressed in some of Elena's clothes, and safely locked away in her apartment, Bonnie and Elena were home.

After Lucy gave her Alaric's wedding ring, Bonnie had gone straight into Alaric's room with Elena and Joel to perform the spell that would keep away his dark alter-ego. Lucy stayed away, knowing that Bonnie probably wouldn't want her around, and started to clean up the kitchen for the third time in twenty-four hours.

Good thing she stress-cleaned.

"Hey."

Lucy turned away from the bleach-filled sink and smiled weakly at Bonnie as she entered the kitchen holding a jar of what looked like dead herbs.

"Bonnie," she breathed, setting down the sponge in her hand. "Hey."

"Are you okay?"

"Um, yeah," she nodded. "I'm fine."

"Abby says that all the dying and coming back to life might have chipped away at Alaric's psyche," Bonnie explained. "making it easier for the darkness to take hold."

"God," Lucy sighed, leaning against the island. "This is like some episode of Supernatural."

"Yeah," Bonnie chuckled awkwardly and slid the jar of herbs over to her. "These herbs are the binding element of the spell. He needs to take them twice a day. I'll get you more. Abby and I are going to work on the garden."

Lucy felt her heart warm at the happy smile on Bonnie's face. At the same time, her guilt wanted to choke her. "Caroline told me she's having some trouble," she acknowledged in a whisper. "Is she okay?"

"It's been hard," Bonnie admitted. "but I think she'll be okay eventually. I'm going to go back and stay with her for a while. It'll give us a chance to work things through."

Lucy nodded and swallowed harshly. "I'm so sorry, Bonnie," she apologized. "I'm sorry for everything and if you need me to do something to help, I'll do anything. I'll even stay away from you for as long as you want and I'll—"

Bonnie cut her off, wrapping her up into a hug. Lucy sighed into Bonnie's shoulder and squeezed her tightly, relieved and thankful that Bonnie was forgiving her. It didn't seem right, not talking to her favorite witch. Right now, with everything that was going on with Alaric, Lucy needed her friends by her side. She was lucky to have Bonnie. She was lucky to have all of her friends.


	55. Everything Has Changed

"Where are you?"

"_Rebekah and I are in Richmond, tracking down Finn_," Klaus answered Lucy through the phone. "_I had a witch do a locater spell on him."_

"And is the witch who located Finn the witch who is also unlinking us?" Lucy hummed, holding up her index finger in response to Caroline gesturing wildly for her attention. "Because Bonnie said she'd help me."

"_She's helping us?"_

"She's helping me," Lucy corrected him. "The sooner this anti-siphon carving is gone, the sooner I can defend myself."

"_Well, I have a witch on standby to unlink us_," Klaus informed her. "_I just need you to drop off a blood sample at the house."_

"Will do," Lucy sighed. "Tell Rebekah that the committee voted and we're doing the twenties."

"_I'm not an owl."_

"Okay, Hermione," Lucy muttered sarcastically. "See you later."

"_Bye, love."_

Lucy rolled her eyes and dropped her phone on Caroline's bed. Her blonde best friend snickered at her and pulled her binder full of dance ideas off of her bookshelf before plopping down on the bed next to her.

"So, the twenties-idea is a go, which means all of our plans for the seventies dance is put on the back burner," Caroline sighed in annoyance. "I can't believe you let Rebekah talk you into a decade we already covered."

"Of, don't complain," Lucy nudged her playfully. "You love the twenties."

"No, I love the seventies."

"Well, it's a good thing that the next decade dance is yours to plan," Lucy grinned; Caroline rolled her eyes. "Besides, with what you told me about Tyler, I came up with the perfect plan for you to sneak away without Nik finding out that he's back."

"Good thing I'm a great actress," Caroline sighed and fell onto her back. "We just need Matt to really sell it."

"He will," Lucy assured her. "Have you heard from him today? I tried calling him but he didn't answer."

"He didn't answer my texts," Caroline shook her head. "I can't believe it's been a year since Vicki died."

"I know," the reminder of Vicki's death sobered Lucy. She turned her head toward Caroline and frowned, dreading what she had to tell her. "Care, I have to tell you something…"

Caroline furrowed her eyebrows as she twist to face Lucy. "What?"

There was no easy way to tell Caroline that Alaric was the one who killed her father but she had to tell her the truth. She owed that to Caroline and she didn't want her best friend to find out from someone else. It should come from Lucy.

She quietly told Caroline about what Alaric did to her father, holding her hand tightly as she stiffened at the news. Caroline's eyes started to water as she processed what really happened to her beloved father

"Ric killed my father."

"I'm so sorry, Care," Lucy frowned sadly. "I don't expect you to be okay with this. I really don't, but at least the herbs that Bonnie gave him are keeping the dark side of him buried."

Caroline scoffed and sat up, tears falling from her eyes. "And that's supposed to make everything okay?"

"No, of course not," Lucy shook her head, sitting up as well. "It's not okay, Care. It's horrible and I know that…but Ric, he's not in control, you know? He's a victim of somethings supernatural. He didn't ask for this."

"None of us did," Caroline wiped her eyes, an understanding look falling across her face. "Stefan, Tyler, Abby…"

"And you," Lucy finished. "I'm really sorry, Care. If there's anything I can do…"

"The fact that you're here is helping," Caroline smiled softly.

Lucy sighed and wrapped her arms around Caroline's shoulders, squeezing her into a tight hug. Caroline buried her head in her shoulder and sniffed away the remaining of her tears, pulling herself together.

She pulled away from the hug and gave Lucy a smile. "Okay, we need to start planning. We only have five days to make sure everything comes together."

"It'll be a piece of cake," Lucy waved her off. "Especially since I have an expert on all things Gatsby coming to pick us up."

Caroline raised an eyebrow at her. "Stefan's coming over?"

"Yep, we're going shopping in Charlottesville," Lucy informed her. "And he also told me that there's some vintage stuff at his house. The Salvatores are pack rats, trust me."

"Wait, are you serious?"

"Very serious. Let's just say that Super-Stefan came to the rescue."

Two hours later, after Stefan picked Lucy and Caroline up from the latter's house and they dropped off some of Lucy's blood at Klaus' mansion, the three of had arrived in Charlottesville. Their first stop was the store where they rented photobooths for every dance at the school and then they headed to the large party planning store near the mall.

Lucy frowned and checked her phone as they entered the store, hoping that Bonnie had called her back. She hadn't and Lucy was growing worried. She had plans to meet up with Bonnie that evening so she could unlink her from Rebekah, Klaus, Elijah, Finn, and Kol but so far, she hadn't heard from the witch.

"Care, have you heard from Bonnie?" she asked as she grabbed a cart.

"No. Actually, I haven't heard from anyone," Caroline furrowed her eyebrows and quickly checked her phone.

"Damon and Joel were doing something at Alaric's apartment but they wouldn't tell me what they were up to," Stefan sighed as they started down the first aisle.

"And Elena hasn't called you either?"

"Nope," Stefan shook his head and focused on the decorations in front of him. "What color theme were you going to go with?"

Lucy didn't think anything of Stefan's quick change of conversation. "Uh, I was thinking black and white."

"Stick with the classy, not tacky," Caroline approved. She reached toward some black stars. "How about these? We can dangle them from the ceiling."

Lucy nodded with a smile and Stefan and Caroline grabbed the whole stock of the stars, along with silver and white ones, and added them to her cart. They continued on through the store, grabbing anything that fit their black and white twenties theme.

The sun had set by the time that they finished up their shopping in Charlottesville and arrived back in Mystic Falls. As Stefan drove Lucy's car through city limits, Lucy hissed as her right hand started to sting and tingle.

"What's wrong?" Stefan looked at her with concern.

"I don't know," Lucy frowned and ripped the bandage off of her hand. Where there used to be an upside-down 'T' carved into her hand was smooth, unblemished skin. "The anti-siphon symbol is gone."

"It is?" Caroline popped her head between Lucy and Stefan's seats; Lucy nodded. "Maybe Bonnie unlinked you."

"Or the witch Nik has unlinked us," Lucy sighed. "I hope that's the case; I want this whole linking thing to be over with."

"Me too," Stefan sighed and gave Lucy a small smile. "It'd be nice not to be in the middle of a drawn-out war between vampire siblings."

Caroline scoffed in amusement. "Our lives are so weird."

"Tell me about it."

Stefan pulled up to the Boarding House after they dropped the decorations off at the school. Elena was waiting in the living room but Alaric wasn't there, which was weird because last Lucy knew, he was supposed to be supervised by Damon.

"Hey," Lucy greeted Elena. "Where's Ric?"

"He's at his loft," Elena informed her, giving Stefan and Caroline smiles. "I gave him a bottle of Bonnie's herbs. He seemed okay."

Lucy sighed in relief. "Good."

"Did you see Bonnie today?" Elena asked her. "Joel said you were being unlinked."

"No, she never called me back," Lucy shook her head and held up her right hand. "I'm unlinked, though."

Elena's eyes widened in relief and shock. "When were you unlinked?"

"It was only ten minutes ago," Caroline spoke up, reading the look in Elena's eyes. "What's wrong?"

As if answering Caroline's question, Joel walked into the room. Elena hurriedly turned to him, eyebrows raised in question. Joel simply sighed and put his hands on hips looking over her, Lucy, Stefan, and Caroline.

"Finn's dead."

Elena sighed in relief. "Which means they're all dead."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows at her siblings, slowly realizing what they were talking about. They had killed Finn—they killed Finn? How on earth did they kill Finn without a weapon? Why would they even attempt to kill her other siblings after all that Lucy was going through—what she had gone through? She wasn't even unlinked until she arrived in Mystic Falls, so did that mean they were planning on killing her, too?

"You killed my brother?" Lucy's voice was flat.

Behind her, Stefan and Caroline exchanged worried looks. If killing had worked on all the Mikaelson siblings but Lucy, she wasn't going to react well. They both knew that Finn was Lucy's least favorite sibling out of all of them—she wouldn't admit it but they knew her too well—but she still loved him.

Elena sighed. "Lucy…"

"You know, I thought that you would stop after I was linked to them," Lucy's gaze hardened as she looked between Joel and Elena. "Never mind the fact that I could have died, you killed my brother! What the hell is wrong with you?"

Tears welled in her eyes as memories of Finn and Luciana flashed through her mind. She tried to push them away, sealing her grief so she could focus on her anger. Unfortunately, Lucy cried when she was angry, too.

"Look at what they've done to us, Lucy!" Elena argued. "Klaus sacrificed me on an alter of fire. He uses my blood to turn werewolves into hybrids. Rebekah tried to kill me! How can you blindly love them?"

"Because they're my siblings, too!" Lucy pointed out. "I love them just like I love you guys and Jeremy. I wouldn't sit around and let someone kill you, would I?"

"Klaus killed Jenna," Joel reminded her. "Were we supposed to just let that go?"

"Of course, not!" Lucy wiped her tears but they kept falling.

Of course, she understood Elena and Joel's anger with Klaus—she did. And she mourned Jenna just like them but she couldn't help but love Klaus, Rebekah, and the others. She had a whole lifetime with them, too, and she wasn't the type of person to let someone hurt the people she loved. She wouldn't let anything happen to Elena, Joel, and Jeremy, so why would she let someone hurt her other siblings?

"All right," Stefan stepped forward, gently grabbing Lucy's arm; Elena's eyes tracked his movements. "How about we calm down. Obviously we're all tense, here."

Elena seemed to take his advice, her eyes softening as she looked back to Lucy. "Look, Luce, I'm sorry about Finn but we had a chance at Klaus and we took it."

Lucy couldn't believe Elena was even saying that to her. She was sorry that they killed Finn? Why the hell would they kill him then? She was sorry?

Lucy's mind raced as she tried to absorb everything. She felt so overwhelmed; Finn was dead, Joel and Elena killed him and tried to kill the rest of her original siblings, and they could have killed her if she wasn't unlinked in time.

Elena's phone rang, interrupting her train of thought. Elena quickly answered the call, turning away from the others.

"Bonnie, where have you been?" she spoke into the phone. There was a pause as Bonnie answered; Lucy was the only one unable to hear what Bonnie was saying and it frustrated the hell out of her. "Klaus should be dead. They should all be dead but Lucy. We just killed Finn."

Whatever Bonnie told Elena, it seemed to disappoint Joel. He slumped and sighed heavily while Caroline gave Lucy a reassuring look. Lucy didn't know why, but she figured that it had to do with the reason she was unlinked.

"Where's Damon?"

Bonnie quickly explained something to Elena and in response, Elena asked if she was okay. She didn't speak for a moment before Bonnie hung up; Elena sighed and pocketed her phone as she turned to the others.

"That's why the symbol on Lucy's hand went away," Caroline said quietly. "She unlinked them all."

Lucy exhaled in relief, glad that Klaus, Rebekah, Elijah, and Kol were safe. Joel, however, did not seem anywhere near as happy or relieved as Lucy. His eyes had narrowed into slits as he pulled a stake from his pocket.

Elena's eyes widened when she saw it. "Joel, no," she objected, knowing that he wanted to go kill Klaus himself. "Klaus is stronger than you. We need another plan."

"What we need is for Klaus to be dead," Joel stated firmly as he walked toward the foyer. Elena followed him, as did Lucy, Stefan, and Caroline.

"Joel, stop!"

"He doesn't get to get away with everything he's done," Joel reached the door and swung it open, intending to leave.

To everyone's great surprise, a red-headed woman stood on the other side of the door, a man by her side. Lucy had absolutely no idea who she was but it became apparent that she was a vampire, as she easily picked up Joel and threw him back into the living room.

Stefan and Caroline reacted immediately; the woman pushed Caroline away from her and slapped Stefan across the face so hard Lucy was surprised his neck didn't snap. Lucy reached for her necklace but the male vampire grabbed her, rendering her useless.

"I'm not here for you," the woman declared, looking between Lucy, Caroline, and Stefan before her eyes landed on Joel. "I'm here for him."

"Sage!" Stefan called out, obviously recognizing the woman. "Stop!"

"Good, you remember me," Sage nodded furiously. "Then you can tell your friend here that I like to go all ten rounds."

Joel tried to scramble to his feet but Sage kicked him back down, breaking several bones. Lucy fought against the man holding onto her but he was strong enough to keep her in place and fight off Stefan and Lucy. He must have been more than three hundred years older than Stefan.

Suddenly, Sage started to gag, her face paling drastically. Lucy watched in confusion as she, and the vampire holding onto her, started coughing up blood.

"Sage?"

"Troy," Sage gagged in response, more blood dripping into her hand. "help me!"

Sage dropped to the floor, Troy following now long after her. They must have thrown up a few quarts of blood each onto the Salvatores' expensive rug before they stilled, their skin turning gray. They had died, out of nowhere.

What the hell was going on?

Lucy, Stefan, Caroline, Elena, and Joel stood around Sage and Troy's bodies, looking at them in shock. They had absolutely no idea what had killed them and they had no clue where to start. As Lucy went to sit on the couch, the others started to share theories.

"So, Sage and this Troy guy die within an hour of Finn…" Caroline mused thoughtfully.

"But why?" Elena asked pensively. "Were they bitten by a hybrid, or…?"

Caroline shook her head. "Hybrid bites don't look like that," she disagreed. "Maybe Sage was so in love with Finn she just died of sadness."

"That doesn't explain Troy…" Stefan pointed out, walking over to stand next to Lucy. He lowered his hand, offering his support, and she grabbed it, feeling a little bit better as he squeezed her comfortingly.

"It's the blood," Joel spoke up in realization. "The bloodline, it has to be. Think about it, Finn turned Sage and Sage turned Troy. They're all part of the same vampire bloodline that originated with Finn."

"Wait, so when an Original dies, every vampire turned in their bloodline dies along with them?" Caroline furrowed her eyebrows. "Because that—that would mean…"

"If the Originals die, we all die with them," Stefan finished with a sigh. "Every vampire in the world would die."

Lucy buried her head into Stefan's pillow, snuggling into his cool sheets. Soon after they discovered that if an Original died, so did their bloodline, she left the living room. She went to Stefan's room instead of the usual guest room she stayed in because she knew from the couple of times they hung out in there, she felt comfortable.

She needed a little comfort at the moment. Sure, she wasn't Finn's biggest fan but she still loved him. Klaus, Rebekah, Elijah, and Kol loved him too, even if they didn't always show it. When Mikael had died, Lucy didn't feel anything but satisfaction that the monster was dead; but with Finn… she just wished she was there to stop it.

She lifted her head when Stefan's door opened; Caroline walked into the room, a sympathetic look on her face.

"Stefan went with Joel to trade the rest of the white oak stakes for Damon," she explained as she walked over to the bed and took a seat by Lucy's waist. "He said he'd be back soon."

Lucy nodded. "Were you stuck with vampire disposal?"

"Yeah. It's definitely not my strong suit," Caroline laughed before sobering. "Listen, Luce, Elena told me that they're keeping enough stakes so they can kill three of the four Originals left."

Lucy scoffed bitterly. "Of course, they are. I'm sure they're hoping that Elijah started their bloodline."

"How would they even find out?"

"You were turned by Joel, who was turned by Isobel, who was turned by Damon," Lucy recalled thoughtfully. "Stefan and Damon were turned by Katherine and she was turned by a vampire named Rose. I have no idea who Rose was turned by."

"Great…"

"Yeah."

It was quiet for a few seconds as Caroline thought through the information she received. Lucy watched her face as her expressions went through several emotions before she landed on horror.

"What's wrong?"

"Even if Klaus didn't create our bloodline, we know for a fact that he turned one of us," Caroline explained slowly, her voice wavering. "If they kill Klaus, Tyler will die."

Lucy closed her eyes; as if things couldn't get bad enough.

The fire provided some warmth as Stefan paced around the library, a glass of blood in his hand. He sipped at it occasionally, taking Damon's advice about controlling the pace of his drinking. The night really hadn't turned out so well and between helping Lucy get through the death of one of her brothers and stopping Klaus from killing Joel when they went to get Damon, he could probably use a drink stronger than blood.

He swallowed the rest of the blood and set the glass down at the bar. He grabbed an empty glass and filled it with bourbon, swallowing it down with a grimace. He went to pour another shot when he heard footsteps enter the room.

Elena had walked into the library and was looking at him hesitantly. "Hey."

Stefan gave her a strained smile. "Hey."

Everything was different with Elena now. He knew exactly when things had changed between them—the moment that he left Mystic Falls with Klaus—but he couldn't remember when his feelings had changed. A year ago, he was willing to do whatever it took to get her back because he loved her so much and now…Now he was in love with her sister.

"Um, how is Lucy?"

"She's asleep," Stefan told her, taking another drink of his bourbon. "She was pretty upset."

It was funny how time changed things. When he first met Elena, she was willing to bend over backward for her siblings. There were times where she and Stefan talked about how much she loved Lucy, Joel, and Jeremy and how she would do whatever it took to make sure they were okay after their parents died. She was concerned about Lucy's panic attacks, Joel's absence around the house, and Jeremy's drug use and had confessed to Stefan that she sometimes didn't know what to do to make them feel better.

A year later and Elena was different. He was different, too, and he didn't blame Elena for changing but…she wasn't the girl he fell in love with. The Elena he fell in love with was selfless and put others before herself. She loved fiercely and would stop to think things through before acting on whatever impulse she had.

Elena grimaced. "Yeah…Can I ask you a question, Stefan?"

"Sure."

"You have as much a right to kill Klaus as any of us," Elena stated, raising her eyebrows a little. "Why don't you want to?"

Stefan wasn't the man that Elena fell in love with a year ago, either. He hadn't gained much control around human blood but he had some. His temper had worsened but he was able to think more rationally. His relationship with his brother was far better than the year before and he had gained friendships with Caroline and Joel. He did terrible things over the summer and at the beginning of the school year but he had overcome his problems. He had overcome all the shit that Klaus put him through.

"He's not worth it," Stefan answered her. "I did terrible things and yeah, some of them were because of Klaus. There are times that I can hardly stand to look at his face because it makes me sick to my stomach but killing him wouldn't do anything."

"I still did those horrible things; I still hurt you, I hurt Lucy, I hurt Damon," he continued, setting his glass down so he could face her head-on. "Killing Klaus wouldn't reverse time so I could take that back. Revenge isn't worth it. It's not worth losing…"

Stefan trailed off, hesitant to finish. He wasn't in love with Elena anymore but he still cared for her very much. He didn't want to hurt her or ruin her relationship with her sister.

He couldn't remember when his feelings started to change for Elena but he knew exactly when he started having feelings for Lucy. He never had platonic feelings for her, really, but he knew the exact moment when he realized that love Lucy more than a friend.

It was Founder's Day; the sun was setting and the fireworks were about to start. He found Lucy eating her second bag of blue cotton candy—Lucy wasn't herself if she didn't have a sweet tooth—and she had the cutest daisy painted on her face on her dimpled cheek. She had painted a sun on his face and apologized for stabbing him with a vervain dart. Things had had been serious for a moment but then Lucy wanted to paint glasses on the sun.

He remembered every second; he remembered thinking "_Fuck, I fell for her_," and he knew he was screwed. That didn't keep him from playfully teasing her about her favorite actor and how she thought he was more handsome than Damon.

He could be playful with Lucy, he could be serious with Lucy, and he could relax with Lucy. There was never a moment that he spent with her pretending that he was someone or something else. He had always been Stefan Salvatore with her—always.

And that wasn't necessarily the case with Elena.

"It's not worth losing Lucy," Elena knew exactly what he was going to say. "because you're in love with her."

Stefan's face fell when he realized that he couldn't fool her or spare her feelings. "Elena…"

"I'm not an idiot, Stefan," Elena rolled her wet eyes. "You and Lucy have always been close and things are different now. I didn't get it at first and I was furious with both of you but now…" she shrugged. "I get it now…"

"Because you're in love with Damon," Stefan supplied knowingly.

He remembered what Klaus said when he informed Elijah about the strange dynamics between him, Lucy, Elena, and Damon. He was annoyed when the Original spoke about something he didn't understand but it turned out that Klaus was right. They did a complete one-eighty.

Elena nodded. "Yeah," she confirmed. "I don't know how it happened but he got under my skin, you know? And when I thought he was dying, I kissed him and everything changed."

Stefan understood—he probably understood her more than anyone else would.

It was funny, when he first realized that there was something between Elena and Damon, way back when Isobel first came to town, he was angry. He couldn't understand why Damon would do this to him again and why Elena was falling for him in return. But now he wasn't angry. In fact, he felt peaceful about it.

Things had changed but that wasn't a bad thing. Sometimes change could be good.


	56. 163

**[3x19; Heart of Darkness]**

With a clipboard clutched to her chest, Lucy made her way through the cafeteria, observing the work that the dance committee was doing. She checked things off her list as she went; the plastic champagne glasses were being stacked, the feather boas were being sorted by Matt, and banners were starting to be hung. Everything was coming together in the cafeteria but they still had the whole gym to decorate for the decade dance being held at the end of the week. Lucy was positive everything would be done in time, especially with Rebekah acting as her 1920s consultant for the day.

Lucy smiled at the group of sophomores that she had sorting through table decorations and walked over to Matt. He was just pulling a neon purple feather boa out of a box when she stopped next to him.

"You know, I think purple's your color," she commented with a grin, taking the boa from him and wrapping it around his neck.

Matt chuckled and pulled it off of him. "I don't think so, Luce."

Lucy shook her head in amusement and picked up a black boa. "What about black?"

"Much better," Matt agreed. "Has Caroline texted you yet?"

Lucy nodded. "She called a few minutes ago, so she should be here soon," she told him. "You remember what you have to do, right?"

"Honestly, I'm surprised that Caroline didn't send me a script."

"Well, maybe she was too busy," Lucy shrugged with a smile.

As if Caroline heard them talking about her—which, knowing her, she probably did—she walked into the cafeteria. Her expression was bewildered and a little cranky as she took in the decorations.

"What is this?" she demanded as she stomped over to Lucy and Matt.

Matt gave her a confused look. "It's the decade dance, remember?" he reminded her. "Lucy made me sign up to help."

"No," Caroline huffed and picked up the purple boa. "This, the twenties! We're supposed to be doing the seventies!"

"I changed my mind," Lucy spoke up innocently.

"You changed your mind?!"

"It's too flashy, people!" Rebekah called bossily as she walked into the cafeteria, holding onto Lucy's spare clipboard. "It's supposed to be a speakeasy not the World's Fair."

"Actually, Bekah, we are going for the World's Fair," Lucy reminded her as her sister walked over and stood next to Caroline.

"Right, sorry Luci," Rebekah smiled apologetically and then turned to Caroline. "Oh, good, you're here. We need help setting up the tables, so get to it."

Caroline narrowed her eyes. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm helping Luci put this dance together," Rebekah told her. "Someone has to."

"Yeah, me," Caroline pointed at her chest. "I'm the co-chair of the dance committee. The theme of the decade dance is the 1970s."

"So, you'd rather dress in tacky colors with bad hair than be a classic flapper from the jazz age?" Rebekah raised a perfect eyebrow. "Honestly, I don't know what my brother sees in you."

Lucy cringed at the reminder that Klaus was interested in Caroline. It just didn't sit right with her.

"Maybe he sees a challenge," Caroline retorted. "See, unlike some other people, I don't sleep with everyone I make eye contact with."

"Caroline!" Lucy chided her; ever since Rebekah had arrived in Mystic Falls, Caroline had been having trouble with the slut shaming. It used to be a big no-no to her but her disgust toward it seemed to go away in Rebekah's presence.

"Maybe we can do both decades," Matt tried to be the peacekeeper.

"No," Lucy said just as Caroline and Rebekah spoke—much angrier than she did.

"Go on, Matt don't be a coward," Rebekah coaxed him. "You know you loved my twenties idea when Luci and I presented it to the group."

Caroline gasped dramatically and glared at Lucy and Matt. "Traitors!"

Matt grimaced apologetically. "Bell bottoms and disco? I don't know, this just seemed cooler."

"And prettier," Lucy added.

"See?" Rebekah gave Caroline a triumphant look. "It's cooler and prettier."

"Whatever," Caroline scoffed. "Have fun at your stupid dance."

Caroline started storming out of the cafeteria just as they planned, Lucy calling after her. She gave Matt a pointed look and he sighed, giving Rebekah a short smile as he went after her to make sure Caroline knew where Tyler was going to be.

"Well," Rebekah sighed. "someone has control issues."

"Yeah," Lucy shrugged and quickly changed the subject. "How were the streamers going in the gym?"

"The idiots ruined them," Rebekah rolled her eyes. "but I was thinking, why not get some thicker ribbons to use instead? It won't look as cheap."

Lucy raised an impressed eyebrow. "Good idea. I'll send Matt to go get some."

"Don't bother," Rebekah stopped her as she reached for her phone. "He'll probably screw it up. I'll go and get some."

Rebekah handed Lucy her clipboard and walked out of the cafeteria, intending to head to the fabric store just a few minutes away from the school. Lucy sighed and consulted her list of things to do, narrowing her eyes at the top item listed.

It was time to do tables.

Lucy parked in front of the Boarding House, quickly shutting off her car and getting out. She made her way to the hatch and opened it, spying the things that she needed to bring in.

Since he lost the last white oak stake, Alaric had been staying with Damon and Stefan. His bedroom was in the basement where he was snugly kept locked in one of the cells until his alter-ego appeared and revealed the location of the stake. His life and pretty much all vampires' lives were counting on his vampire-hating alter-ego to appear, so it was pretty dire that something happened. Lucy was pretty sure that Damon gave Stefan the go-ahead to do whatever it took to get the stake back.

While Elena, Damon, and Joel were traveling to Denver to bring Jeremy back to Mystic Falls, Lucy was going to keep Alaric some company and celebrate with the birthday boy. Stefan was now one hundred and sixty-three, so that required them to do something.

_Something_ to Lucy was renting the new Star Trek movie, making Stefan's favorite cherry cheesecake, and giving him the present that she made for him. If they happened to order Chinese food, that'd be great, too.

She felt a hint of breeze by her face and smiled. She turned to face Stefan and almost lost her breath by how gorgeous he was. She loved when he wore hooded sweatshirts and the fact that it was black was a bonus. He always looked good but something about black really made his green eyes pop.

"Hi, there," Stefan greeted her with a handsome smile. "How was school?"

"We got the banners up in the cafeteria and we're hoping that the uh," she narrowed her eyes as she tried to think of what the structure made out of plastic glasses was called. "What's it called when you stack the champagne glasses on each other?"

"A champagne tower?" Stefan offered patiently, an amused smile on his lips.

Lucy snapped her fingers in realization. "Right. We're hoping that the champagne tower stays up for four days. I'm pretty sure I'll be there an hour before the dance making it again."

"The horror."

"Hey!" Lucy playfully slapped his arm; Stefan laughed. "Happy birthday, Broody."

"Thanks, Goofy," Stefan said gratefully. "Another year older."

"Yeah, what's it called when you're older than a centenarian?"

"Shut up."

"I'm just saying!"

"Well, don't say it."

Lucy giggled. "Ah, don't be sad. You'll get wrinkles."

"Lucy Gilbert!"

"Fine, obviously you're sensitive in your old age," Lucy sighed dramatically. "I'll—hey!"

Fed up with her teasing, Stefan had grabbed her around the waist and twirled her around, her feet high off the ground. She squealed with laughter as he continued, claiming that he wouldn't stop until she apologized.

"Say it!" Stefan told her through his smirk.

"Fine! Fine!" Lucy wheezed. "I'm sorry! You're definitely not old!"

Stefan made a satisfied noise as he set her on the ground, grabbing her by the shoulders to steady her so she wouldn't lose her balance. Lucy sucked in air, trying to catch her breath.

When she pulled herself together, she grinned up at him. "At least you're the hottest 163-year-old alive."

Stefan opened his mouth and then paused before conceding, "Okay, I'll take that compliment."

"I knew you would," Lucy winked at him before shuffling back over to her car. "Help me bring this stuff in, would you?"

Stefan's eyes widened when he saw all the stuff that was shoved in the back of her car. There was a cake platter, two large bags of chips, a plastic bag from the movie store, a large tote that he knew she moved her paintings around with, her over-night bag, a blow-up mattress, sheets, a pillow, and a comforter.

"You moving in or something?" he asked, grabbing the paint tote and blow-up mattress.

"No," Lucy laughed and picked up the cake platter, using two hands so she wouldn't drop it. "I didn't think that Ric would appreciate the cot in your basement. He's got a bad back."

"Ah," Stefan nodded. "Hold on, I'll put this in the house and be right back."

Lucy nodded; Stefan left and within seconds he was back. He pulled the rest of the things Lucy brought out of the car and shut the hatch. When they entered the house, Stefan set down the things and turned to her curiously.

"What painting did you bring over?"

"That would be your birthday present."

"A birthday present?" Stefan wasn't expecting anything for his birthday but he was excited what she had painted for him. Lucy was notorious for giving good presents; the watch around his wrist was proof of that. "You painted for me?"

"Of course I did," Lucy started walking into the kitchen to put the cheesecake away.

"What is it?"

Lucy rolled her eyes and shut the fridge, calling back, "You can see it after cake!" when she walked back into the living room, he was reaching for the painting tote. "No peeking, Stefan."

Stefan snatched his hand back with a pout like he was a toddler at Christmas.

"How's Ric?" she asked, shrugging off her jacket. "Any sign of his alter-ego?"

"Nope," Stefan shook his head. "He's supposed to be napping right now but I'm pretty sure he's awake."

"I'm gonna go check on him."

"I'll go with you," Stefan volunteered, grabbing the things she brought for Alaric. "Can you grab the bourbon? Damon said that alcohol makes him sleepy."

Lucy grabbed the bottle and they went downstairs, heading right to the cell Alaric was locked in. She stood on her tiptoes to look into the barred window, seeing that Alaric was laying on the cot, a novel laid on his chest.

"Do you know how hard it is to fall asleep when that's what you're supposed to do?" Alaric asked, keeping his eyes shut.

"Yes, actually," Lucy could relate very well, actually. She never wanted to go asleep at her bedtime when she was a child; it was the source of many tantrums and many time-outs. "Super-Stef and I have come to the rescue."

Alaric sat up as Lucy opened his cell and walked in, Stefan right behind her. He set down the things Lucy had brought for Alaric while she made herself comfortable on the cot next to her father.

"Hey, how was school?" Alaric asked, giving her a smile.

"School was school," Lucy waved him off and then gestured to the blow-up mattress Stefan was starting to set up. "I brought you something comfortable to sleep on."

Alaric chuckled. "Thanks, Luce."

"And apparently, Damon suggested that Stefan should bring you something to help make you sleepy," she held up the bottle of bourbon. "Congrats, you won a bottle of alcohol."

"What the hell?" Alaric sighed, putting down his book to grab the bottle. "You know, I'd feel decidedly less pathetic if I don't drink alone…"

Lucy gaped at him sarcastically. "Are you suggesting that I drink with you?"

"I'm not an idiot, Lucy," Alaric rolled his eyes. "I know you drink."

"Did you know she's a lightweight?" Stefan asked as he turned on the air-mattress pump. "I'll go get some glasses."

As he sped out of the room, Lucy called after him, "I'm not a lightweight!"

"You know how many stories Joel has told me about you when you were drunk?" Alaric raised his eyebrows at her.

"Joel needs to stop gossiping," Lucy grabbed the book he had set aside. "_Moby Dick_, huh?"

"A story of revenge," he nodded. "You ever read it?"

Lucy nodded. "Are you reading that for some kind of insight on the vampire-hating you?"

"Well, I wasn't," he cocked his head as he twisted open the bottle of bourbon. "but I guess it's kinda fitting."

Stefan walked back into the cell, carrying two glasses and a chair for him to sit on. He handed the glasses to Lucy and set down the chair before turning off the noisy mattress pump.

"So," Alaric started pouring bourbon into Lucy and Stefan's glasses. "How come you didn't go to get Jeremy, Luce?"

"I was too busy today," Lucy sighed, handing Stefan his glass. "I had to oversee the decorating and I wasn't going to let Stefan celebrate his birthday by himself."

Alaric hummed, his eyes quickly darting between her and Stefan before she noticed; Stefan definitely did. "Do you think they got him by now?"

"They should," Stefan told him. "I haven't heard from them lately, though."

"Joel and Elena were pretty worried about Jeremy," Lucy took a sip of the bourbon and grimaced; she much preferred something fruity. "He can't count on his ring anymore."

"Who knows, maybe his alter-ego's a pot-smoking hippy pacifist," Alaric suggested hopefully.

Lucy grinned at him while Stefan scoffed in amusement. "Yeah, maybe."

"I can't say that I thought mine would be so hostile and militant," Alaric frowned down at the bottle in his hands.

Lucy frowned and shifted slightly, leaning her head against his shoulder. It wasn't just to offer him some comfort; she needed some too.

"Actually, it makes perfect sense," Stefan pointed out. "Your wife left you to become a vampire and your girlfriend was killed by one."

"He must really hate me. Here I am, the failed hunter-slash-drinking buddy of vampires."

"He's too judgmental," Lucy said quietly, her eyes flickering over to Stefan.

Stefan was a vampire and he did bad things sometimes but he was a good man when it came down to it. Joel was a good man—hell, even Damon and Klaus had their good moments and Caroline was the greatest person she had ever met. There were humans who were doing evil things all around the world, too, so if you thought about it, vampires weren't much worse.

That was how Lucy saw things, anyway.

"The thing is, he's me," Alaric whispered, his tone ashamed. "I'm not compelled. I'm not possessed. There's no humanity switch. What drives him is me."

"No," Stefan disagreed. "No, he's not you. He's the darkest parts of you. Parts we all have."

Lucy smiled sadly as Stefan as he looked at his hands, ashamed. He was right, though. Everyone had dark parts. Lucy did; there wasn't anything she wouldn't do for the people she loved, even if she had to get violent. When she siphoned too much magic there was a part of her that enjoyed having more power than she was used to. She just had to make sure the good parts overwhelmed the bad.

"Well, this is depressing, isn't it?"

Lucy, Stefan, and Alaric looked over to the cell door as Klaus walked in, smiling casually. Stefan and Lucy stood up cautiously, worried that he would do something rash to Alaric if he had the chance.

"Oh, and I found this upstairs," he held up one of the white oak stakes. "Now, by my count, there should be one more."

"Yeah, well, it's going to take a little more time," Stefan retorted sharply, not taking any of Klaus' shit.

"Why, because we're waiting for that one to pass out?" he pointed at Alaric, causing Lucy's eyes to narrow. "No, thanks. I think I'll just kill him."

"No, you're not," Lucy said forcefully and appealed to his fear of death. "You won't know the location of the other stake."

Klaus started forward. "I can live with that."

Stefan stopped him. "Well, I can't," he snapped. "When they staked Finn, they discovered that killing an original vampire killed its entire bloodline."

Klaus blinked at him, hiding his shock.

"Now, I don't know which one of you I'm descended from, but I'd really rather not find out by dying," Stefan continued. "So, why don't we just find the stake and destroy it so we can all be safe?"

"So the fate of the entire vampire race depends on you finding the stake and to get it, we need you to pass out?" Klaus looked to Alaric and then back at Stefan. "Which means that I feel totally justified doing this."

Before Stefan or Lucy had time to react, Klaus was snapping Alaric's neck. Lucy gasped loudly, tears coming to her eyes as Alaric fell to the dusty floor, dead for who knows how long.

"There," Klaus smiled in satisfaction, turning back to Stefan and Lucy. "Sleeping like a baby."

Lucy had no idea that the Boarding House had a home theater but she wasn't surprised. Stefan and Damon had always preferred expensive things, so it wasn't shocking to know that other Salvatore ancestors were like that, too. The room wasn't massive of anything, but it was about the size of her bedroom with a couple of couches and a large flat-screen television with many game systems—some that Lucy hadn't seen while she was alive—and movies.

While Stefan called Damon with an update about Alaric and waited for the delivery person to arrive with their dinner, Lucy set up the movie. She hadn't seen the newest Star Trek movie with dreamboat Chris Pine as Captain Kirk but she knew that Stefan was a massive sci-fi geek and he appreciated everything that Star Trek had to offer. The disk menu had just appeared on the screen when Stefan came in, balancing four cartons of Chinese food in his arms.

"Sweet and sour chicken and egg rolls," he handed her two cartons while she sat on one of the couches. He sat next to her and gestured to the other two in his hands. "and lo mein and orange chicken."

"Thank you," Lucy smiled at him and unsheathed her chopsticks.

"You're welcome," Stefan shifted on the couch until he was comfortable. "What are we watching?"

"The new Star Trek," she looked at him, anticipating his excited reaction.

Stefan grinned widely. "Oh, that one is pretty good."

"You've seen it?"

"It came out last year, Goofy," he laughed and took the remote from her lap, pressing play. "You'll like it. The guy who was casted as Thor plays Kirk's dad."

"Ooh, really?"

They ate their food as they watched the movie, sharing the four cartons between themselves. Lucy could eat her weight in Chinese food and because she was a little buzzed, she was more hungry than usual, so it didn't take long to empty the cartons.

Every so often, Lucy would ask questions. Well, to her it was every so often. To Stefan…well, he found out that Lucy loved to talk during movies. It was kind of cute, though, so he didn't complain much.

"Ah, Kirk's dad dies? That's so sad!"

"Oh, my God, look at him!" That particular statement was when Chris Pine was first shown; Stefan was only a little huffy about that.

"Did you know that Bones is from New Zealand in real life?"

"Okay, I thought she and Kirk had something going on in the series…"

"Can Spock even have romantic feelings?"

"Okay, I'm sensing some tension between Kirk and Spock. Like, sexual tension."

That had caught Stefan off guard. "Really?" he asked. "I don't see it."

"Look at them," Lucy waved at the screen where Spock and Kirk were glaring at each other. "They're all angsty. There's definitely some tension there. They could have loads of hate-sex."

Stefan cocked his head thoughtfully. "That has been a popular pairing through the years."

"I knew it!"

Lucy had definitely cried happy tears at the end of the movie when Kirk saved the day and it turned out that Captain Pike was alive and okay. She really enjoyed the movie and Stefan enjoyed being with her—and the movie, of course.

After the movie, it was time for cake. Stefan immensely enjoyed the cheesecake Lucy made for him and had complimented her after almost every bite. Lucy snuck a few bites off his plate, too full for her own piece but she had to agree with his enthusiasm. Her baking skills were definitely improving.

And then, it was gift time.

Stefan was very excited to see what Lucy had painted for him. He had seen many of her paintings before and he enjoyed every single one of them. She was very talented for her age and he was constantly impressed by the pieces she created.

The painting that she made for him was no exception. It was large and abstract with different shades of blue covering almost the whole thing. There were hints of red, yellow, and black that made everything pop and her signature was down in the bottom right corner.

He loved it.

"This is amazing, Luce," Stefan gaped at the painting in his hands. "Oh, my God. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," Lucy smiled sheepishly, glad that he liked it. "I painted it just for you. I picked out the colors so they represented you specifically."

"The colors represent me?" Stefan looked at her curiously.

"Yeah," Lucy smiled and started pointing out colors. She told him about the blues first. "The turquoise is for how calm you can be, the lighter blue is for your loyalty, and the darker blue is for your knowledge."

Stefan nodded, a hint of a smile on his lips. "What about the black?"

"Black means power," Lucy grinned and then pointed to the red. "And the red is for your passion and how much love you have in your heart. And the yellow is one of my favorites about you."

Stefan looked at her curiously; Lucy smiled gently and brushed her fingers over one of the yellow splatters. "Yellow stands for happiness, because I adore your smile, and hope."

"Hope?"

Lucy hated that there was doubt in his voice. "Yeah. You give me hope and I know that you give other people hope too," she said sincerely. "The fact that you've struggled so much during your life and still overcame all of that is inspiring."

Stefan was speechless as he set the canvas down. He loved the painting before but now that he knew the thought and love Lucy put into it, he loved it a million times more. Lucy had always been able to see him as better than he actually was.

Lucy stared at him pensively, hoping that she hadn't somehow offended him. There was a cute smile on his face but he was just staring at the canvas like someone has pressed paused.

"Um, are you okay—"

Lucy was abruptly cut off as Stefan grabbed her chin, tilted her head, and pressed his lips to her. She gasped slightly in surprise but didn't object, returning the kiss with gusto. Stefan's hands slid from her chin to the back of her head as he brushed his tongue about her bottom lip, sending tingles through her body.

She couldn't believe this was happening. She was actually kissing Stefan and she was loving it. She really loved kissing Stefan. She was pretty sure it jumped up to the top of list of her favorite things to do.

Lucy inhaled deeply as she pulled away from Stefan, looking up at him in shock. "You kissed me."

"I kissed you," Stefan confirmed breathlessly.

"You should kiss me again."

Stefan didn't wait another second to do as she commanded. Damon would definitely make fun of him if he ever found out, but he was pretty sure he saw stars while kissing Lucy. Everything about her drew him in and it was kind of hard to remember that her father was currently dead in the basement.

It was also their first—second—kiss so he didn't want to take it too far. He slowly pulled away, allowing Lucy to take some much-needed breaths.

"I'm in love with you."

That wasn't exactly the way he planned to tell Lucy. He wanted to do something romantic like bringing her on a picnic as the sun set or maybe choreograph a dance number because he knew how much she liked musicals and dancing. But this was better, he decided. This was just them—without any flashy gestures or tacky music.

"Huh?"

Lucy didn't expect that to come out of Stefan's mouth and she didn't mean to look at him like an alien. She knew that he had feelings for her but he told her he needed to figure everything out. Did he? Was this the result?

"I love you," Stefan repeated patiently, smiling at the dumbfounded look on her face.

"You love me?"

"I love you," he confirmed. "You ramble like it's your job and sometimes you're controlling but you are so fucking amazing. I'm pretty sure that your smile is the most beautiful one I have ever seen and I'm positive that your soul was specially made by God himself."

Lucy gaped at him, her chest warm and tight, her stomach flipping pleasantly.

"You're crazy but I'm crazy too, so if loving you means I'm insane, I don't care," Stefan finished. "I don't want sanity."

It was silent for a few seconds as Lucy blinked rapidly and tried to figure out how to respond. Finally, she said, "That was so epic."

Stefan raised his eyebrows at her. "Epic?"

"Yes!" she giggled. "I mean, when I said that I was in love with you, my speech was all angsty. Yours was beautiful, oh my God."

Stefan's look of disbelief melted as he grinned at her in adoration. "You're so weird, Lucy Gilbert."

"But you love me."

"Yeah, I do," he nodded.

"I love you too."

"I know."

Lucy gasped and pulled away from his chest, tapping it playfully. "You did not just quote Star Wars at me."

"Well, it wasn't the exact quote—"

"Shut up," Lucy laughed and stood on her tiptoes, pressing a quick peck to his lips. Stefan hummed and chased her lips as she pulled away, giving her a pout as she shook her head at him.

"Come on," he sighed happily and pressed a kiss to the top of her head before picking up his painting. "Let's hang this up in my room."

Lucy nodded in agreement. "I want to change, anyway."

Lucy grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers as they walked out of the living room.

Lucy watched Stefan hang up her painting over his bed. She twisted her hair together, finishing up the braid she had started after changing into her pajamas.

She couldn't stop thinking about Elena. It was strange that she was thinking of her sister after she and Stefan had just declared their love for each other, but at the same time, she expected it. Stefan had been in love with Elena since he arrived in Mystic Falls, it was natural of her to be a little skeptical of what was going on in Stefan's head at the moment.

"What about Elena?" the words were out of her mouth before she had a chance to stop them.

Stefan frowned as he jumped off of his bed, the painting secure over his headboard. "We talked," he told her honestly. "I told her that I was in love with you and she told me she was in love with Damon."

Lucy raised her eyebrows in shock. "Did she really?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Uh, apparently we were on the same page. We still care for each other but we're not in love and we're okay with that."

"Huh."

Stefan slid his hand around her waist. "What does that mean?"

"I just thought it would be messier, if that makes sense," Lucy confessed. "but I'm glad it isn't. I didn't want to lose my relationship with Elena."

"She's your sister," Stefan stated. "I don't think anything could break that bond."

"I hope not."

Stefan smiled and kissed her forehead before pausing. "I think Ric's waking up."

"Really?"

"Yeah, come on."

They entered the cell just as Alaric woke up, groaning loudly from the pain in his neck.

"Welcome back," Stefan greeted him.

"What happened?" he asked wearily, looking up at him and Lucy. "Did I, uh…?"

"No, you pretty much, uh, laid there dead for half the night," Stefan smiled apologetically. "but, on the plus side, we ate and watched the latest Star Trek movie."

"There's cake upstairs, if you want some," Lucy offered, leaning forward to help Alaric to his feet.

Alaric thanked Lucy with a sigh as he straightened up. "This is stupid," he declared. "Evil me, or whatever you want to call him, he's not going to make an appearance. Why would he? I mean, the best hiding place is the one where you can't find the person who hid it."

Lucy frowned as Stefan agreed, "I know."

"So, how do you want to do this?"

"Can we not do any of it?" Lucy spoke up hopefully despite knowing that it wasn't an option. "I don't want anything of this to happen."

"That makes two of us," Alaric nodded and Stefan made a noise of agreement. "but I don't think we have much choice in the matter."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows as he reached for his right hand, sliding the Gilbert ring off of his finger.

"Wait a minute, what are you doing?" Stefan asked him. "You need that ring."

"No, what I need is hope that my alter-ego doesn't have a death wish," Alaric disagreed, tossing the ring onto the cot. "So, I'm taking bets that my dark side has a sense of self-preservation. Let's see if he defends himself against death."

"Woah, woah, woah!" Lucy exclaimed, looking at him in shock. "You're not serious, are you?"

Stefan scoffed. "I'm not gonna kill you, Ric."

Alaric looked back and forth between Stefan and Lucy. "If we have any chance of at this, you're going to have to try, Stefan."

"Ric, no!" Lucy protested. "What if he doesn't care, huh? You'll be dead. Like, dead-dead."

"Go upstairs, Lucy," Alaric ordered, not answering her question; he didn't want her to see any of this. Especially if his theory was correct and she had feelings for Stefan; it wasn't the greatest thing in the world to see the guy you love beat up your father.

"What? No!"

"Lucy," Stefan joined Alaric. "You should go upstairs."

Lucy looked at them both with wide eyes, her heart racing. She couldn't just go upstairs while Stefan beat the shit out of Alaric.

"Lucy."

Lucy scoffed and stormed past Stefan out of the cell, her eyes filling with tears. She went straight upstairs and sat in the living room, pulling her knees up to her chest while she waited for whatever results Alaric expected. She couldn't believe this was happening.

It was only five minutes after she went upstairs that Klaus and Rebekah arrived. They waltzed right into the house like they owned the place.

"Little sister," Klaus greeted her, cocking his head as he listened to the commotion going on in the basement. "They're having a party, aren't they?"

"Shut up, Nik," Lucy grumbled.

"Just ignore him," Rebekah advised Lucy, walking over to sit next to her on the couch. "He doesn't understand."

"What's there to understand about the fact that Alaric's alter-ego lost the last thing on Earth that can kill us?" Klaus shrugged and perked up as he heard Alaric's confession. "Well, Stefan got it out of him. It's in the cave."

Lucy raised her head to look at him. "The anti-vampire cave?"

"That's the one," he confirmed.

Stefan popped into the living room not long after Klaus informed them of the stake's location. He paused when he saw Klaus and Rebekah but didn't seem too bothered by their presence.

"That wasn't too hard, was it?" Klaus asked him. "Go fetch, Rebekah."

Rebekah sighed and gave Klaus an annoyed look as she left the living room and went downstairs to gather Alaric. When they came back, Lucy gasped in shock. Alaric looked horrible from the beating he took from Stefan.

"Oh, my God," she breathed, standing up from the couch.

"It's a little gratuitous, don't you think, Stefan?" Klaus commented, amused. "I would have been more gentle."

"Shut up," Lucy snapped at him; Klaus raised his hands defensively.

"I'm going to take him to the caves," Rebekah declared, looking over Alaric's bloody face. "You're going to go inside and fetch me the stake and if you think you can hide, you're wrong."

Lucy sighed as Rebekah tugged Alaric out of the house. She looked at the clock, shocked to see that it was nearing three in the morning. She had to be at school bright and early in the morning to decorate again, so she probably needed to go to bed.

"I'm going to bed," she told Stefan, a yawn breaking through her lips. "Is my room…?"

"All set up," Stefan confirmed. "Goodnight, Luce. I…"

She knew what he was going to say and despite what had happened within the past twenty minutes, her belly still erupted into butterflies.

She grinned at him. "I know."


	57. Be Still

**[3x20; Do Not Go Gentle]**

"You haven't spoken to Elena since Monday?"

Lucy shook her head. "She hasn't spoken to me," she corrected Caroline as they both walked through the cafeteria. It was only hours before the dance, so they were scrambling to finish the cafeteria. "Stefan said that everything was mutual but I'm guessing that's not exactly true."

"Okay, so," Caroline grabbed the clipboard out of Lucy's hand to check off the champagne fountain which did have to be rebuilt just like Lucy feared. "have you tried locking her in her room with you until she talks?"

"No, but that's my next step," Lucy laughed, her eyes scanning over the room.

Everyone on the dance committee had shown up to do some last-minute decorating, including some of the volunteers. It warmed Lucy's heart to see Jeremy and Matt joke around while hanging the black and silver stars from the ceiling. She broke out into a grin when she saw Stefan standing by the table that held the last of the decorations.

Lucy and Stefan weren't official yet because they both wanted to be discrete in case there were any lingering feelings on Elena's part but there were kisses shared here and there. She loved Stefan before but it was amazing to be able to be with him.

"Anything else I missed when I was trying to calm Tyler down about Klaus?"

"I guess Ric is leaving town for a couple of days," Lucy sighed, her eyes still on Stefan, who was sorting through the rest of the stars that still needed to be hung up. "Are you sure Tyler's okay?"

"He's fine," Caroline dismissed. "So, Alaric is trying to pull himself together, huh?"

"Yup."

"Why is that a bad thing?"

"It's not but I wish he would do it here so I know he's okay," Lucy sighed as they reached the table where Stefan was standing. "I'm surprised to see you here," she acknowledged Stefan with a smile. "I don't think you stepped foot in this school since the first day."

"I've come to support to my kickass girl boss," Stefan informed her, grinning. "Isn't that you two call each other?"

"It's badass, actually," Caroline teased him.

"Ah, sorry," he picked up the chandelier that Rebekah had picked out. "Where do you want me to hang this?"

Caroline sighed in annoyance, taking it from him. "You know what, if Rebekah wanted to hang this monstrosity, she should have shown up to do it herself."

Lucy rolled her eyes as Caroline handed off the chandelier. "She hasn't answered any of my calls."

Caroline hummed. "Shame."

Lucy giggled and nudged the blonde before turning around to make sure things were still going smoothly. Her amusement disappeared when she saw the horrible job that Jeremy and Matt were doing with the stars.

"Matt, Jere, you can't just hang them!" she called across the cafeteria. "They're supposed to trickle down."

Caroline and Stefan shared an amused look as Lucy raised her hands, flickering her fingers as she moved them down, showing Matt and Jeremy how she wanted the stars to be hung.

Lucy shook her head in amusement as Matt and Jeremy laughed at her and went back to work. She turned back around to face Caroline and Stefan, seeing the amused looks on their faces.

"What?"

"Nothing," Caroline said before glancing at Matt and Jeremy. "Look at them being all bromance-y."

"Elena asked Matt to help Jeremy readjust," Lucy informed her. "I guess Matt got him his old job back at the Grill."

"That was nice of him," Stefan commented.

Lucy nodded. "Jeremy's been quiet since he got home. I think everything with Ric is stressing him out," she looked back at Jeremy and Matt and sighed, "I'll be right back."

As Lucy marched away to personally instruct Matt and Jeremy how to hand the stars, Caroline turned to Stefan. She observed him as he fiddled with the red table cloth.

"Have you asked Lucy to the dance yet?"

"No," Stefan scratched his chin. "Should I have? I mean, should I?"

"Yes!"

"Would she even say yes?" Stefan worried uncharacteristically.

"It's you, Stefan, of course she would," Caroline rolled her eyes at him. "I mean, even when she had her fling with Matt, all she could think about was getting you back home and—"

"She had a fling with Matt?" Stefan interrupted her, eyebrows raised curiously.

Caroline mentally cursed herself for spilling the beans before Lucy could. It wasn't really any of her business and she knew Lucy wanted to tell Stefan herself. She hoped she didn't just blow everything.

"Yes, but there were no feelings attached," Caroline hurried to assure him. "They broke it off when you got back to town."

"Oh."

"Are you mad?" Caroline winced. "She was going to tell you, I promise."

"I'm not mad, Caroline," Stefan told her honestly. "We weren't together and at that point I hadn't really expected to come back to Mystic Falls."

Caroline was impressed with Stefan's answer but not shocked. He was one hundred and sixty-three years old and even then, he was pretty mature for his age. It was nice to know that her best friend was with someone so understanding.

"Thank God," she sighed. "You're still jealous, though, right?"

"Of course I am."

Caroline smiled in satisfaction.

"What are you guys talking about?" Lucy joined them again.

"I was telling Caroline how I was going to ask you to the dance," Stefan informed her. "I was thinking something with a thousand flowers or maybe an edible arrangement."

Lucy made a thoughtful face. "Well, I do like edible arrangements but I guess you just asking me right now will suffice."

Stefan grinned at her. "Lucy, will you go to the dance with me?"

Lucy smiled back. "Of course."

Lucy tapped her black t-strapped heels to the beat of the music flooding the gym, watching as people did the Charleston and other dances from the twenties that she hadn't had time to research. The dance was going beautifully but if things happened as they usually did, there'd be a disaster soon enough.

She looked around the gym for her friends; Matt and Jeremy were guarding the punch bowl, Caroline and Bonnie were dancing with their dates—Tyler and Jaimie—and Elena was being twirled around by Damon, who was smiling happily. Seeing everyone have a good time brought a smile to her face. They all deserved to have a little break from the supernatural.

"You look beautiful."

Lucy blinked and spun on her heels to face Stefan. He looked so handsome with his navy suit and patterned tie that made his forest-green eyes pop. The collar pin he wore just elevated his look and intrigued Lucy in a way that made her want to grab his tie and kiss the hell out of him.

"You look great, Stefan," Lucy breathed, brushing a couple fingers over his tie. "Wow."

Stefan smiled gratefully. "I got something for you," he held up the corsage made out of a red rose.

"Thank you," Lucy grinned at him. "Just don't poke me, okay?"

Stefan rolled his eyes, amused, and assured her that he'd try his best not to prick her with the needle. He easily attached the rose to the front of her silver flapper dress. He couldn't resist enough not to give her a quick kiss, so he pressed his lips to hers in a sweet peck.

Lucy smiling lovingly at him. "Come on, let's go do the Charleston."

Stefan wordlessly held his hand out for her and, when she took it, led her out to the dancefloor.

"If Ric's sick then we need to do something to help him," Lucy declared as she fiddled with her bracelet, her eyes darting to Stefan, Joel, Elena, and Damon.

Lucy and Stefan had only had time to dance to two songs before Joel purposefully walked into the gym and gathered them and Elena and Damon. He drug them out into the hallway and informed them that Alaric wasn't taking Bonnie's herbs like he told them he was.

"We tried medicine, we tried magic," Damon reminded her, eyebrows furrowed anxiously.

"Why don't we get him off vervain and compel him?" Elena spoke up thoughtfully.

"So he can pretend to be Alaric?" Joel shook his head.

"The guy we know is gone," Damon stated. "We're talking about someone who not only hates vampires but vampire sympathizers, which makes some of his most obvious targets—I don't know—you two?" he pointed between Elena and Lucy.

"What?" Stefan asked, stepping forward slightly. "You think he'd go after them?"

"Of course not," Lucy answered him, even though she wasn't so sure. "We just have to do something."

"What, though?" Elena turned to Damon for answers. "What do you think we should do?"

Damon was quiet for a few seconds before he answered. "I think we should put him out of his misery."

"He's not a dog, Damon!" Lucy immediately protested as Elena gaped at him and Joel shook his head.

"No way in hell!" another voice agreed with her. They all turned to see that Jeremy had followed them out of the gym and had listened to their conversation about Alaric.

"Oh, come on," Damon defended himself. "It's what he would want. It's a mercy killing."

Jeremy's eyes narrowed into slits. "You are out of your mind."

He turned and walked away; Lucy gave Damon a warning glare before following him, calling his name. Elena kept pace by her side, both of them worried about their younger brother. Jeremy was quick, though, so they only caught up to him as he left the school.

"Jere, stop!" Elena called as they passed by people hanging around the entrance.

Jeremy stopped walking and turned to Lucy and Elena. "This is Alaric we're talking about," he reminded them. "You know, he looked out for us and we need to do the same for him."

"I won't let anyone hurt him," Lucy vowed. Jeremy scoffed and turned to walk away again but she grabbed his arm to stop him. "Jeremy, I swear, okay? I promise, we'll find a way to save him."

Jeremy searched Lucy's face for any sign of dishonesty before turning to Elena. She nodded, silently promising the same as Lucy.

"Luciana."

Lucy blinked at the familiar voice and spun around to face Esther. She was shocked to see her first mother—Klaus had told her that she had died in Rebekah's arms because her link to the Bennett line was gone.

"Esther?" she breathed.

"If you wish to help your father, Alaric, I suggest you both come with me."

"Jeremy, go inside and get Damon, Joel, and Stefan," Elena ordered her youngest sibling. "Now."

Jeremy only looked at Esther for a second before he took off, running back into the school.

"I mean you no harm," Esther promised them. "but willingly or not, you will come."

Lucy stared at her, speechless. The last time she had seen her mother, she had knocked her out and attempted to kill her, along with the rest of her original siblings. Her heart raced as she thought about what Esther was planning now.

Elena gently nudged Lucy and grabbed her hand, pulling her along as they followed Esther away from the school.

It was only a short time later that they arrived at the cemetery, heading straight toward the Salvatore tomb. As she followed Elena and Esther through the various headstones, she tried to figure out what Esther wanted from them.

It was obviously another plot to kill Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah, and Kol—maybe even her—but how would she even do it? The last of the white oak was gone and they were no longer linked.

"You'll forgive me for taking you from the dance this evening," Esther apologized to Elena. "That's the burden of being the doppelganger. I'm afraid your blood is a potent binding agent for a witch's spell."

Lucy didn't bother asking Esther why she had insisted that she come with. It wasn't important—besides, she had a feeling that Esther had a spell creating chaos for their friends back at the school that she didn't want Lucy to siphon away.

"Just please don't hurt Alaric," Elena pleaded.

"She's not hurting me," Alaric walked out from beside the Salvatore tomb, his face hard.

Who even knew how long he hadn't been himself. Probably since Stefan beat the crap out of him.

"Ric," Lucy breathed in relief and turned to Esther. "What's going on? What are you going with him?"

"I'm going to remake him," Esther declared.

"Remake him?"

Esther nodded at Lucy. "Make him strong and fast like your siblings. Indestructible," she made her way to Alaric's side. "For one final time, I'm going to tap into the dark magic I used a thousand years ago. Like your father, Mikael, before him, I will make Alaric into a true hunter, the vampire to end all vampires."

"You can't create another Original," Elena objected. "What if he turns out to be an even bigger monster than your children?"

Lucy nodded in agreement, gesturing toward Elena. She wouldn't call herself or her siblings' monsters but they had done evil things. What if Alaric did the same? Esther didn't really have the best resume of turning people into helpful Originals.

"He won't," Esther stated. "Now that he's embraced his darkest aspect, his hatred of them will become more pure and uncompromising. In death, that hatred will be magnified."

"Don't speak as if you know him," Lucy spat at her, her heart starting to race from anger, fear, and desperation. "You don't know anything about him."

"That is where you are wrong," Esther disagreed. "Each time he died with that ring, during his brief journey into death, I was there on the Other Side. I spoke to him. I nurtured him, knowing that every death brought him closer to his true self. Vampires took everything from him and now, he's getting his vengeance."

Lucy grimaced angrily and looked at Alaric, seeing the resolute look on his face. Even if she wanted to object and tell him that he hadn't lost everything, it wouldn't matter to him. Alaric was gone and someone else had take his place.

Having stunned Lucy and Elena speechless, Esther led them into the Salvatore crypt and began preparing to cast her spell. While she began lighting candles, Lucy hung back by Elena and stared at Alaric, wishing that he wouldn't go through with this.

"Ric, this isn't what you want," Elena began quietly, glancing back at Esther to see if she was listening. "It's not who you are."

"Neither of you know who I am," Alaric's voice was hard and unwavering. "You only know the weakest parts of me. A man who lost his way, befriending vampires instead of killing them."

Lucy tightened her grip on Elena's hand, trying to draw more comfort, and shook her head. "You don't mean that."

"They're all monsters," Alaric said firmly. "The blood of their victims is on my hands. Jenna's blood is on my hands."

Lucy pressed her lips together, more protests on her lips. Jenna's blood wasn't on his hands anymore than it was on hers or Elena's or Joel's. They couldn't help Jenna and neither could Alaric; that wasn't his fault. As for the rest of the people killed by vampires, how was Alaric supposed to rewind a thousand years and stop the Originals from killing or turning more vampires? None of this was his fault—Esther had twisted her way inside his psyche and turned him into someone who he, himself, wouldn't be able to recognize.

Esther finished preparing her spell. Walking past Lucy and Elena, she held out her hands to him. "Whenever you are ready."

"No, Ric, please don't," Lucy begged, tears stinging her eyes. "Don't do this."

Alaric wasn't swayed by her pleads; he took Esther's hands in his own.

"I won't help you," Elena spat toward Esther. "I'm not gonna give you my blood. You're gonna have to kill me."

"Elena," Lucy inhaled sharply; she couldn't stand to lose Elena, too. Not when Alaric was facing death and transitioning into an enhanced vampire with none of his personality.

Esther looked at Elena calmly. "That' won't be necessary."

She held out a fist toward Elena; Elena began to gasp sharply, pain spreading through her body as she fought to breathe.

"Elena?" Lucy worriedly grabbed her arm and started siphoning, focusing on the spell that Esther was casting on her. Her eyes cut to Esther, narrowing dangerously. "Stop!"

With her other hand, Esther waved it toward Lucy. Lucy flew away from Elena to the wall of the crypt, unable to move. It was like she was stuck to the stone with the strongest glue on Earth and her body was taking its sweet time to siphon away the magic. Meanwhile, Esther had Elena's bloody hand under the metal bowl that she had prepared, Elena still gasping in pain and squirming in her grip.

"Drink it," Esther told Alaric as Lucy dropped to the ground, the magic that Esther cast on her siphoned away. "and let it be done."

As Lucy stumbled to her feet and rushed back to Elena's side, Elena pleaded, "No, Ric, please don't."

Alaric took the bowl and drank Elena's blood and whatever ingredients Esther needed to make an enhanced Original. He set the bowl down and looked at Esther in anticipation. "Is it finished?"

"Not just yet," Esther replied and thrust her hand forward, stabbing Alaric with a wooden stake. Lucy cried out and Elena gasped loudly in shock as he slumped to the ground, temporarily dead.

Lucy dropped to the ground next to him, cutting the skin of her bare knees, and pulled the wooden stake out of his chest. She shakily wiped some of her tears, not noticing the blood she smeared on her face, and looked up at Elena with sad eyes.

Elena shook her head, still in shock at the sight of Alaric's body.

"He'll wake soon," Esther told them. "When he does, he may, for a time, be his old self. If so, you can say your goodbyes before his transition is complete."

Elena gritted her teeth and turned to the Original Witch, her eyes cold and angry. "You said you wanted to undo the evil you created but this is just as evil."

Esther wasn't bothered by her accusation. "Alaric will never be what my children became," she stated. "I have granted him enough power to complete his task. Then, when the time is right, he will die."

"He's immortal," Lucy pointed out thickly. "How would he even die?"

"All you need to know is that when this is over, we will have rid the earth of vampires once and for all."

"Yeah but you'll be killing the good along with the bad," Elena objected as she helped Lucy to her feet. "You're not better than Klaus."

Lucy let out a whimper as she was reminded of what the Originals being dead would really mean. Her original siblings would be dead and so would Caroline, Damon, Joel, and Stefan. She'd lose almost everyone she knew and loved.

"Am I not?" Esther asked innocently. "I desire a world where you and your loved ones will not suffer at the hands of vampires—like your Aunt Jenna did."

Lucy couldn't believe that Esther was bringing up Jenna when she wouldn't have died if it wasn't for the fact that Esther placed the hybrid curse on Klaus in the first place. Esther was the root of almost all the tragedy in Lucy's life and she was taking none of the blame for it.

"How dare you use Jenna as an excuse for what you've done," Lucy spat at her original mother. "This is all your fault. From the very beginning, this has all happened because of you."

Esther didn't deny Lucy's claim. "You two may draw comfort knowing that your aunt is not in the place I was," she told them. "She doesn't know the torture of the Other Side. Though made a vampire, she remained pure and she knows peace…which is all any of us can hope for."

It did comfort Lucy a little bit that Jenna wasn't on the Other Side. Henrik had told her how lonely it was and she never wished that for her aunt. She was glad that Jenna was at peace, even if everyone missed her so much.

A twig snapped outside the Salvatore tomb, drawing all of their attention. Esther stalked out of the crypt to see who had come to rescue Elena and Lucy; the sisters following right behind her.

"Don't move!" Matt walked into view, aiming a gun at her. Jeremy appeared across from Matt, holding a crossbow that was also aimed at her.

"Where are Elena and Lucy?" Jeremy demanded.

"Jeremy, don't!" Elena warned him cautiously.

Jeremy took a couple of small steps toward Esther. "Let them go."

"How foolish of you to risk your lives in defense of those who will kill you," Esther looked at Jeremy and then at Matt. "but, if that is your choice…"

She raised her hands—one in Jeremy's direction and the other in Matt's—and clenched her fists. Jeremy's arms shook with force as his crossbow was slowly turned in Matt's direction; on the other side of Esther, Matt was shakily aiming his gun at Jeremy.

"Matt, drop your gun!" Jeremy shouted.

"I can't! I'm not controlling it!"

"Esther, stop!" Lucy shouted at her mother, reaching for her; Esther shrugged her off. "Stop it!"

Jeremy and Matt dropped their weapons as Esther gasped loudly. Lucy looked on in shock as Alaric appeared behind her and stabbed the stake—the one that Esther had killed him with—through her chest. She let out a long breath as Esther dropped to the ground, dead for good.

Alaric reached for Lucy and pulled her into his side before grabbing Elena's injured hand. "Oh, God," he breathed, looking down at the stake in his hand. "Where's my ring? Tell me what happened."

Lucy didn't speak. She buried her head into his chest and burst into tears.

Lucy's knees touched her chest as she hugged them, curling in on herself as she stared at Alaric and Elena. She couldn't believe this was happening. She was losing him, just like she had lost her parents and Jenna.

It seemed like she was cursed; so many people that she had loved died. How many more were going to lose their lives because of her?

Alaric wasn't going to complete his transition. He decided that himself and Lucy wasn't going to protest, knowing that all he had left was his choice. If accepting his death was going to help Alaric, Lucy would do that. She'd do that for her dad.

Jeremy and Joel walked into the crypt, side by side.

"Klaus took Esther's body," Joel informed Alaric, Elena, and Lucy.

"Does he know about the stake?" Alaric asked.

"No, only that she tried to turn you into a weapon and failed," Jeremy informed him. As Elena and Alaric exchanged glances, he asked, "What's going on?"

As Joel put a comforting hand on Jeremy's shoulder, having heard the conversation Elena and Alaric had when he arrived, Alaric explained, "Listen, Jeremy…I'm not—I'm not gonna complete the transition. My dark side was dangerous enough as a human. I can't be a vampire."

Lucy squeezed her knees tighter against her chest.

"So, what? We're just gonna lock you in here and let you die?" Jeremy bristled and looked to Elena, who had tears in her eyes, and then Lucy, who seemed to be totally out of it. "No. No, we can't."

"Jeremy, it's the right thing to do, okay?" Alaric tried to get through to him. "After everything that's happened. After all that I've done, maybe I had it coming."

Jeremy pressed his lips together and went to leave. Joel grabbed his arm. "Jeremy, stop," he turned to Alaric once he was sure Jeremy wasn't leaving. "Ric, none of this was your fault."

"Please, you guys, let's not make this any harder than it already is," Alaric's voice broke. "You guys should go. Damon's here and he'll make sure it will all go down the right way."

Jeremy started to leave again but Alaric stopped him. "Hey."

"Don't," Jeremy shook his head. "Don't give me some crap speech about I need to be strong."

"Okay," Alaric nodded and pulled him into a hug. "I won't."

Jeremy squeezed him back, closing his eyes for a couple of seconds, before he let Alaric go and strode out of the tomb. Joel stepped up next, holding his hand out for Alaric to shake with tears in his eyes.

"I'll take care of them," he promised Alaric. "Ric…"

"I know," Alaric shook his head and squeezed it for a few seconds. "I know, Joel."

Joel gave him a sad smile and nodded at Elena before leaving the tomb to let Alaric say the rest of his goodbyes.

"This is all my fault," Elena cried softly as Alaric turned to her. "You moved out. You—you gave me your ring back. You didn't want any part of this and I forced you to stay and take care of us."

"Don't do that," Alaric chastised her quietly. "I don't regret any of this. I don't regret you or Jeremy or Joel or Lucy. Okay? You guys are my family."

Elena pulled him into a hug, crying the whole while, and then left the crypt. Lucy looked up from her knees as Alaric slowly walked toward her. A sob left her throat when she saw the tears in his eyes.

"Lucy…" Alaric reached for her.

"I'm so sorry, Dad," Lucy cried as she leapt forward, wrapping her arms around him. "I'm so sorry. I didn't—I didn't…"

"Hey," Alaric cooed soothingly as she choked on her tears. "It's okay. You're gonna be fine, Luce. You're gonna be fine."

"No," Lucy shook her head as her body shook. "All this time, I kept you at arms length and now…Now…"

"No, you didn't, Luce."

"Yes, I did," Lucy said as she pulled her head back so she could look at him. "and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Dad. I wish we had more time."

"I know…"

"I love you," Lucy promised, burying her head into his neck. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you, too," Alaric kissed the top of her head. "Finding you, knowing you, loving you…it's been the best part of my life."

Another sob left Lucy; it shook her whole body and she was pretty sure that she had soaked through his shirt with her tears but she couldn't stop herself. She was losing her dad when she only had him in her life for a year. There was so much regret, sadness, and love that it threatened to drown her.

"You should go," Alaric was the first to pull away from the hug.

"No," Lucy protested, shaking her head. "I'm gonna stay with you."

"No, you're not," Alaric said firmly. "You're gonna walk out there and you're gonna be strong, Lucy."

Lucy's chest shook with the force of her sobs as he wiped the tears from her face.

"You're the strongest person I know, Lucy Gilbert," Alaric smiled sadly. "Never forget that."

Lucy pressed her lips together as she squeezed her eyes shut. She gathered all the strength she had left in her body and nodded. "Okay," she breathed, pressing her hand against her racing heart. "Okay…"

"Okay," Alaric nodded and wrapped an arm around her shoulders to start guiding her out of the crypt. "It's gonna be okay."

Lucy nodded, unable to speak, as they exited the tomb. Her breath caught in her chest when she saw the candles lit up around the area in front of them, all of their friends and family lined up to silently say goodbye to Alaric.

Stefan stood to the far right, watching them sadly, as Damon had Elena wrapped up in his embrace. Caroline and Tyler stood on the other side of them and Matt leaned against the tombstone next to them. Jeremy and Joel stood together next to him and Meredith stood in front of them, tears in her eyes.

More tears gathered in Lucy's eyes as she looked toward Alaric, knowing how much this would mean to him. They all loved him so much and it was tearing them apart to know that he was leaving them.

Alaric gave Lucy a weak smile and she returned it before inhaling sharply and leaving his side. She was in Stefan's arm within seconds, turning back to look at her father.

Her vision went blurry as Alaric nodded once and walked back into the tomb.

Lucy unlocked the door and stepped into Alaric's apartment, a breath escaping her lungs. Even though she had been crying for the last hour, more tears welled in her eyes as she breathed in the scent that permeated Alaric's belongings.

"Lucy," Stefan whispered as she slowly walked further into the apartment, like she was autopilot. "We should go home."

"No," Lucy shook her head and continued onto Alaric's bedroom. "No, I want to stay."

Lucy reached Alaric's bed and pulled back the covers before getting in. She wrapped the blanket around herself and curled into a ball, her breathing starting to quicken. When her eyes landed on one of the two framed pictures on the bedside table, a sob wracked her body.

In the plain black frame was an old photo. Alaric was young, around Joel's current age, and he was smiling as he looked down at the baby cradled in his arms. It didn't even take a second for Lucy to recognize that it was her in the picture. The first time she and Alaric met almost seventeen years ago when she was born into the Saltzman family.

Stefan crouched down next to the bed and took one of Lucy's hands; Lucy squeezed it tightly as she cried into the pillow, her face screwed up in pain.

"I'm so sorry, Luce."

"He's gone," Lucy whimpered between sobs. "He's gone."

When Alaric first popped into her life, she didn't know how to react. She was cautious because she didn't know him and she was hesitant because he wasn't the dad who raised her; he was the dad who gave her up. He wasn't Grayson Gilbert; he was Alaric Saltzman.

It turned out that Lucy still needed him, though. He had protected her since birth when he gave her to Grayson and Miranda and when he came back into her life sixteen years later, he still protected her. He had given her space and had been patient. He loved her and she hardly ever told him that she loved him too. She wasted so much time with him.

And now he was gone.


	58. Saving Elena

**[3x21; Before Sunset]**

Stefan silently entered the Gilbert house, using his enhanced hearing to locate the Gilbert siblings. He heard three heartbeats upstairs, two of them in the room that he knew to be Alaric's room, and Joel's laughter at something that Jeremy had said that Stefan didn't catch. Everyone was accounted for, which relieved him.

Lucy had been a mess the previous night once she saw the picture of herself and Alaric. She hadn't even known that the photo existed and her grief hit her hard once again. For the first time since he had known her, Stefan was unable to calm Lucy down. His heart broke for her but he stayed by her side, holding her as she cried until she passed out.

He had returned her to her bedroom and stayed with her until Joel came home and took over watching her. Now that the sun was out and morning had begun, Stefan wanted to make sure that all the siblings were dealing with Alaric's death.

He sped upstairs and stopped at the threshold of Alaric's room, looking around the room. Elena was dressed for the day and painting the far wall a beige-green while Jeremy and Joel patched up holes and dents in the three other walls.

"Going darker, huh?" he announced his presence, though he was sure Joel already knew he was there.

Elena turned around as he leaned against the door frame, giving him a weak smile. "It's the only color we had."

"That's what happens when you decide to paint your dead guardian's room in the middle of the night," Jeremy commented, exchanging a pointed look with Joel.

Stefan took that to mean that this was Elena's idea.

"I don't suppose anyone tried to talk you guys out of doing this so soon?" he hummed, walking into the room.

"Lucy doesn't know," Joel told him. Stefan frowned, knowing that Lucy wasn't going to be happy that they were doing this without her—or so soon after Alaric's death.

"We have to keep moving," Elena stated matter-of-factly as she dipped her roller into more paint. "Otherwise we'll start thinking and we don't wanna think."

"Well," he sighed. "I'm gonna check on Lucy."

"So, what's going on with you guys?" Jeremy spoke up, looking between Stefan and Elena. "Did you, like, switch sisters, or what?"

Stefan blinked as Elena grimaced.

"Jeremy," she hissed. "You know, we just…"

"I was just checking up on you guys," Stefan spoke when she trailed off unsurely. "seeing how you were doing after everything."

"We're fine," Jeremy's voice hardened as he set down his spatula. "but, if you are trying to be the good guy again, why don't you do the right thing and give us one day—just one day without you guys in it."

"Jeremy…" Joel said warningly; Jeremy just shrugged and walked out of the room.

"He didn't mean that," Elena told Stefan apologetically.

"Yeah, he did," Stefan knew exactly what Jeremy meant and he didn't blame the kid for feeling that way. All of what happened to Alaric was the fault of vampires; Stefan was a vampire and he wasn't family, so he knew Jeremy didn't want him around. "I'm, uh, I'm gonna check on Lucy."

Elena nodded with a weak smile and Stefan left the room, walking down the hall to Lucy's. The door was shut but it wasn't locked, so he gently knocked and walked in. He saw the top of Lucy's head peek out from her comforter but she didn't say anything as he walked over to the bed.

"Good morning," he greeted her, sitting in the free spot next to her legs.

"There's nothing good about it," Lucy's voice was weak and gravely, like her throat was sore, but it made Stefan's dead heart race all the same.

"Yeah, I know," Stefan agreed quietly. "You okay?"

"No."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Do you want me to leave?"

Lucy sighed heavily and pulled her comforter away from her face. Her eyes were bloodshot, her nose was red, and there were traces of mascara around the corners of her eyes; it was clear that she had been crying off and on all night.

"No," she answered him. "I want you to stay."

Stefan smiled slightly and nodded at her. "Scoot over."

Lucy wiggled across her bed, making just enough room so Stefan could slip into the bed with her. Stefan nudged off his shoes and slipped off his jacket before laying down and lifting his arm. Lucy shifted into his side and laid her head on his chest as his arm wrapped around her.

It was quiet as they laid together but that was okay with both of them. Stefan didn't want to talk if she didn't want to; he would stay with her as long as she wanted. He could hear her heart beating strongly and her breath start to quicken, so he kissed the top of her head, hoping that it would let her know that he was here for her.

However, it wasn't long before they were interrupted. Stefan's phone rang and when he answered it, it was requested that he come downstairs. He kissed Lucy's head and told her that he'd be back before making his way down the stairs.

"What's going on?" he asked as he entered the dining room and saw that his brother and Bonnie had joined them. His eyes widened when he saw the wound on Bonnie's neck. "What the hell?"

"We have a problem," Damon told him and Joel, who had answered the door for him and Bonnie. "Alaric transitioned."

"Excuse me?" Joel spluttered.

"What do you mean he turned?" Stefan asked. "I thought you were standing guard."

"Don't blame me," Damon defended himself. "Blame Bonnie the blood bank. She fed him."

"I had no idea what was happening, okay?" Bonnie grabbed the cloth-covered ice pack that Joel offered her and pressed it against her neck. "The witches led me there. They wanted him to feed so he'd turn."

"So, where's the stake?" Stefan looked away from Bonnie to ask his brother.

"Oh, you mean the white oak stake? The one that can kill an Original and wipe out an entire line of vampires?" Damon glared at Bonnie. "We don't know."

"If you're so upset with me, why did you feed me your blood to save my life?" Bonnie spat back at him.

"Because I do stupid things, Bonnie!" he exclaimed, getting in her face. "I do things like let my friend die with dignity when I should've just killed him."

"Stop," Joel pulled Damon away from Bonnie and asked her, "How do we kill him now?"

He didn't want to think about the fact that they now had to kill Alaric themselves but he wasn't exactly Alaric anymore. They were all in danger now that he was an enhanced Original and probably had the white oak stake in his possession.

"I've been trying to figure that out," Bonnie sighed. "A witch can't truly make an immortal creature. There's always a way to undo the spell."

"So, what's the loophole?" Stefan asked.

"That's the problem," Bonnie said grimly. "I don't know."

"I'll call Nik," they all turned to look at Lucy as she walked into the kitchen, still dressed in her pajamas and looking exhausted. "Maybe there's something in Esther's grimoire."

"No, Lucy, we'll take care of this," Stefan walked over to her. "You don't have to—"

"Yeah, I do," Lucy said determinately. "Esther did this and if I can help find a way to undo it, I will."

Before anyone else could try to talk her out of helping—none of them really wanted Klaus involved—the doorbell rang. Lucy went to go answer it, but Joel stopped her.

"Stay here," he ordered as he walked past her to the foyer. He opened the door and sighed when he saw Klaus standing on the other side of the threshold. "What the fuck do you want?"

"Now is that any way to treat a guest?"

Joel clicked his tongue. "When the guest is you, sure."

"What are you doing here Klaus?" Stefan walked up beside Joel, Damon on his heels.

"Well, for starters, Joel could show some manners and get my baby sister to invite me in," Klaus requested sternly.

"I thought I was being polite," Joel said, giving Damon an innocent look before turning back to Klaus. "No invite, _sorry_."

"I thought that I'd check on Luciana," Klaus insisted. "The loss of another father is hard on her, I suspect."

"Yeah, about that…"

"I know all about my mother's invulnerable little creation," Klaus cut Damon off, changing his tune. "That's another reason I'm here. I'm leaving town and I needed to pick up a few road trip necessities; a spare tire, flashlight, doppelganger, little sister…"

"Can't help with that," Joel shook his head and shut the door in Klaus' face.

As Lucy walked into the foyer, Damon sped up the stairs, calling Elena's name.

"What the hell is going on?" Lucy asked Stefan and Joel. "What'd Nik want?"

"He wants to take you and Elena," Stefan told her as Damon came back downstairs. "Where is she?"

"She's not here."

Joel gave him a confused look. "What do you mean she's not here?" he asked Damon. "Where did she go?"

It was then that Bonnie joined them. "What's happening?"

Joel walked over to the window beside the door and peeked out of the blinds, watching as Klaus paced up and down the sidewalk in front of their house. "Klaus wants in," he stated. "We have to keep him out."

"Look, I'll go out and talk to him," Lucy suggested but was immediately met with three separate denials from Stefan, Joel, and Damon. "Why not?"

"Because—oh, shit! Duck!" Joel cried as Klaus threw a newspaper at the window he was looking out of.

Lucy gasped when her body hit the floor after Stefan threw himself on her, protecting her from the shards of glass flying away from the window pane. Stefan quickly rolled off of her and ushered her and Bonnie into the kitchen out of harms way.

"I think you're probably gonna want to let me in!" Klaus called from outside.

Lucy looked out the window over the sink that looked over their driveway and garage. Elena's car was gone and the garage door was left open.

"Elena's car is gone," she told the others as Jeremy rushed into the kitchen.

Bonnie furrowed her eyebrows. "Why wouldn't she tell anyone where shew as going?"

The front door was burst down and a soccer ball came flying into the dining room and kitchen. Lucy ducked away from an airborne apple as the ball hit the fruit bowl on the table near Damon.

"Get down!" Stefan shouted at Jeremy and Bonnie while Joel and Damon jumped out of the way of a torn piece of a picket fence.

"Missed me!" Damon yelled to Klaus as he readied the next picket. He tore the white wood out of the wall where it impaled itself and whipped it toward Klaus, who moved out of the way.

Klaus split the last picket into two and threw them into the house; Joel and Damon ducked out of the way again.

"Missed me, too!" Joel taunted him.

Lucy flinched from behind the island as her phone started vibrating in her pocket. She gawked at the caller ID and answered it, knowing that Alaric's evil alter-ego wouldn't be calling her for the heck of it.

"Alaric."

"_Lucy_," Alaric replied stoically. "_I have Elena and Caroline at the school. If Klaus doesn't turn himself over to me, I'm killing them both."_

"What? No!"

"_You have until sunset."_

Lucy gaped at her phone when the call ended and clenched her teeth together. "Stop!" she called out to Damon and Joel. "We have a problem."

Five minutes later, after assuring Damon and Joel that she should be the one to tell Klaus about Alaric's threat and allowing Stefan to walk out with her after his very insistent argument, Lucy walked out onto the porch to face Klaus. She eyed the propane tank in his left hand and the newspaper he had lit on fire in the other.

"Put that out, Nik," she ordered as Stefan took his spot beside her. "Elena's not here. Alaric has her and Caroline and he's gonna kill them both unless you turn yourself over to him."

Klaus pressed his lips together and threw the propane tank and the newspaper on the porch, the flame going out. "Now I know you're not asking me to walk into a certain death."

"Oh, please, Nik," Lucy rolled her eyes.

"I wish we could afford that but we can't," Stefan spoke up. "If Alaric kills you, there a one-in-four chance that we die, too."

"I'll take those odds," Damon said as he stepped onto the porch behind Lucy and Stefan with a picket resting against his shoulder

"And a hundred percent Tyler dies," Lucy reminded Damon with a glare.

He shrugged. "I'm good with that too."

"Why don't we just figure out a way to put Alaric down?" Stefan rested his hand on Lucy's shoulder as he looked between Damon and Klaus.

Joel joined the four of them as they began brainstorming ideas to stop Alaric, shutting the door behind him. Lucy thought about what Bonnie said earlier, how nature wouldn't allow a way for someone to be completely immortal but she couldn't figure out what loophole Esther might have made when she casted the spell to make Alaric into an enhanced Original.

"Okay," Klaus spoke up, turning away from the corner of the porch he had been pacing. "How about Damon sneaks in and distracts Alaric while Stefan and Joel grab Elena and Caroline and carry them to safety."

"Oh, that's a great idea," Damon muttered sarcastically. "What's to stop me from getting killed instantly?"

"Nothing," Klaus grinned.

"Caroline's in there," Damon reminded Klaus needlessly. "Don't you have a thing for her or did she just reject you too many times?"

"Both of you, shut up," Lucy glared at the two oldest vampires. "Your arguing isn't helping."

The door opened and Bonnie walked out, wearing some of the clothes she borrowed from Lucy. "I might have an idea," she told them. "My mom used a desiccation spell on Michael that immobilized him for over fifteen years. If I can get it, I might be able to use it on Alaric."

Lucy nodded in agreement. "It might work."

"If and might," Klaus repeated with a sigh. "Your words inspire such confidence."

"I'll get it," Bonnie glared at him. "but even with the spell, we need a lot of vampire muscle to take him down, including yours."

Lucy raised her eyebrows at Klaus, hoping that he would agree to the best plan they had.

Klaus sighed and turned away from them, his eyes searching the sky. "Just so we're clear, the sun sets in about eight hours. If we don't succeed before then, Elena will be dead, Luciana and I will be gone, and the rest of you will be left to fend for yourselves."

"Okay," Lucy sighed while Klaus turned back to them with a smirk. "Let's get to work."

Lucy played with her bracelet as she sat in the Salvatores' living room, her eyes on the clock. It was just about noon, two long hours after Bonnie had called Abby to find out about the desiccation spell her mother had performed on Mikael all those years ago.

Abby still hadn't shown and she was getting anxious, exchanging nervous looks with Joel, who waited with her and Bonnie.

Joel sighed as the clock chimed and asked Bonnie, "Are you sure she's coming?"

"Relax," Bonnie muttered nervously as she paced back and forth, tapping her phone on her free hand. "Abby will be here."

"Okay, it's just that she doesn't exactly have the best track record—" Joel grunted as Lucy nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. "…sorry."

Bonnie brushed off his apology. "Jamie said she was coming, okay? Just give her time."

As soon as she finished speaking, the doorbell rang. Lucy and Joel jumped to their feet as Bonnie answered the door, revealing Abby on the other side.

Abby smiled nervously. "Hello, Bonnie."

"Thanks for coming," Bonnie ushered her into the house.

"Jamie's worried about you," Abby told her as they stepped into the living room. "He said it was urgent. I just didn't think you'd ever want to see me again."

Lucy bit her lip, giving Bonnie a sympathetic look.

"Like Jamie said," Bonnie shrugged. "It's urgent."

Abby nodded and looked around the house, spotting Lucy and Joel. "Why didn't I have to be invited in?"

"Only vampires live here," Bonnie informed her.

"Stefan and Damon signed over the deed to me and Elena but when Elena died, the seal broke," Lucy spoke up. "Damon had me sign the house back over to him. He said something about not trusting me."

Joel raised a playful eyebrow. "Wonder why."

"We called you here because I need help with a spell," Bonnie told her mother. "Esther created a vampire that can't be killed. I want to desiccate him like you did with Mikael."

Abby gave Bonnie a shocked look. "Bonnie, it's too dangerous," she shook her head. "Your magic comes from the earth. It's pure. This spell asks you to tap into dark places. Places of temptation. Places you can't handle."

"You turned your back on me for sixteen years," Bonnie angrily raised her eyebrows at Abby. "You have no idea what I can handle."

"Bonnie's not going to be alone," Lucy assured Abby before walking over to Bonnie for support. "I'll be helping her."

"The spell allows you to stop a vampire's heart," Abby said, still hesitant. "The blood will stop flowing and his body will desiccate."

"That's exactly what we want to do."

"To stop a vampire's heart, you need to find a balance among the living," Abby dropped the bombshell. "Can you handle that?"

Lucy inhaled deeply, knowing exactly what Abby meant. They had to stop a human heart in order to stop Alaric's. It was risky—and nerve-wracking.

"What does that mean?" Joel asked Bonnie and Lucy.

"We have to stop a human heart," Bonnie answered him.

Things went quickly after that, with Bonnie calling Jeremy to ask him about being the volunteer. Lucy and Joel were both reluctant, asking Jeremy to do this, but the youngest Gilbert was adamant that they use him. He wanted to protect Elena just like that and they weren't going to say no when it was his choice.

Abby taught Lucy and Bonnie the spell to desiccate Alaric and then they were meeting Jeremy, Stefan, Damon, and Klaus at the school. The plan to rescue Elena and Caroline, while putting Alaric down was about to commence.

As Lucy, Joel, and Bonnie met up with Jeremy, Lucy showed them an app on her phone. "Look at this," she pointed at her phone where four dots were being shown on the map of the school; hers and Bonnie's phone were out in the parking lot, while Elena and Caroline's were in the school. "This connects me to Caroline, Elena, and Bonnie. They're in Alaric's classroom."

Bonnie peeked at the map. "You should probably go in from the south entrance."

"Digital locater spell," Damon commented as he, Stefan, and Klaus walked over to them. "Why the hell do we need you, then?"

Joel rolled his eyes at Damon before holding his hand out toward Jeremy. "Give me your ring."

"No," Jeremy objected. "Let me do this."

"Jeremy you've died two times already," Lucy shook her head. "You're not doing this unless you give us the ring."

"If Bonnie and Lucy can't restart your heart for some reason, you do die, then before you know it, you're like Alaric," Joel tried to reason with his little brother. "Give me the ring."

"This is my ring," Jeremy declared. "and Elena's my sister, too. I'm gonna fight for her."

Lucy sighed and conceded as Joel cursed under his breath.

"You're such a stubborn ass," Joel said and turned to Lucy and Bonnie. "Try not to kill him, will you?"

"Time's ticking," Klaus spoke up impatiently. "There's not time for a big family argument."

Lucy rolled her eyes at him as Bonnie handed Damon the vial of her and Lucy's blood mixed together.

"Drink this, it's our blood," Bonnie informed them. "It bridges us all together so that when we stop Jeremy's heart, you'll have the power to stop Alaric's."

"You need to make a physical connection to his bloodstream," Lucy continued, looking at the vampires of the group. "A vein, artery…something connected to his heart."

Damon, Joel, Stefan, and Klaus took a sip of the blood.

"One of us gets a clean shot, take it," Stefan ordered. "the other three will hold him down."

"Before we all walk through those doors, let's get on the same page, shall we?" Klaus handed the vial back to Lucy. "I was the one who created your vampire blood line, therefore I'm responsible for your lives, Tyler's life, Caroline's life, and of course, Abby's life. Should anything go wrong."

"Or you're just lying to save your ass," Damon pointed out.

Klaus shrugged. "I'm not lying but go ahead, call my bluff. Let the teach kill and you'll all be dead soon thereafter."

"Let's just get this over with," Joel sighed.

Lucy nodded and looked at him, Damon, Klaus, and Stefan. "Be careful," she demanded; she cared about all of them—even Damon—and she didn't want anyone to get hurt. They had no idea exactly how strong Alaric was—he was meant to kill Klaus, after all. "Good luck."

The three vampires and one hybrid nodded and everyone split up. Lucy gave Stefan one last look, hoping and praying that she'd see him again, and then followed Bonnie and Jeremy into the woods just a few yards away from the school.

Lucy knelt on one side of Jeremy on the forest floor, Bonnie on the other. They waited for the action to begin, quietly focusing on their heartbeats. Lucy kept a hand on her necklace, waiting to siphon at a moment's notice.

And then they felt someone make contact with Alaric. Lucy started siphoning with one hand while holding out another over Jeremy's heart. Bonnie's hands joined her, one of them holding Lucy's while the other pressed against Jeremy's chest.

"They made contact," Bonnie told Jeremy. "It's happening."

Together, Lucy and Bonnie started chanting, casting the spell that would stop Jeremy's heart and Alaric's with it. All to soon, though, the connection with Alaric's heart broke. Lucy gasped and let go of Bonnie while pulling her hand away from her necklace.

"What's wrong?" Jeremy's eyes glanced between her and Bonnie.

"Something happened," Bonnie said worriedly. "the connection broke."

Lucy sighed and put the magic in her body back into her necklace so she wouldn't waste it.

Lucy's phone rang ten minutes later. It was Joel; she put the call on speaker so Bonnie and Jeremy could hear.

"What's going on?" she asked him.

"_Klaus took Elena_," Joel informed them. "_Alaric said that his life is tied to Elena's, so Klaus is gonna kill her."_

"What do we do?" Bonnie asked as Lucy inhaled sharply.

"_I don't know but we have to do something to stop him."_

"We'll use the spell on Klaus," Lucy spoke up. "We'll desiccate him."

It didn't matter to her right now that Klaus was her brother. He was threatening to kill Elena, which he hadn't done in a long time, due to his need for her blood. It seemed like it didn't matter to him if he could make more hybrids, as long as Alaric was off his back.

"_What about Alaric?"_

"We'll figure that out," Lucy shook her head. "Just—we're gonna desiccate Klaus, okay?"

She eyed Bonnie, wondering if that was the right thing to do; Bonnie nodded.

"Tell Stefan and Damon there's a change of plans," Bonnie told Joel. "We'll know when you make contact."

"Be careful," Lucy said as Jeremy added, "Save Elena!"

"_Get ready_," Joel told them before ending the call.

They waited for what seemed like hours but in reality was only ten or twenty minutes. Lucy tried not to feel guilty about what she was about to do but it was the only option at the moment. Klaus would wouldn't be awake and she'd probably never see him again, but Elena wouldn't die and neither would he. It was the right thing to do.

Lucy quickly siphoned from her necklace and grabbed Bonnie's hand as they felt someone make contact with Klaus' heart. Using the magic from her necklace, Lucy chanted in sync with Bonnie. The wind started picking up around them as the spell gained momentum.

Soon Jeremy's heart stopped beating and the spell picked up. Lucy stopped chanting and tried to pull away from Bonnie, but Bonnie held onto her tighter. She shouted in pain as she felt the magic still in her body start to be pulled out of her by Bonnie.

"Bonnie, stop!" she begged Bonnie, gasping when she saw black veins crawling up Bonnie's skin. "Bonnie, stop. Bonnie!"

Bonnie's eyes snapped open and Lucy ripped her hand out of her grasp. Now she knew how painful it was when magic was taken from you. It didn't feel as good as when Lucy siphoned it.

"Oh, my God," Bonnie gasped. "Sorry."

"It's fine," Lucy said quickly and glanced at her currently dead brother. "We have to wake up Jeremy now."

Bonnie nodded and they joined hands once more. They started chanting the spell that would start up Jeremy's heart again. When nothing happened, Lucy started to panic.

"Oh, my God," she breathed while Bonnie started trying to nudge him awake.

"Jeremy!" Bonnie shouted as Lucy joined her, both of them trying to jostle him awake. "Jeremy, wake up!"

Jeremy gasped awake, looking at them in confusion. Lucy sighed in relief and grabbed his hand, squeezing it tightly as Bonnie pulled him into a frantic hug.

"What happened?" Jeremy asked as he pulled away from Bonnie's embrace. "Did it work?"

"Yeah," Lucy nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. "It worked."

Lucy slowly opened the casket and stared at her brother's face. It was surprisingly peaceful, like he hadn't been ambushed by four vampires and desiccated by his own sister and her friend.

She gasped when his eyes popped open but supposed that was part of the spell. Hopefully he'd become unaware the longer he was down.

"I'm sorry, Nik," she whispered to him as he blinked slowly at her. "I'm sorry I had to do this to you but you were going to kill Elena."

She bit her lip and gathered enough nerve to say goodbye to him; another loved one lost in the span of twenty-four hours.

"I love you, brother," she pressed her index and middle fingers to his cheek. "You'll forgive me one day."

She gave him one last sad smile and then shut the casket. She nodded at Stefan, allowing him to push the casket back into the SUV they were borrowing from Klaus.

"Ready for a road trip?" she asked him with a sigh, shutting the hatch; Stefan smiled at her. "Where are we headed with him?"

"Damon thinks he's going to the bottom of the Atlantic but I was thinking you might know somewhere he'd like to be," Stefan said as he walked her over to the passenger door.

Lucy smiled thoughtfully. "How about the Smokey Mountains?" she suggested. "Nik was always a fan."

"Some random cave in the Smokey Mountains, it is," Stefan nodded. "You okay?"

"He's alive," Lucy sighed as she opened her door. "and so is Elena. So, yeah, I'm okay."

Stefan smiled and brought her into his embrace, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead. "What do you say we stop by Duke on the way back?"

Lucy laughed, sliding into the passenger seat. "Duke's out of the way, Broody."

"Is it?" Stefan grinned innocently; Lucy nodded. "Well, I guess we're gonna miss school."

Lucy giggled and shut her door, ready to get on the road.


	59. Make-Shift Plans

**[3x22; The Departed]**

Lucy beamed at Stefan as he sang along to the Britney Spears song on her playlist. She couldn't believe that he knew the song, let alone the lyrics. She was constantly surprising her even when she thought she knew most things about him.

"My loneliness is killing me!"

"And I!" Stefan sang back to her.

"I must confess, I still believe!"

"Still believe!"

Lucy practically cackled from amusement when Stefan held his fist up toward his mouth, mimicking a microphone.

"Stop, stop," she pleaded, holding her stomach. "It hurts to laugh."

"Good, that means I'm doing my job," Stefan paused from singing to remark with a grin. He would do anything to make her smile—if it meant revealing his embarrassing knowledge of Britney Spears music to get her mind off the night before and what they were heading to do, he would do that for her. "What's next on the nineties playlist?"

"Nsync," Lucy grinned and playfully sung, "It's gonna be may!"

"Dirty Pop is better."

Lucy gasped loudly. "Blasphemy!"

Stefan rolled his eyes at her as he turned up the music, the opening beats of _It's Gonna be Me _starting. As Justin Timberlake and his backup singers started crooning, Lucy smiled out of the passenger window.

She was so grateful that she went with Stefan to bring Klaus to the Smokey Mountains. It wasn't that she was glad they were doing what they were doing, it was just the fact that she had Stefan with her. With everything that was going on, Stefan was the best person—other than Caroline, honestly—she could be around.

Lucy loved Stefan. He was one of the only people who could calm her down and make her feel safe. He cheered her up and she needed a little happiness in her life at the moment. Being with Stefan was a cause for celebration even when it felt like her world was crumbling around her

And, yeah, him singing cheesy pop lyrics at her made her love him all the more.

"Did you know that Justin Timberlake was my—"

"Your first concert," Stefan finished for Lucy, glancing at her with a grin.

Lucy gaped at him. "How'd you know that?"

"I do listen when you talk, you know," Stefan reached over and poked her dimpled cheek.

"I never told you that."

"Fine," he admitted. "Caroline told me. It may have been the only thing I remember from one of her particularly long rambling sessions."

Lucy grinned and pointed out, "You listen when I ramble."

"Well, yeah but you're you and Caroline is Caroline."

"Nothing's wrong with Caroline, Broody," Lucy pinched the back of his hand before kissing it and intertwining their fingers.

"Caroline's great but I don't love her like I love you," Stefan smiled toothily at her.

"Stefan," Lucy almost cooed. "That was so sweet. Where did that come from? Who knew you could be such a flirt?"

"That wasn't flirting, babe, that was honesty. You'll know when I'm flirting."

Lucy gaped at him when he winked at her, almost shocked at how he was acting. Stefan had told her she was beautiful many times but he never really flirted with her before—excluding the times he was drunk at the Founder's Party and when his humanity was off. She liked this side of him, but then again, she liked every part of him—even his dark parts.

But this flirty part of Stefan? He was hot. Like, take-off-your-shirt-and-lets-make-out hot. And he said he wasn't even flirting with her. When he did, was she gonna have a heart attack?

Before Lucy could even think of a response, the ring of her phone blared through the speakers and cut off the harmonization of Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Lance Bass, and the other two guys she couldn't remember the names of.

Stefan pressed the button on the radio that answered the call.

"Hello?"

"_Hey_," Damon's voice came through the speakers. "_You almost there_?"

"No," Stefan glanced at Lucy, who bit her lip. "Why? What's up?"

"_Elena collapsed_," Damon informed them. "_Apparently she hit her head at Klaus' house."_

"Is she all right?" Lucy spoke up, concerned.

"_Well, your stupid little brother wanted us to take her to the hospital but she would be a target for the remaining Originals."_

"Jeremy's not stupid," Lucy would be glaring at him if he was there. "Again, is Elena okay?"

"_She's fine, sheesh_," Damon scoffed. "_I got some vampire blood up in her. Meredith said it was probably an aneurysm. She's all healed up and good as new."_

Lucy sighed in relief, glad that Elena was okay. "Good," she muttered, exchanging a grateful look with Stefan. "Is she awake? Can I talk to her?"

"_She should be awake by now but I'm not at the house,"_ Damon replied. "_Joel and Jeremy watching over her right now while I pick up some food at the Grill."_

"Oh, okay."

"_Let me know when you get close."_

"We will," Stefan promised. "See you later."

"_See ya."_

Stefan pressed the button on the radio again, ending the call, and glanced at Lucy. "We're gone for two hours and everything's gone to hell."

Lucy shook her head and clicked her tongue. "Kids."

"_All we need is to take that stake away from him. Once he's been disarmed, the weapon in my possession, my family will scatter to the ends of the Earth_," Lucy listened as Elijah spoke to Elena, Damon, Joel, and Matt. "_Alaric will follow us."_

It was only twenty minutes after Damon's last call that Joel called. Elijah had shown up at the house and wanted to make a deal to take Klaus' body and run so that Alaric would follow him, Rebekah, and Kol. Lucy thought it was a fair deal, but she was a little biased so it wasn't surprising that it wasn't up to her.

"And you'll just run?" Stefan raised his voice so they could hear him through the phone.

"_We've done it before_," Elijah answered. _"Klaus and Rebekah spent the better part of a thousand years evading my father. What's another half-century while Elena's able to live out the rest of her natural life?"_

"_We finally stopped him, Elijah_," it was Elena who spoke this time and Lucy was relieved to hear that she was doing better with her own ears. "_After everything that he's done to us, I can't just let you bring him back."_

"_I give you my word, Elena, I will not revive Klaus within yours, nor even within your children's lifetimes_," Elijah promised; Lucy looked over at Stefan with raised eyebrows and he nodded back, impressed. _"Perhaps it will finally teach him some manners_."

"_Why should we trust you?"_ Joel asked him. "_All you've done is screw us over_."

"_And for that, I'm deeply ashamed. But know this, Elena could have been dead the instant I walked through that door tonight_," Elijah declared. "_So, Elena, I leave it to you to make the decision whether to trust me or not."_

"_Don't be ridiculous, Elena,"_ Damon spoke up and Lucy imagined that he was giving Elena a look that meant she was out of her mind. "_Hello, did that concussion give you brain damage? His lunatic siblings will kill you the first chance they get_."

"_Rebekah and Kol will honor the terms,"_ Elijah stated. "_If you return Klaus' body to us, Elena will come to no harm. Do we have a deal?"_

"_Lucy_," Elena addressed Lucy now, making her perk up. "_What do you think?"_

"_Oh, come on!"_ Damon groaned. "_As if she isn't biased_."

"_Shut up, Damon."_

"I think we should give Elijah Nik's body," Lucy answered honestly, her mind whirrling. "Family's important. Always and forever, right, Lijah?"

"_Always and forever, Luciana,"_ Elijah confirmed; Lucy smiled.

"It's up to you, Lena," Lucy gave the option back to her sister. Elena—and Stefan, too, really—had been terrorized by Klaus more than most. It was her decision if she wanted to give Klaus to Elijah.

"_Why do you want Klaus' body?"_ Elena asked Elijah.

"_He's my brother. We remain together."_

Elena sighed heavily before agreeing, "_We have a deal."_

"_Are you kidding?"_ Damon asked angrily.

"_Excellent_," Lucy heard Elijah say. "_I will give Rebekah your location and she will meet you."_

Lucy nodded at Stefan; he sighed, "There's a storage unit just on the other side of the Tennessee border."

"I'm gonna call Bonnie," Lucy spoke up. "She'll give me a spell to block Nik's location from Alaric."

"_Good idea."_

"_Wait_," Damon said, his tone hardening. "_Why are you driving west, Stefan?"_

"Oh, there was a change of plans—"

"_A change of plans, are you kidding?"_

"Damon, you better watch your blood pressure," Lucy clicked her tongue mockingly. "Elijah, we'll contact you soon."

"_Thank you, Luciana."_

Lucy bit her lip and ended the call. She sighed and turned toward Stefan. "Just another day in Mystic Falls."

Stefan chuckled weakly. "No kidding."

Lucy disconnected her phone from the Bluetooth and dialed Bonnie's number. Bonnie was hesitant about giving Lucy a spell to block Klaus' location but after she was assured that Elena knew what was going on, she gave in. She recited the spell to Lucy while she typed it in her phone's notebook, making sure everything was spelled correctly so she wouldn't cast it wrong. That would mess everything up.

While she was on the phone with Bonnie, Stefan's phone rang twice. The first call was Joel with a makeshift plan where Jeremy gave Alaric the wrong location of where they were burying Klaus, so they could get the white oak stake off of him. The second call was Caroline and she sounded pretty upset.

She was so hysterical that Lucy had to give her phone to Stefan so he could talk to Bonnie while she calmed down Caroline.

"Caroline, what's wrong?"

"_Alaric outed us all to the counsel_," Caroline cried into the phone. "_They know about us."_

Lucy's heart skipped nervously. "All of us?"

"_Yeah_," she confirmed. "_They know about Tyler, me, Stefan, Damon, and Joel. They know about you and Bonnie, too."_

Lucy pinched the bridge of her nose; as if they didn't have enough to deal with. "A witch and vampire hunt, huh?"

"_No kidding_," Caroline agreed. "_Listen, after Rebekah has Klaus' body, Tyler and I are leaving. I don't think I'll get to say goodbye, Luce."_

"Don't say goodbye, Care," tears stung Lucy's eyes. "I can't handle another goodbye."

"_Lucy, if anything happens—"_

"Seriously, Care, don't…"

"_I love you, Lucy Eleanora Gilbert_," Caroline ignored her pleads. "_You're the best platonic soul mate ever."_

"Caroline Elizabeth Forbes," Lucy choked down a sob that was threatening to come out of her mouth. "I love you, too. I'm gonna miss you so much."

"_I'll miss you too_," Caroline sobbed. "_Give Stefan my love. Be careful, Luce."_

"You too, Care."

Lucy locked Stefan's phone and inhaled sharply, ignoring Stefan's sympathetic look. She pulled herself together and promised to cry later. Right now, she had to get the rest of the spell from Bonnie and hide Klaus.

Stefan held her phone out to her and she grabbed. "Bonnie, you still there?"

"I'm here, Luce."

An hour later, Stefan had bought a storage locker at the border of Tennessee and had already put Klaus in place. Lucy stayed in the car and kept an eye out in case Alaric knew what was actually going on and somehow showed up to kill Klaus. She repeated the spell over and over in her head until Stefan retrieved her from the SUV.

"He's hidden for now," Stefan informed her as they walked through the storage building. "I'm sure he'll be comfortable until Rebekah shows up for him."

"Why does this feel like a custody exchange," Lucy muttered, shaking his head. "What locker is he in? As long as he's unspelled, Alaric is one witch away from finding him."

"This way," Stefan grabbed her elbow and turned down a long aisle. The numbers on the storage units were climbing through the thousands. "I took a page out of Damon's playbook."

"What?" Lucy raised an eyebrow at him. "666? 420? 6969?"

"No, but that's what anyone would think because it's pretty obvious," Stefan pointed at her as they slowed down and stopped in front of an unassuming unit. "So…I picked 1020."

Lucy nodded, impressed, as he opened the locker. Klaus' casket was settled inside by itself. "I don't want to say this, but I think Damon's playbook has good ideas."

"I read most of them," Stefan joked. "It's mostly drinking games and costume ideas."

"Costumes?"

"You don't want to know."

Lucy grimaced, catching the hidden meaning in his words and walked over to the coffin. She pulled open the top and, while she expected Klaus' eyes to open, Stefan did not. He jerked as Klaus blinked at them, a grimace on his gorgeous face.

"That's creepy," he muttered.

"Yeah," Lucy nodded. "Can you give me a minute? I want to say goodbye to him. Just in case."

"Sure," Stefan agreed easily. "I'll go take a lap."

"Thanks, Broody," Lucy smiled sweetly as Stefan as he left the unit, closing the door behind him.

She turned back to Klaus, ready to tell him what really was going on. "I'm supposed to block you from locater spells," she informed him. "but Bonnie and I don't think that will be enough."

"If you die, everyone else dies and that can't happen," she continued with a sigh. "Not to mention, I'm kind of fond of you, so I don't exactly want my vampire father to stab you in the heart. So, here's what we're gonna do," she braced her arms on the coffin. "I'm gonna protect you, so if Alaric gets to you, you won't die."

"Well, your spirit won't," she corrected herself. "Bonnie said you have to be a body like your own, so, you'll be catching a ride in Tyler's head if anything happens. Sound good?"

Klaus just blinked at her.

"Great," Lucy smiled down at him. "Let's get going, all right?"

Lucy siphoned magic from her necklace and started casting the spells that she and Bonnie discussed. She and Bonnie were the only people who knew about the extra spell she was putting on Klaus but it needed to be kept secret in case Alaric went around asking questions. If anything happened, Klaus would be safe and so would all the vampires she knew and loved.

She finished the spells and left the unit, walking out of the aisle to find Stefan. She found him in the garage where they parked the SUV, talking to Damon on the phone.

"Lucy just finished," he spoke into the phone. "Rebekah should be here soon to pick up the body."

Lucy couldn't hear what Damon replied with but Stefan replied, "Will do," he paused, perking up when he heard something on the other side of the building. "I have to go, Rebekah's here."

Stefan pocketed his phone and turned toward Lucy before freezing, his eyes widening in horror. Before Lucy could even ask what as wrong, an arm slipped around her neck and started tightening.

Lucy choked from the pressure against her throat and inhaled, stiffening when she recognized Alaric's cologne.

"Let her go," Stefan said cautiously, glaring at Alaric. "How'd you even find us?"

"You'd be amazed at how competent law enforcement is when it's not corrupted by vampires," Alaric hissed at him. "Now, where is Klaus?"

"He's in a storage locker," Lucy wheezed. "Have fun finding him."

Alaric unwrapped his arm from her neck and threw her at the wall. As Stefan leapt toward him, he easily snapped his neck. Lucy screamed in shock but before she could even think about protecting herself, Alaric grabbed her head and slammed it against the wall, knocking her out.

When his neck healed, Stefan woke up. His eyes immediately went to Lucy, who was still knocked out, but he could hear someone calling his name. Someone who was a woman, had a weird accent, and was definitely not Alaric.

Reluctant to leave Lucy by herself, Stefan sped out of the garage and to Rebekah's side. When he saw her, he hurriedly pressed his finger against his lips, urging her to be quiet. Rebekah nodded, immediately understanding the situation.

They sped through the building, locating the unit Stefan put Klaus' coffin in. They unlocked it and rushed him back through the aisles and to the garage. They were just about to put the coffin in the SUV when Alaric sped in front of them.

Rebekah was taken out first; Alaric grabbed her and slammed her against the SUV before throwing her at the wall next to Lucy. Stefan lunged for him but was easily kicked out of the way, landing in a heap next to both of the sisters.

Alaric opened up Klaus' coffin and pulled out the white oak stake. Stefan got to his feet and Rebekah was only able to scream in terror as Alaric plunged the stake past the steel chains into Klaus' heart.

As Klaus' body lit up in flames, Stefan grabbed Rebekah as she tried to get to her brother.

"Go!" he urged her. "Run! Go now!"

Alaric took the stake out of Klaus' body and slammed the coffin shut, turning to face Stefan and Rebekah. "Next?"

"Rebekah, go!"

Rebekah ran out of the storage building in a blur while Stefan ran toward Alaric, hoping to buy her some time. Alaric simply threw him out of the way before speeding after the blonde Original.

When Lucy woke up, the first thing she saw was forest-green. Stefan peered down at her worriedly as she winced and held the back of her aching head, sitting up to look around the garage.

"What happened?" she asked quietly. "Where's Alaric?"

"He went after Rebekah," Stefan answered her quietly. "Luce, he killed Klaus."

"What?" Lucy hurried to her feet and rushed over to the coffin.

The fire that had struck up when Alaric staked Klaus had burned out from lack of oxygen but it wasn't hard to see that Klaus was supposed to be dead. She sighed and pressed her forehead against the ridge of the coffin; she just hoped that her spell worked.

"Lucy…"

Lucy sobered up when she realized that Stefan thought he was going to die. Lucy wasn't exactly sure that the spell worked but she hoped it would—Bonnie said that it would. She turned toward Stefan, noticing the lost look on his face.

"You're gonna be fine," Lucy assured him, taking his hands.

"No, Luce, I'm not."

"Yes, you are," she insisted. "I promise, Stefan. I'm not gonna lose you."

Stefan clearly thought that she was in denial; she was about to lose him, her brother, and her best friend all in one go. He shook his head, his eyes blurring with tears. If he was gonna go, he didn't want her to watch.

"You should go," he requested, pressing his forehead to hers. "Take the car and go, Luce. Please."

"Stefan, you're not gonna die," Lucy said firmly. "Everything's gonna be okay. You're fine and you're gonna stay that way."

"Lucy."

She could see that he wasn't believing her, so she elaborated. "I did a spell on Nik," she admitted; Stefan's eyes widened in shock. "He's fine."

"You did what?" he breathed.

"Bonnie and I had to protect you guys," Lucy reached up and placed her hand on his cheek. "Everyone is gonna be okay. Nik should be in Tyler's body right about now."

"Wait, what?"

Lucy closed her eyes and shook her head; clearly Stefan was still in shock. She pulled away from her place against Stefan and gasped when she saw that Alaric had doubled back. Apparently he hadn't caught Rebekah, which was good news, but now his angry sights were on Stefan.

"Alaric," she breathed, reaching up for her necklace.

Alaric blurred toward her, pushing her away from Stefan. Stefan quickly jumped into action, but it wasn't much of a fight. Despite Stefan giving it his all, Alaric was much, much stronger.

Lucy slowly got to her feet, her whole body aching, and siphoned from her necklace. She held out her glowing-red hand toward Alaric and gritted her teeth, trying to cast the strongest pain-inflicting spell she had ever tried. Alaric grimaced but was barely affected; if anything, now his attention was on her.

Lucy stumbled back when he took slow steps toward her, working through the spell she was casting on him.

"Dad, if any part of you is in there, you'll stop," Lucy pleaded, hoping that she could just break through to him.

"I'm not your father," Alaric spat at her. "Not anymore. You're an abomination, Lucy. Just like the rest of the vampires and witches."

Lucy flinched, never expecting to hear those words come out of Alaric's mouth. She knew it wasn't really Alaric but it was his voice and his mouth spitting at her. She resolved herself, straightening up.

She twisted the hand she held out toward him and clenched it into a fist, muttering a quick incantation. Alaric stopped in his tracks and coughed, blood dripping out of his mouth and onto the concrete floor. Lucy grunted with the effort she was putting into the spell, glancing behind him to see that Stefan was still out from his back being snapped in half.

Alaric chuckled bitterly and spat more blood onto the floor. "You're weak," he sneered at her. "and I'm gonna kill you."

Blood dripped from her nose as Lucy shook her head. "No, you're not."

She held out her other hand toward him, using the large amount of magic she siphoned to twist his arm. The bone snapped, his arm twisting awkwardly, and he winced but started walking toward her again.

The bones in his leg snapped but he popped back up. His left arm snapped but he just shook it out, unbothered. Everything that she was throwing at him, he resisted—she set his legs on fire and he quickly stomped them out, she tried to break his back and the bones didn't move. Nothing was working.

She was going to die. She was going to be killed by her own father.

And then, Alaric's head twisted sharply, the bones in his neck breaking and then quickly healing. He jerked in surprise and shook his head, looking down at his hands.

"What's happening?"

"Alaric?" Lucy lowered her hands and rushed forward, seeing that his hands were starting to desiccate. "Ric?"

Alaric choked as he fell to his knees, his neck starting to gray.

Elena's dying—that was the only thought in her head. Her eyesight blurred as she grabbed Alaric's body, holding him to her chest as the rest of him desiccated.

"You're not dead, Dad," Lucy sobbed, shaking him. "You can't be dead. Wake up, wake up, wake up!"

But Alaric didn't wake up and it made it hard for Lucy to catch her breath. Alaric was dead and so was Elena. Her sister was dead.

"No…" Lucy sobbed, resting her head on Alaric's cheek.

Her heart was breaking and her chest ached so bad she thought she was having a heart attack. She thought that she'd known grief and she did—but not like this. Alaric and Elena dying at once threatened to drown her like driving off Wickery Bridge didn't.

Elena was gone. She was just gone and there was nothing Lucy could do about it. The sister that she argued half of her life with, the sister that protected her, the sister that loved her so much, the sister that she loved unconditionally. Her sister was gone.

When was the last time she even spoke to Elena? She couldn't even remember. Lucy hadn't said goodbye to her when she left with Stefan to hide Klaus' body and before that, they weren't speaking much. She didn't even know if Elena knew how much she loved her.

"Lucy…Lucy…Lucy…"

Lucy could barely hear Stefan through her grief. She heard hints of his voice but nothing that stuck with her. She couldn't recall if he said anything important or if he was telling her complete nonsense.

"Lucy."

"They're dead," she mumbled, her cries starting to subside. She was numb and she didn't want to cry anymore. "They're dead. Elena's dead."

"Lucy, Damon gave her his blood," Stefan reminded her as he sat next to her on the floor, his own heart heavy.

"…what?" Lucy opened her eyes to look at him.

"Damon gave her his blood," he repeated patiently, stroking her wet cheek with his thumb. "She's gonna be okay. Elena will wake up."

Relief spread through Lucy, making her limbs tingle and her lungs relax. She leaned away from Alaric and slumped into Stefan's side, unable to keep her eyes open. There was still grief lingering inside but now that she knew Elena was going to be okay, it was better.

Elena would be a vampire but at least she would be alive.


	60. A New Era

**[4x01; Growing Pains]**

Lucy looked down at the canvas in front of her; her pallet of watercolors was to the left, her mason jar full of water right above it, and her selection of paint brushes to the right of the canvas. Stefan was across from her, his things assembled in an exact mirror of hers.

She could feel him staring at her but she ignored it, twisting her lips thoughtfully as she stared at the blank canvas. She had no idea what she wanted to do or if she actually wanted to paint. What she wanted was be there for Elena but Joel, Damon, and Stefan quickly put a stop to her plan.

It frustrated her but after they explained that Elena would have to learn to control her blood lust, she understood. She wasn't happy about the fact that Elena would wake up as a vampire and she wasn't there to offer her support. Still, it wasn't about her and if staying away would help Elena, she would.

Lucy leaned forward, picking up her paint pallet and the one in front of Stefan before standing up to put them back with her other paints.

"You don't want to paint?" Stefan got to his feet, collecting the mason jars full of untouched water.

"No, I don't," Lucy shook her head while stacking the canvases back in the piles with the others.

Stefan was a blur as he sped into the bathroom and dumped the water. He appeared a second later and sat at the foot of her bed. She didn't like the look of concern he was giving her; she was grateful that he was worried for her but felt like he thought she would break.

But she wouldn't. Sure, Alaric died but everyone else lost him, too. And Elena…Elena had died and now she was gonna be something she never wanted to be. Her emotions would be all over the place so Lucy needed to be strong for her.

"Lucy…"

"I'm fine, Stefan," she told him quickly; she didn't believe her words and neither did Stefan. "Look, I can grieve Ric when Elena's okay."

Stefan gave her a small smile and stood up, walking over to her and wrapping her up into a hug. He kissed the top of her head as she leaned her forehead against his collar bone, whispering a quick promise of his love.

Lucy leaned away from him with a weak smile. "I love you, too," she said quickly before sighing heavily. "Will you do something with me? I don't think I can do it by myself."

"Of course I will," Stefan nodded. "What is it?"

"I need to arrange a place for Ric in the Gilbert plot," she told him, her lips twisting sadly. "and I have to order a headstone."

Stefan nodded and kissed her forehead. He admired her so much; she was being so strong when faced with everything that was going on in her life.

Because they were outed to the town council, Lucy and Stefan made sure they were inconspicuous and quick as they set up Alaric's grave. It was a quick process as Lucy arranged to the last spot in the Gilbert plot to be dug up for Alaric with the owner and caretaker of the cemetery. When they were done, they went straight to the place who made the headstones for the rest of the family members who had died.

While Lucy had talked to the owner of the shop, Stefan was on the phone with Joel, who was giving them news about Elena. After his call was done and he and Lucy were left to design Alaric's headstone, he told Lucy what was going on.

Lucy looked at him in shock. "Bonnie's trying to find a way out of this for Elena?"

Stefan nodded. "She and Joel seem to think there might be a way."

"There isn't," she shook her head; Bonnie and Joel were just getting Elena's hopes up for something that was impossible. "Elena has one choice; feed or die."

"I'm inclined to agree with you, Luce, but you know Elena," Stefan sighed as Lucy scrolled through the different fonts they had to choose from. "She told me she didn't want to be a vampire."

"Then she's going to die," Lucy stated matter-of-factly; it shocked Stefan that she seemed so casual about her sister dying. Seeing the look on his face, she quickly clarified, "I don't want her to die, I really don't, but if it's her choice not to feed…I have to accept that."

Stefan nodded; he knew that free will was one of the things that Lucy advocated for the most. She had siphoned Klaus' compulsion from him and accepted that Alaric didn't want to transition for that very reason.

"Well, she has time to decide what to do," he stated.

Lucy pressed her lips together. "Yeah."

After finishing up with the order and paying for it, Lucy and Stefan split up. Stefan was going to bring Elena, Jeremy, and Joel some lunch from the Grill while Lucy was going to pick up Matt from the hospital and tell Caroline about the Tyler and Klaus situation.

Surprisingly, Caroline took the fact that Klaus was riding around in Tyler's body all right. She was worried at first but when Lucy assured her that she and Bonnie would put him into a different hybrid, she felt better about the whole thing.

With Caroline calmed down, it was Matt's turn to be worried about. When his truck went off Wickery Bridge, he had almost drowned. After Joel and Damon got the call from Rebekah, who ran the truck off the bridge in the first place, the two went to rescue Matt and Elena.

Elena's neck snapped on impact, though, so she was dead before the vampires could get to the submerged vehicle. While Damon had pulled Elena from the truck, Joel was tasked with saving Matt.

Matt was understandably upset about the whole thing. He brushed off the comfort Lucy and Caroline tried to give him and had demanded very insistently to his nurse that he be released.

"Elena doesn't want to be a vampire," Matt said to them angrily as he pulled on his plaid shirt.

"She doesn't want to be dead and now she's not," Caroline replied. "This isn't your fault, Matt."

"This is my fault," Matt insisted. "I was driving, I was saved. She's a vampire because of me!"

"Okay, first of all, you were saved because _you_ were still alive, Matt. Elena was already dead," Lucy said firmly, trying to get him to see to reason. "Second of all, you have to keep your voice down, okay? Caroline's a fugitive and who knows what the council will do to me."

Matt calmed down slightly and gave them an apologetic look. "If the council's after you guys, then why are you here?"

"Because Elena has a decision to make and I want to be by her side when she makes it," Lucy told him.

"And we can't leave until Klaus is out of Tyler's body," Caroline added.

"Besides, you're our friend, Matt," Lucy grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "We wanted to see if you were okay."

Matt sighed heavily, his lips quirking into a small smile, and brought her and Caroline into a group hug. The two of them returned the hug until Caroline stiffened and pulled away, looking at the door with wide eyes.

She hurriedly pushed Lucy toward the bathroom, whispering something about a council member, and then left out the window. Lucy stood quietly in the bathroom, hand over her mouth, as Matt defensively questioned the man who entered his room without permission.

Once the man left and Matt called her name, she left the bathroom. If the council was looking through the hospital for vampires, that couldn't mean anything good. They were officially on the move and taking a stand, which meant Stefan, Caroline, Joel, Damon, Tyler, and Elena were in danger.

She and Matt looked at each other in realization. "We should check on the others."

No sooner did Lucy and Matt leave the hospital that they got a call from Liz. Caroline had been ambushed and taken by the town council outside of their house. There was more bad news than that, too. Damon had called Liz and it turned out that Stefan, Elena, and Joel were taken by the council after they broke into the house and attacked.

Lucy drove faster when she hung up with Liz, trying not to panic at the thought of her best friend, siblings, and boyfriend being taken somewhere to be killed. Matt was a big help in keeping her calm, assuring her that he, Damon, and Liz were going to help her get them back.

Surprisingly, Meredith was at the house with Damon when they arrived. Before Lucy even had time to ask her why she was there, Damon had sped over to Matt and was pressing him against the wall, his hand clenched tightly around his throat.

"Damon!" Lucy shouted at him as Damon bared his fangs to Matt threateningly.

Damon ignored her and growled at Matt, "In what world are you the one that gets to live?"

Matt choked from lack of oxygen but didn't dare fight back. Lucy shook her head in exasperation and siphoned some of the last magic she had in her necklace. She raised her hand toward Damon and moved it to the left, picking him up and throwing him across the room.

"Damon, Elena's death was not Matt's fault and you know it," she glared pointedly at the oldest Salvatore. "If you touch him again, I'm gonna snap your neck."

Damon rolled his eyes at her as he got back to his feet. "Oh, I'm sure, Twitch."

"Stop," Meredith spoke up firmly, giving Lucy, Damon, and Matt a firm look. "Look, we have to work together to find out what's going on."

"We know what's going on," Damon argued. "They're gone. Whoever nailed Rebekah took them, too."

Lucy paused at the mention of Rebekah. She hadn't known that she was taken too but she was a little bit assured that the council didn't have the white oak stake. There wasn't a way to kill her without it. Despite her anger with her oldest sister, she was glad she wasn't in imminent danger with the council like the rest of her vampire loved ones.

There was a quick knock on the door before it opened and Liz entered the house.

"Caroline called me," she told them. "apparently Klaus and Tyler rescued her or something, she was a little blurry on the details."

Lucy sighed in relief; Caroline was safe, now there were four left to rescue.

"Okay, please tell me you have something other than that," Damon sighed, unconcerned with Caroline's safety. "Anything."

"I can't," Liz shook her head. "The council locked Carol and me out of our offices, files, computers…everything."

Damon gave her a look of pure disbelief. "So, the mayor and the sheriff never contemplated a back-plan, Liz?"

Lucy sighed, fed up with his anger putting a pause to the real problem. "Damon, relax," she advised him before turning to Liz. "When Care called you, did she know where they were planning to take her?"

"No," Liz shook her head. "just that she was in some van in the middle of nowhere."

"Perfect," Damon muttered bitterly. "We've narrowed it down to nowhere."

"Look, with your vervain and Ric's weapons, they could be anywhere," Meredith sighed.

"It takes a lot to hold a vampire," Damon started pacing across the living room as he tried to think of where the others could be. "Reinforced steel, iron doors…"

"The pastor has a cattle ranch," Matt spoke up thoughtfully; everyone turned to him curiously. "Those pens could easily be modified."

Lucy nodded in agreement. "It's remote and secluded."

Damon thought for only a few seconds before he nodded. "Fine, let's go," he finally agreed before looking straight at Matt. "Looks like you'll get the chance to redeem yourself."

"Bonnie, I'm telling you to wait," Lucy spoke into her phone pleadingly, wishing Bonnie would just listen to her. "Once I'm done with this, I'll come and help."

Bonnie had called her on the way to the cattle ranch, frantically telling her that she had tried to save Elena but the spirits wouldn't let her. She had passed out trying to and now Jeremy was adamant that she didn't try again. Her magic was absolutely exhausted and now Klaus was demanding that he be put back into his body—which was preserved with Alaric cut off the oxygen supply to the fire his body was engulfed with when he was staked.

Lucy had told her that she would come help her after rescuing Stefan, Joel, Elena, and Rebekah but she wasn't listening. If Bonnie pushed herself too far, her magic may disappear forever.

"_Okay_," Bonnie finally sighed. "_I'll try to stall Klaus but I make no promises."_

"I'll contact him," Lucy sighed, giving Damon a hard look when he nudged her insistently. "I gotta go, Bon. I'll see you soon."

"_Be careful."_

"You, too."

Lucy hung up the call and immediately drafted a text message to Tyler's phone, hoping that Klaus was still holding onto it. She told him to wait until she could do the spell herself and then sent the message.

"Okay," she turned toward Damon, who was glaring out the windshield of his precious Camaro. "What's the plan?"

"Me and the quarterback back there came up with one," Damon told her tensely. "You just worry about getting to Elena, Stefan, and Joel."

"They'll probably be in the building closest to the house," Matt informed her, having been to the pastor's house many of times when he was in middle school. Before he was the main pastor at the Mystic Falls Baptist Church, he had been a little league coach for the team that Matt and Tyler played on.

"Sounds like a plan," Lucy agreed while looking back at Damon. "I'm gonna need to—"

Damon held out his arm without a word; Lucy gave him a thankful look and grabbed onto it. Her palm and Damon's arm—where she was touching it, anyway—glowed red as she started siphoning from him. The powerful buzz she always got while siphoning flooded through her body and made her feel euphoric but she cut herself off when she had enough magic for the rescue.

Damon winced from the pain but said nothing.

"Thanks," she whispered when she pulled away. She kept the magic in her body since they were close to the ranch; she would use the magic from Tyler to get Klaus back into his original body later.

They arrived to the pastor's ranch only minutes later. Damon parked out in the front and the three of them piled out ceremoniously.

"Okay," Lucy hovered on Matt's right side as they stared at Pastor Young's house. "We should probably start that plan you guys made…"

"With pleasure," Damon muttered before he lunged at Matt. Before Lucy could even react, Damon had ripped into Matt's throat and drank some of his blood.

He roughly pushed Matt on the ground, blood around his mouth, and turned to the house. "Yoo-hoo!" he called tauntingly. "Anybody home? Big, bad vampire out here!"

Lucy's panicked eyes darted from Matt to Damon and then the house where the door was being opened. Pastor Young appeared behind his screen door but he didn't dare leave his house.

"Let him go," Pastor Young called to Damon. "the boy's innocent."

"Well, that's the point!" Damon snarked. "Give us Elena, Stefan, and Joel and he's all yours."

When Pastor Young hesitated, Damon grabbed Matt by the back of his neck and stood up. "Come on, Pastor," he goaded the older man. "You know I'll kill him. I _want_ to kill him."

Lucy bit her lip nervously. Damon was going off the rails; she'd have to fight him, too, if he decided to kill Matt just to make a point.

"Go away!" Pastor Young shouted. "You're not invited in and I'm not coming out!"

A shot went off and Lucy immediately ducked, grabbing Matt and pulling him onto the ground. Damon was shot in the process, falling to the ground next to them. When Lucy scrambled over to Damon and dug the wooden bullet out of his shoulder, he grabbed her arm.

"When I attack these fools—" he nodded to the two men armed with huge guns that were approaching them. "you run. Go get them, okay?"

Lucy nodded. "Okay," she breathed. "be careful."

The two men got closer; when Damon jumped to his feet and used his vampire speed to grab one of them, Lucy took off. She ran around the house, spotting the nearest building only a hundred or so yards away; it had smoke billowing out of the roof and she could smell the vervain in the air.

Matt was right, they were in there.

Lucy readied herself when a man ran out of the building, his gun cocked and aimed. She raised her hand and waved it toward him, throwing him against the building. The man groaned in pain but Lucy kept running, using more magic to knock him out against the hard metal sheeting covering the outside of the barn.

The large barn door swung open as another man walked out, having heard the commotion of Lucy attacking his friend. With a clench of her fist, his gun flung out of his hands and he was slumping toward the ground, unconscious.

It almost seemed too easy but Lucy _had_ been practicing with Joel and Alaric before everything with Esther went down. As she went to enter the barn, she stopped, hearing Rebekah's soothing voice speak to one of the last guards.

"Here's the thing," Rebekah said weakly. "My family, we—we have money, castles, apartments, jewelry…Just name your price and let me out."

"I'd much rather you die," the guard spat at Rebekah just as Lucy entered the barn. He aimed his gun at her, cocking it threateningly; Lucy held up her hands and gave him an innocent look. "Stop! Get the fuck out of here."

Behind the guard, Lucy saw Rebekah and Stefan step closer to the bars keeping them inside the stalls. They each nodded at her; she didn't take time to even think about what they were trying to tell her. She just went with her instincts.

The guard was shouting something at her but she didn't listen she simply waved her hand; the man flew through the air toward Rebekah's stall and the blonde took the opportunity to grab the man's neck. She forcefully snapped it and let the body fall to the hay-covered ground.

"Lucy!" Stefan was quick to get her attention. "Elena hasn't fed."

Lucy blinked and looked around, trying to find the stall her sister was locked in. Joel was yelling at her, giving her the location of Elena and she followed his voice. Elena was sat against the wall of her stall, pale and weak.

She looked so dead that it made Lucy gasp.

"Luce?" Elena breathed as Lucy hurried to try to unlock her stall. "You're here."

Lucy's eyes stung as they filled with tears. "Yeah, I'm here, Lena," she finally got the door open and knelt down next to her. "What do you want to do?"

It was up to Elena whether or not Lucy would give her blood. It was her choice.

"Blood," Elena said weakly. "I need blood."

Lucy didn't waste time, she pulled one of the bobby pins from her hair and pulled the protective covering off her with teeth. She pressed down hard on the skin of her wrist with the newly sharpened edge, creating a small cut.

"Here," Lucy held her wrist up to Elena, looking away so she couldn't see the blood.

Elena weakly grabbed her arm and pressed her mouth to the cut. She began drinking, much rougher than when Stefan drank from her that one time, making Lucy wince in pain. She only expected Elena to drink a little so she would complete her transition but Lucy could feel herself getting weaker with each pull her sister took from her wrist.

"Elena, stop. Stop."

Elena listened to her and pulled away; the whites of her eyes were red, veins popped out from underneath them, and her canine teeth were sharpened into fangs. "Oh, my God," she whimpered when she saw Lucy slump away from her. "I'm so sorry, Lucy."

Lucy waved her off; she'd heal. "Go find Damon," she told her. "I'll get them out."

Elena nodded and sped out of the stall, using her vampire speed for the very first time. Lucy slowly got to her feet, using the bars to help her up, and went to Stefan's cell. She could feel his worried gaze on her as she fumbled with the lock but she couldn't get distracted. Her eyesight was going blurry and she had to get the door unlocked before she passed out.

Just as she pulled out the last part of the lock, she felt herself crumple to the ground, the world around her going black.

"Lucy, this can wait until you're feeling better," Stefan insisted, pacing back and forth in front of her bed as she flipped through the pages of her grimoire. "It's only been an hour. Elena will be fine for a night."

"No, the sun's almost setting," Lucy was being stubborn and it irritated Stefan. Her skin was still so pale and the bandage wrapped around her wrist had him flinching every time he got a glimpse of it. She wouldn't let him heal her, though. "I want to get this done."

"And why can't Bonnie do it?"

"Because my brother is an asshole who doesn't know how to be patient," Lucy huffed. "He forced Bonnie to transfer him back over to his body and now her magic's messed up or something. Caroline couldn't really explain but she said Bonnie couldn't do it."

"Well, is she okay?"

"I'll check on her tomorrow," Lucy looked up and gave him a small smile as she turned to a certain page. "Found it. Do you have the ring?"

Stefan nodded and dug his hands into his jeans, pulling out the lapis lazuli ring Damon had picked out for Elena. "Here you go," he handed it to Lucy as she hopped off her bed. "Are you sure this is the right spell?"

"Yep," Lucy confirmed, walking across her bedroom to her window seat where the last light of the day was streaming. She set the ring down and read through the daylight spell once more to make sure it was correct.

Lucy had siphoned some magic from Stefan earlier so all she had to do was cast the spell. She closed her eyes and recited the incantation in her head, casting the protective spell on the ring. Once she was sure it was ready, she opened her eyes and turned to Stefan with a smile.

Stefan couldn't resist giving her once of his handsome smiles back. "Is it done?" when Lucy nodded, he went on, "Are you feeling okay? Do you need something to eat? Some juice?"

"I'm okay, Broody," she assured him, walking across the room to wrap her arms around his waist. "Though, maybe some coconut cake will help me feel a little bit better."

Stefan grinned fondly. "You and your coconut cake," he kissed her forehead. "Hey, I was thinking…"

"Uh-oh," Lucy mocked him playfully.

"Very funny," he stuck his tongue out her. "You're being all sarcastic while I'm trying to ask you to be my girlfriend."

Lucy reared back in surprise. "Your girlfriend?"

"Yeah, that's usually the next progression of a relationship when a man and a woman confess their love for each other…"

Lucy rolled her eyes in amusement. "Who's being sarcastic now?"

Stefan chuckled and quickly pressed his lips against hers. When he pulled away he dramatically asked, "Lucy Gilbert, will you be my girlfriend?"

"If You kiss me again, I will," Lucy dared, looking at him with a loving smile.

Stefan's grin widened into the full-blown dimpled smile that Lucy adored. "Well, how can I resist a deal like that?"

And, as if they were in a romantic comedy, he dipped her and silenced her happy squeal with a passionate kiss.


	61. Letting Go

**[4x02; Memorial]**

Something tickling her neck woke Lucy up from the weird dream about a world made of cotton candy. She giggled slightly as she tried to roll away from whatever was happening. The feeling went with her, though, making her laughter deepen. She tried brushing the thing off her neck and it went away for only a second before it descended on her lower neck, just above her collar bone.

She squeaked through her giggles; in her dream, a candy cotton monster was reaching toward her, digging his soft fingers into her neck to make her laugh until she couldn't breathe.

"Are you ticklish there?"

Lucy's eyes shot open at the voice that definitely didn't belong to her beloved cotton candy monster. She didn't see anything in front of her, just the door to her bathroom, but she could feel a weight against her back. She panicked for a second before relaxing, her sleepy mind catching up with the fact that Stefan had fallen asleep at her side the night before.

And, now, apparently he was up. _All_ of him.

Stefan pressed his lips against the spot again and blew slightly, making a silly noise. Lucy squealed and flipped over, facing him with bright, yet slightly tired eyes. Stefan's green eyes were lit up and he looked so happy that her heart definitely melted in her chest.

"You are, aren't you?" he smirked.

"I am not," Lucy protested.

Stefan raised a single eyebrow and took his hand from off her hip, using two of his fingers to lightly tickle the spot he had been kissing. Lucy jerked away from him, her nose wrinkling as she squirmed. Stefan laughed loudly, making the tickling torture very much worth it.

"Stefan, no!" she giggled madly.

Stefan didn't stop tickling her neck. In fact, his other hand actually wandered, looking for another ticklish spot. He found one on her side, right under the band of her sports bra. Lucy jerked and stilled and then it was utter chaos as she started fighting back. They flipped over about three times while Stefan fought off Lucy's curled fingers while still on the offense.

And then, somehow, Lucy ended up straddling him and the tickle war was over.

Lucy stared down at Stefan with wide eyes, her hands tucked in between his. He was so beautiful. And not just in the stop-and-stare kind of way. He was handsome and sexy. Super sexy…Sexy-Stef…

Lucy couldn't hide the smirk curling her lips as she thought of his new nickname. Stefan didn't waste time in asking her what she was smiling about. He lifted his head just enough so he could kiss her. Lucy immediately returned the kiss; if Stefan didn't care about her morning breath, she wouldn't either.

She could feel everything at once when she was kissing Stefan. She could feel the way his soft lips caressed hers. She could feel his hands let go of hers and place them on her body; one holding the side of her neck while the other one drifted down her back lazily. She felt like she could feel his heartbeat and she could definitely feel his hardness against her ass. It was a lot but it felt damn good.

She buried her fingers in his hair, making it messier than it already was because of his night of sleep. She gasped softly when Stefan sucked on her bottom lip; he swallowed the noise and used more pressure as the hand on her back slowly trailed down to her short-clad backside. Stefan groaned against Lucy's lips when her hips rocked against him; Lucy took the opportunity to kiss across his cheek and down his jaw until she reached his neck.

Lucy hadn't really thought of being intimate with Stefan like this before. Of course, she knew he was the hottest guy on earth—besides Chris Evans but she couldn't tell him that—and she had a dream once or twice but she had always told herself that she and Stefan weren't going to happen. Since they had confessed their love for one another, there hadn't really been time to think about sex—they had more important things to work about.

But this…this was better than she expected. The quiet noises Stefan made as she sucked on his neck, using her tongue every so often, were beautiful. He smelled absolutely amazing and his skin was so soft. Everything about him was intoxicating in the best way.

Stefan placed his hands on Lucy's hips as he sat up to get better access to her. When she detached herself from his neck, there was a red mark that was rapidly fading. It was disappointing that her mark was healing but she was immediately distracted when Stefan kissed her throat right under her ear. Unlike the ticklish spot above her collar bone, this spot made her whole body tingle with pleasure

"Stefan," she breathed, her chest heaving. When he nibbled a little on her skin, not enough to break it, she groaned. "Oh, my God."

Stefan hummed against her neck and pulled away, recapturing her lips with his. He gasped against her mouth when she rocked her hips again, rubbing against his cock. He raised his hips to meet her and could have came just from the moan that spilled from her lips.

But then his phone rang.

"Ignore it," Lucy muttered, kissing down to his sharp jaw.

"Okay," the ringing continued as they kept moving against each other, an aching pleasure building in both of their bellies. "God, Luce."

"Mmhm…"

The ringing cut off and then started back up again.

Stefan sighed in aggravation as Lucy groaned in annoyance, pushing herself away from Stefan to land on the bed. The steady climb to her orgasm was officially gone and she was more than irritated with whoever was calling her boyfriend.

Wow, she never thought of Stefan with that word. He was her _boyfriend_. God, what a blessing.

Stefan roughly grabbed his phone off her bedside table and answered the call. Lucy was honestly surprised he hadn't crushed the thing in his fist.

"What?" he snapped. "What? Are you kidding, Damon?"

"It's Damon?" Lucy complained quietly.

"Why can't you teach her?" Stefan sighed heavily. "Well, what about Joel? …You're sure she wants to try animal blood?"

Lucy closed her eyes in annoyance when she realized that the call was about Elena. She loved her sister, she really did, and she was sympathetic about the whole vampire thing but she had been so damn needy the last week or so. She was trying to patient but the hundred times Elena called Stefan with a question that Damon or Joel could easily answer was irritating.

She was starting to suspect that Elena's feelings for him weren't all gone. It sucked for three reasons. One, Damon really loved Elena and Lucy felt bad that Elena still had some lingering feelings for Stefan while trying to work out a relationship with him. Two, she and Stefan were together now. And three, she didn't want to be annoyed about Elena's lingering feelings for him because it'd be hypocritical of her.

It was hard to calm herself down. Especially when things had settled down some and the feelings of Finn and Alaric's deaths were creeping up again. She was mad at Elena and Joel for killing Finn, mad at Esther for making Alaric into a vampire, and made at Rebekah for running Matt's truck off the roof. It was like her emotions were all over the place and she wasn't even the one who was a newbie vamp.

Really, the only times she felt okay was when she was with Stefan, Caroline, or Jeremy. They were calming to her and understood what she was going through. Surprisingly, Jeremy was on her side about the whole Original thing. When he left Mystic Falls, he had been very anti-Original but he confessed his time in Denver put things in prospective for him. He wasn't happy that Lucy had almost died in the process of Elena and Joel killing Finn. Caroline was her ever-loving self when she wasn't having "hot-hybrid sex" with Tyler—her words, not Lucy's—and Stefan was as great as he always was.

When she opened her eyes, Stefan was giving her an apologetic look. She took that to mean that he was going to have to help Elena try to eat from bunnies or Bambi.

"Yeah," Stefan said to Damon. "Yeah, I'll be home soon. Bye."

He ended the call and set the phone back on the nightstand.

"Let me guess," Lucy sighed as she rolled off the bed and made her way to her closet. "Elena needs your help."

"Yeah," Stefan confirmed as he, too, got to his feet. As Lucy pulled out a v-neck t-shirt and a coral cardigan, he walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pressed his lips to her shoulder where the strap of her tank-top fell away. "I'm sorry, Luce."

"It's fine," Lucy leaned her head against his. "I have to go to the school to help with the memorial, anyway."

Only hours after Lucy, Damon, and Matt came to Stefan, Rebekah, Joel, and Elena's rescue at Pastor Young's ranch, there had been an accident. While the council was meeting in the house, there had been a massive explosion. Everyone had died, including Pastor Young, so Mrs. Lockwood, Lucy, Caroline, and the rest of the planning committee had started to prepare for a group memorial.

"What time is that at, anyway?" Stefan allowed Lucy to step out of his arms to grab a pair of skinny jeans and undergarments from her dresser.

"Four," she answered absent-mindedly. "I'll be at the school until one or so. Want to meet for lunch?"

"Sounds good," Stefan grinned at her. "I'll see you then. Love you, Goofy."

Lucy smiled back at him and quickly crossed the room to give him a sweet but short kiss. "Love you, too, Broody. Get outta here."

"Yes, ma'am," he saluted her and, in a blink, he was gone.

"Okay, so what are these again?" Matt asked Lucy as he and Jeremy carried two boxes each from the school out to her car for her.

"Paper lanterns," Jeremy informed him while Lucy unlocked her car and opened the hatch.

While they put the boxes in the back, Lucy explained, "The student council made them for tonight. After the memorial, the town will light them in honor of their dead loved ones."

Matt raised his eyebrows at her. "And nobody thought fire might be a little inappropriate?"

Lucy's face fell in realization. "I didn't even think of that," she felt absolutely horrible. "Oh, my God, I'm horrible."

"No, you're not, Lulu," Jeremy nudged her playfully and gave Matt a warning look. "You had good intentions."

"It's a tradition in Japanese culture," she perked up a little when she remembered the history of lighting paper lanterns. Even if fire wasn't appropriate for the memorial the lanterns would still have a good effect on the loved ones they left behind.

"We aren't Japanese, though," Matt pointed out.

Lucy pressed her lips together and gave him an unimpressed look. "Wow, I had no idea, Matthew."

"Yeah, okay," Matt rolled his eyes and chuckled. As Lucy shut the hatch, he changed the subject. "So…how's Elena doing?"

"She's fine, considering," Jeremy shrugged. It him, Elena was acting normal, if not a little more intense. She was his sister, no matter what species she was—just like Joel.

"If there's anything I can do, you know, short of giving her a ride, you'll let me know, right?" Matt's expression was undoubtedly guilty and it made Lucy's heart hurt. "She's a vampire because of me, so I'd like to pay it back or forward or whatever…"

Lucy sighed; if she had to tell Matt every day that he wasn't the cause of Elena's vampirism she would. "Matty, Elena is not a vampire because of you," she told him sternly. "Rebekah ran you two off the road, okay? Elena's neck snapped and it _wasn't_ your fault."

Matt looked down at the pavement sheepishly as Jeremy agreed. "She's right, dude. It wasn't your fault."

"Regardless," Matt shook his head. "Let me know, okay?"

Jeremy nodded and Lucy reluctantly gave in. "Fine, but you have to stop blaming yourself, okay? It's not your fault. Say it, Matt."

"Come on, Luce," Matt groaned.

"Say it."

Matt gave in just to get her off his back. "Fine, this wasn't my fault."

Lucy beamed up at him. "Good boy."

"Shuddup," Matt shook his head in amusement and pushed her playfully.

Lucy broke out into snickers and Jeremy and Matt joined her. It was nice to laugh in the midst of everything that was going on. She had been a little crabby since Stefan left to help Elena and being with Jeremy and Matt really cheered her up.

"Jeremy?" a voice called behind them. "Lucy?"

Lucy, Jeremy, and Matt abruptly turned around. In front of them was a girl around Jeremy's age, an inch or so shorter than Lucy, with dark black hair and bright blue eyes. Lucy didn't recognize her but there was something familiar about her eyes.

"Hey, uh…" she trailed off, unable to remember a name.

The girl chuckled lightly. "Picture an emo pixie cut and braces."

Jeremy's face lit up in recognition. "April?"

A lightbulb went off above Lucy's head. This was the girl that Elena used to babysit all the time with her and Jeremy. Lucy wasn't good friends with her but April always drifted more toward Jeremy to give her the time of day.

"April Young?" Lucy raised her eyebrows; that would explain why her eyes were so familiar. She was Pastor Young's daughter who was sent off to boarding school a couple years ago; she had the same eyes as her dad.

April nodded with a kind smile. "Yeah."

"You look great," Jeremy grinned at her before looking at Matt. "Do you remember April? Elena used to—"

"Elena used to babysit you, yeah," Matt nodded in greeting. "I remember."

"Yeah, before I got shipped off to boarding school by my dad."

Lucy frowned at the reminder. She wasn't that upset about Pastor Young's death—did that make her a horrible person? —but she did feel bad for April. She was a nice girl and she was now an orphan…just like Lucy and her Gilbert siblings.

"I'm sorry about your dad, April," she said sympathetically.

"Yeah," Jeremy added with a sad smile. "I'm so sorry."

"Thank you," April said gratefully, yet awkwardly. "Sorry, I guess I don't know how to answer when people say that."

"It's hard but, unfortunately, you get used to it."

Lucy could relate; she had just lost all of her fathers. Her adoptive father had died first and that was so hard but she grieved. Then Mikael died and she didn't really feel like she had to grieve because she never really loved him like you should a father. And then it was Alaric who died and she hadn't really been able to process that he was really gone now. He was in the Gilbert plot and his headstone was in place but it still didn't feel real.

"I guess I'm just not much for grief," April shrugged and bit her lip, looking nervous. "I have to go register or something. I think."

April waved and before Lucy, Matt, and Jeremy could say anything else, she stumbled off into the school. The three of them gave each other awkward looks before Jeremy cleared his throat.

"So, where's Caroline?" he wondered. "Isn't she supposed to be helping?"

"Her shift is at one," Lucy informed with a laugh. "She's spending some _time_ with Tyler, if you know what I mean."

Both Matt and Jeremy gave her disgusted looks. "Ew, gross, Luce."

At one, Lucy and Stefan did not get to have their lunch date. They were just about to leave the Boarding House to make their way to the Grill when Caroline called her, upset about something that happened to Tyler. Apparently some random guy entered the Lockwood mansion and shot Tyler and they needed Stefan's help to get the numerous wooden bullets out of Tyler's abdomen.

Lucy could hardly bare to look as Stefan dug four bullets out of Tyler. The fact that the bullets were wooden was very concerning to all of them. That meant that whoever that dude was, he knew about vampires and he knew how to kill them.

"Please tell me that's the last one," Caroline sighed from beside Lucy as Stefan dug the last bullet out of Tyler's chest.

Stefan dipped the bloody bullet into a glass of water, rinsing off the blood. He studied it, his eyebrows furrowing. "These were specially carved," he informed them. "The length, the width. If you were a normal vampire, you would be dead."

"This guy knew what he was doing," Tyler was still in pain by the tense way he held himself. "His gloves must have been steeped in vervain. He was looking for a vampire and he didn't hesitate for a second when he found one."

Stefan was still studying the bullets. "These etchings…" he touched the bullet with his bare fingers and hissed when they made contact, hurriedly pulling away from them. "Well, that was vervain…"

Caroline narrowed her eyes at the dark mark etched into the wooden bullet. "Are they spelled?"

"I don't know," Stefan stated; he held out the bullet for Lucy to see.

She carefully took it and placed it in her palm. It didn't sting like it did to Stefan but she didn't feel any magic coming from it, either.

"I don't feel anything," she told him. "but we can ask Bonnie to be sure."

Stefan raised an eyebrow. "I haven't seen Bonnie all week."

"She's been at her Gram's house," Caroline informed him. "She's been messed up ever since she put Klaus back in his body."

Lucy frowned, worried for her friend. "I'll check on her before the memorial," she declared. "See what's going on."

"I'll go with you," Stefan volunteered.

An hour later, after they were dressed appropriately for the memorial they were going to straight after visiting Bonnie, they arrived at the house Grams left for Bonnie. Bonnie's car was parked in the driveway but when Lucy knocked the first few times, there was no answer.

"Bonnie?" Lucy called. "It's me, Lucy."

Again, there was no answer.

"Bonnie, we know you're in there," Stefan called as he knocked this time. "I can hear you breathing. Bonnie, please, it's important," when Lucy gave him an annoyed look, he shrugged. "What?"

"We're not just visiting because we need something," she scolded him. "We're here to find out what's bothering her, too."

Stefan sighed. "Yeah, I know."

Through the glass window in the door, they saw Bonnie step out of her living room. She looked absolutely miserable with dark circles under her eyes and messy hair. She was even wearing a blanket cape with one of Grams' old quilts.

"Hey," Lucy greeted her quietly as she opened the door. "Are you all right?"

Bonnie's eyes started watering and her lips started to tremble. Lucy stepped into the house and pulled her into a hug, whispering soothing words as Bonnie practically curled into her for comfort.

"Hey, it's all right," she whispered. "What's wrong Bonnie? What happened?"

"Grams," Bonnie was able to say through her tears. Lucy furrowed her eyebrows and twisted her head to give Stefan a questioning look but he just shrugged, unable to step into the house.

"How about you tell me what happened," Lucy suggested. When Bonnie nodded, she asked, "Can Stefan come in?"

"Come in," Bonnie whispered to the youngest Salvatore.

Stefan was able to step into the house. He gave Bonnie a quick but sweet hug that had Lucy awing about how compassionate he was, and then they all went to the living room to talk about what was bothering Bonnie.

When Bonnie had tried to take Elena back from the Other Side, it was Grams that had warned her about the dark magic. And, when Bonnie tapped into it again to put Klaus back into his original body, Grams had appeared. She was tortured right in front of Bonnie until she suddenly disappeared.

"It was like she was dying all over again," Bonnie finished her story. "Just because I didn't listen to her about not doing black magic."

Lucy frowned and squeezed Bonnie's hand. She loved Grams and it hurt her to think about her being in pain so she couldn't begin to imagine how Bonnie felt.

"Well, you're dealing with the Other Side," Stefan tried to offer some comfort. "It's not reliable. The witches were probably just messing with your head, trying to teach you a lesson."

"Well, it worked. I tried to do a basic nature spell this morning, just to clear my head, and it just brought it all back. Like it was happening all over again," Bonnie shook her head sadly and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry I'm a mess. I've been holed up in here, avoiding everyone. I've completely blown off Jamie…You cam here because you needed something, right?"

Lucy frowned guiltily. "It can wait, Bon."

"Oh, come on, Luce," Bonnie rolled her eyes. "If something's wrong, tell me."

Lucy sighed and nodded at Stefan; he took the wrapped bullets from his suit pocket and showed them to Bonnie.

"These burn to the touch," he pointed out the etchings. "They could _just_ be steeped in vervain but this writing—have you ever seen anything like this before?"

"I didn't feel any magic in them but I wanted to be sure," Lucy added on apologetically.

Bonnie quickly looked over the wooden bullets. "No, it's not magical writing," she told them. "Where'd you get these?"

"I think we have a new vampire hunter in town," Stefan sighed heavily, putting the bullets back in his pocket.

"Hmm," Bonnie hummed, almost blankly. "That's bad timing."

Stefan scoffed. "No kidding."

The church bell was ringing by the time Lucy and Stefan arrived at the memorial. It had yet to start but the service was going to begin at any moment. It unnerved Lucy that they were so late because she was supposed to help hand out pamphlets for Mrs. Lockwood. She just hoped Caroline covered for her.

When they arrived, however, they spotted Elena and Damon outside of the church hidden underneath a tree. Elena had just pushed a blood bag in Damon's direction before she walked off to get a seat for the memorial.

When Damon saw Stefan and Lucy, he sighed heavily. "Oh great."

"Did you bring a snack to church?" Lucy asked him with raised eyebrows.

"Oh, you know how it is," Damon waved sarcastically. "Church gets me hungry. The whole blood of Christ thing, you know."

"Are we pretending that you didn't just give that blood bag to Elena?" Stefan spoke up in disbelief. "She wanted animal blood, Damon. Are you that intent on having your way?"

Damon rolled his eyes. "It's not my way, it's the only way."

"She doesn't want to hurt anyone," Stefan argued. "If she does, she'll be desperate to turn the guilt off. Maybe even desperate enough to shut off her humanity."

"What and become a ripper?" Damon asked pointedly.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, Damon. Stefan's just trying to help her."

"She's going to go off the rails anyway," Damon snapped stubbornly. "So, the faster we can make it happen, the sooner we can get her back on track."

"She's strong," Stefan shook his head. "If we all help her, though, she can survive."

Damon's eyes narrowed furiously. "She's starving, Stefan. She hasn't been able to keep blood down for days."

Lucy reared back in shock. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"The four-legged protein shake was a bust, the juice box was a no-go," Damon shook his head. "She can't even keep my blood down."

Lucy didn't understand the weight of what Damon said, but Stefan did. His expression changed abruptly, going from frustrated to happy. He was glad for his brother and was happy that he and Elena were moving forward with their relationship.

"She drank from you?" his tone was light and almost teasing.

"Shut up," Damon jabbed at him before walking away from Lucy and Stefan.

Lucy gave Stefan a confused look as they started walking up the steps to the church. "Why were you so happy when Damon said Elena drank his blood?"

"Because, when vampires blood-share, it's personal," Stefan explained.

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Personal?"

"You know, _personal_."

Lucy was quiet as she thought about what he said. Just as they were about to enter the church, she grabbed his arm and stopped him. "Wait, are you saying that it's personal, as in _sexual_?"

Stefan's eyes gleamed in amusement. "Yes, it's sexual."

Lucy could feel her face flushing as she looked around to see if anyone was listening to their conversation. Thankfully, most of the attendants were already in the church.

"Have you ever blood-shared?"

"No."

"No?"

"It's incredibly intimate," Stefan brushed one of her rogue curls from her neck.

She shivered because she could have sworn he was giving her bedroom eyes. She could feel that tell-tale tingle in her lower belly but she shook her head, trying to distract herself.

"You can't do that."

Stefan smirked at her. "Do what?"

"You can't get me all hot and bothered outside of a _church_, Stefan!"

"Are you all hot and bothered?" the cheesy grin on Stefan's face informed her that he knew exactly what he was doing to her.

Lucy gave him an unamused look—even though she was secretly amused because she absolutely loved when Stefan was in a playful mood—and entered the church. Stefan hurried back to her side and they both stopped next to the pew where Caroline and Tyler were sitting.

Stefan looked at the hybrid in surprise. "What are you doing here, Tyler?"

"Being sensitive to the community's loss," Tyler answered.

"Hmm," Stefan hummed as Lucy nudged an amused Caroline's shoulder, telling her to budge down so they could sit with them. "With a hunter out to get you?"

As Lucy sat next to Caroline and Stefan sat next to her, Tyler said, "I'm not letting a hunter stop me from where I'm supposed to be."

Caroline leaned forward so she could look around Lucy to tell Stefan, "Also, if he shows his face, I'm gonna kick his ass."

"Caroline," Lucy hissed quietly. "Language."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Oh, you're hardly religious."

Lucy sharped jabbed her in the side with her elbow and smirked when she let out an indignant squeak. She gave her best friend an innocent smile and then took Stefan's hand, intertwining their fingers and setting them in her lap as Mrs. Lockwood went up to the podium at the front of the church.

"Before we begin the mass, we'd like to open the floor to anyone who would like to share a memory about our late friends on the town council," Mrs. Lockwood spoke into the microphone, looking out over the people who gathered to pay their respects. When no one spoke up, she awkwardly continued, "I know that April Young wanted to say a few words about her dad…April?"

No one stood; Lucy looked around the pews but she didn't see April anywhere.

"April?" Mrs. Lockwood cleared her throat. "Are you still here, honey?"

Again, April didn't stand up.

"Is there anyone else who would like to share a recollection or a memory about Pastor Young?"

Well, Lucy certainly didn't. He captured three of her siblings and her boyfriend to kill them. Besides that, she didn't know him as more than the father of a girl she used to be babysat with.

Elena stood up, though. Mrs. Lockwood looked relieved that someone was willing to speak for the pastor.

"Come on up, Elena."

Elena slowly walked up to the stage, looking as pale as the night when she drank Lucy's blood to finish her transition. She leaned against the podium and looked visibly weak.

"She doesn't look good," Lucy murmured worriedly.

"She's rejecting all food sources," Stefan reminded her, catching Caroline's attention.

"What?" she hissed but was unable to get an answer as Elena started speaking.

"I, um, when I talked to April earlier, she was kind of nervous about coming up to speak and…now that I'm up here, I'm kind of nervous, too," Elena inhaled deeply to pull herself together. "The worst day of loving someone is the day that you lose them…"

In all her life, Lucy had never heard Elena say something that true. She never really thought of it that way but now that she did, she realized how much she related to that. When she thought about Grayson, Miranda, Jenna, and Alaric the first thing she thought about was how they weren't there anymore. How they had died. It wasn't until she was able to push past the mind-numbing grief that she could remember the good memories she had with them.

It was a shame because those good memories—and even the bad ones, if she was honest—meant a lot to her. They were all that she had left of her parents and aunt. She wouldn't get to talk local history with her mom, laugh with Jenna, get comfort hugs from her dad, or train with Alaric again. All she could do was remember—but still, those memories were tainted by the fact that they were gone.

Her eyes stung in realization and before any of her tears could fall, Stefan squeezed her hand. She couldn't help but smile. He knew her. He knew her so well and it made her love him so fucking much.

But she'd lose him one day, too. He was a vampire and she loved him so much that she would maybe be considered becoming one but she wanted to grow up. She wanted kids and grandkids. She wanted to go to Duke and have a career, even if she didn't know exactly what she wanted to do. She wanted all of that but she wanted Stefan, too.

Lucy was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice that Stefan, Caroline, and Tyler had smelt fresh blood from somewhere in the church.

"Do you smell that?" Caroline whispered.

Stefan nodded at her while Tyler confirmed, "Blood."

Stefan could hear the blood dripping from the ceiling behind them, where a balcony with more seats was located. It made goosebumps appear all over his body and his gums ache at the sweet scent that tempted him. He was squeezed Lucy's hand so tightly but he was pretty sure she wasn't noticing.

"Nobody move," Damon whispered from the other side of the church where he sat with Joel. "Don't turn around, it's a trap."

Stefan would have made a Star Wars reference if the situation wasn't so dire—well, he'd make it to Lucy, anyway.

Elena had noticed the blood, too. She was sweating and Stefan bet that she was having trouble controlling her blood lust. "I, um…"

She gripped the edges of the podium tightly but before she could take a step, Joel was out of his seat and walking toward her. He gathered her in his arms, acting like she was breaking into cries, and escorted her back to her seat next to Matt and Jeremy.

With Elena unable to continue her speech, the church was left in an awkward silence. Finally, Pastor Johnson stood up and made his way to the podium.

"Please, turn to page forty-two in your hymn book," he requested as the choir behind him stood to their feet. "Let us join together in song."

Stefan stood up and pulled Lucy with him, seeing the grieved look in her eyes. He wanted to take her out of there and comfort her, to get her out of her daze but he couldn't. Not with the hunter watching them with whatever weapons he had in his arsenal.

The choir started singing and the congregation joined in. Stefan could briefly hear Joel reassuring Elena and helping her control her blood lust but it didn't look like it was working.

"What's wrong with her?" Matt asked.

"She's hungry," Joel whispered to him. "She hasn't fed."

"So, get her out of here."

"We can't," Joel's tone became annoyed. "There's somebody watching us."

Damon grunted quietly. "I'm going to rip his head off now."

"You do that, Damon, and you risk exposing all of us," Stefan spoke up warningly.

"Well, I think the risk will be slightly diminished when I, you know, rip his head off."

"Joel, I'm losing it."

"You have ten seconds before I go old-fashioned on the new guy," Damon threatened through clenched teeth.

"Don't do it, Damon," Stefan objected so only his vampire friends could hear him. "Please."

"Three, two, one, bye—"

"Wait, wait, wait," Matt objected, interrupting Damon's countdown. "Elena, feed from me."

Stefan, Tyler, and Caroline looked over at him in surprise.

"It's okay," Matt assured her. "Everyone will just think you're upset. Feed from me, it's okay."

It didn't take long for Elena to accept Matt's offer. Joel transferred Elena to Matt and he wrapped his arms around her. Stefan knew when she started drinking from him because he could smell the new scent of Matt's blood mixing with the other scent.

When she was done, Elena thanked Matt and faced the front of the church.

"The blood, I can still smell it," she told the others. "It's got to be April, we have to help her."

"We can't risk it, Lena," Joel shook his head.

Tyler slipped around Caroline and Lucy to leave the pew; Stefan moved as well, giving him a questioning look. Tyler just nodded at him and walked up the aisle, heading toward the front of the church.

"Then I'm going to do it."

Tyler stepped behind the podium, cutting off the hymn. "Excuse me," the pianist stopped playing. "I just wanted to say a few words about Pastor Young."

"What do we do?" Elena whispered as everyone sat down to listen to the hybrid.

"Back in first grade, I was a brat who couldn't be bothered with team sports," Tyler recalled his memory of Pastor Young. "I didn't care much about anything that didn't affect me but Pastor Young was the one who made me understand how important it is to be part of a team, a community…of giving yourself up for the sake of—"

A gunshot exploded through the air, making everyone scream. Tyler's body was thrown back a few feet from the blow of the bullet he took to the chest and everyone started out of the pews, running to get out of the church. Lucy flinched heavily at the loud noises as Stefan practically carried her out of the pew. She could see that Caroline was rushing toward the front of the church but she didn't understand why.

They were out of the church on in the parking lot next to her car before her mind caught up with her body. "What's going on? What happened?"

"The hunter was at the church," Stefan explained quickly as he pulled her keys from her purse. "He had April and he shot Tyler in front of the whole town."

"What?" she practically shrieked. "Oh, my God, is he okay? I need to go check on Care—"

"No, we're getting in the car and we're leaving," Stefan said firmly, picking her up by the waist and putting her in the passenger seat despite the fact that she protested strongly. "Tyler's fine, okay? But we need to go _now_."

Lucy inhaled shakily but nodded. She would check in with Caroline and Tyler later.

Lucy flipped through the plastic pages of her photobook, pouring over the pictures that were displayed in each of the little sleeves. There were a lot of them; some with Grayson and Miranda, with Joel, Elena, and Jeremy, with Jenna, Caroline, and Bonnie, with Stefan and Alaric…

She could hardly see their faces because her tears blurred her vision. There were so many good memories in this one book. So many memories and yet, she could be happy about any of them. She was sad; she was so sad and she didn't know what to do.

Lucy had felt grief before. It was one of the most familiar feelings to her but this…this was horrible. It was like the pain of all of her loved ones' deaths threatened to drown her. Henrik, Esther, Mikael, Finn, Miranda, Grayson, John, Jenna, Isobel, and Alaric—it was all there. It was all there and it was the worst feeling in the world.

She was past the point of a panic attack. She felt numb as she held her chest, blankly staring at the photo book with blurry eyes. Her breathing was shaky but there and she was lucky she didn't pass out.

There was a knock on her door and, as much as she didn't want company, she did.

"Come in," she called weakly.

The door opened and it was quiet as whoever it was walked into the room. She didn't know who it was until she saw Stefan sit on the floor across from her. She gave him a small, embarrassed smile and wiped her tears.

"Hey."

"Hi there," Stefan's eyes were a little wet too. She wondered why. "Tell me what's wrong."

"N-Nothing's wrong," she tried to deny but stumbled over her words.

"Yeah, there is," Stefan insisted. "I know when you're hurting, Lucy. I know because I hurt when you hurt."

Lucy's vision went blurry again as a fresh wave of tears came to her eyes.

"I'm sad," she confessed. "I'm so sad and I can't stop thinking about the fact almost everyone I know has died. All of my parents died; I had four sets of parents and every single one of them died, how crazy is that? And my brothers died, one of them was killed by my other siblings and I didn't even get an apology from them. And Alaric died and I wasted so much fucking time holding him at arm's length and I sometimes I can't breathe because if I think about it too much I feel so ashamed."

"I can't—" her chest shook with her sobs. "Stefan, I don't know what to do. I don't—"

Stefan couldn't help his own tears as he pulled her into his embrace. The sobs coming from Lucy were so heartbreaking he couldn't control his own emotions. He hated seeing her like this. He hated that he couldn't bring back her family and he hated that there wasn't much he could do for her. She was grieving—she was feeling grief she hadn't even got to process yet. Finn and Alaric's deaths were so fresh and no one had really given her the time to grieve them. She was always busy, always doing something and now it was too much.

He hated that he hadn't taken the time to help her. He hated that he hadn't seen this coming and tried to help her grieve in a healthy way.

"I'm so sorry, Luce…I love you…it's gonna be okay…I'm here for you…" he repeated those phrases over and over, meaning every single word. He wouldn't leave her side until she was okay. He didn't care if it took days, weeks, months, or even years. His girl was hurting and he didn't have anything else to do but love her and make sure she was okay.

Lucy's cries eventually slowed and then, a half-hour after Stefan came to her room, they stopped altogether. Her eyes were itchy and tired and probably caked with mascara when she pulled away from Stefan's chest but the way he looked at her made her feel like she was the most beautiful person on Earth.

"Sorry," she sniffed, reaching up to try to wipe away the mascara on his dress shirt. "I stained your shirt."

Stefan didn't even look down at the large black stain on his chest. "I have other shirts," he grinned when she gave him a weak smile but it fell as he became serious again. "Listen, Luce, I want you to know that you can talk to me about whatever you're feeling, okay? I'm not just here to tell you you're beautiful. I'm here because I love you and I'm here for you. Always."

"I love you," Lucy would have cried—happy tears, this time—if her tear ducts were working; her chest welled and her eyes stung but nothing came out. "I love you so much, Stefan."

"I love you, too," he assured her lovingly. "and I don't know if you feel ashamed or something because you think that you can't be sad with me but you can. You're my goofy girl but you can be broody sometimes, too. I can be goofy for you."

Lucy couldn't explain what his words meant to her. What she felt, there wasn't words to describe. She just knew that she loved him. She loved and appreciated him so much. God, she loved him.

She lunged at him and wrapped her arms around his neck, firmly pressing her lips to his. Stefan was startled by the action but he quickly returned her affection, passionately kissing her back.

"I love you," Lucy pulled back from the kiss only to tell him. "I love you."

"I know, now shush," Stefan murmured against her lips, carefully biting her lower lip.

Was it the best thing to make-out after such a heavy conversation? Maybe not. Was Lucy going to enjoy it anyway? Yes, she was.

All too soon, though, Stefan pulled away.

"What are you doing?" Lucy asked breathlessly, lips swollen.

"I have an idea," Stefan quickly got to his feet, pulling her up with him. "Get dressed, I'm gonna call everyone."

"What's the idea?"

"Hurry, get dressed."

"What's the idea, Stefan?"

"Shh, I'm on the phone!"

Stefan's idea turned out to be the Japanese lanterns. Stefan had gathered everyone in their group—except for Tyler, who was confined to a hospital bed for the sake of appearances—to confer at the school. He took a box of lanterns from Lucy's car and a lighter he stole from Jeremy's room.

Caroline, Jeremy, Matt, Joel, and Elena were the first ones to show up after Stefan and Lucy. Then Bonnie and Damon completed their group. They gathered around two picnic tables and waited to see what Stefan wanted them for.

"Stefan, what are we doing?" Damon asked his brother, disgruntled.

"We're finishing the memorial we didn't get to have earlier," Stefan started passing out the lanterns. "We need to start healing, Damon. We've all lost so much, especially recently. I think we're numb to it. We push it away, we make a joke out of it, ignore how we feel," his eyes landed on Lucy as he finished. "It's time to just let ourselves grieve."

Lucy gave him a small, appreciative smile.

"So, you're lighting lanterns," Damon stated flatly.

"Yeah," Stefan nodded. "Yeah, we need to do this."

"What we need to do is find out who this hunter is and what he knows about the death of the council," Damon retorted. "We have more important things to be doing right now than this."

Stefan shook his head. "Not tonight, we don't."

Damon scoffed heavily but Stefan wasn't bothered.

"This is for my Uncle Zach," he held up his lantern and lit it. "My friend, Lexi…For Alaric and Jenna and Grayson and Miranda."

Stefan handed the lighter off to Matt. As he lit his lantern, he declared, "This is for Vicki."

It was Caroline's turn this time. "This is for my dad," she lit the lantern and passed the lighter to Joel. "and Tyler's."

Joel lit his lantern and handed the light off to Jeremy. "This is for my parents, for Aunt Jenna, for Alaric…for me."

"This is for our parents…for Vicki…Anna, Jenna, and Alaric."

Jeremy tried to hand the lighter over to Damon but he refused.

"No way," he shook his head firmly. "I'm not doing that."

It wasn't really a surprise when he left and got into his car to drive away. Jeremy just shrugged lightly and handed the lighter to Bonnie. She stood up from the table and took her spot next to Caroline.

"This is for my Grams," she lit the lantern.

Lucy stood up next, taking the lighter from Bonnie to stand between Stefan and Joel.

"This is for my parents, all of them," she carefully lit her lantern, her chest aching as she listed off her loved ones. "For Lexi, for my brothers, Henrik and Finn, for Aunt Jenna…for Ric."

She handed the lighter off to Elena, who stood up to stand next to Joel and Jeremy. "This is for my mom, my dad, and Jenna…Everyone that we've all lost; everyone that this town has lost…And, for me, I guess."

Caroline was the first to let go of her lantern, followed closely by Matt, Stefan, and Joel. Lucy looked down at her lantern and inhaled deeply, trying to find the strength to let go. It took a few seconds but she did; the lantern hovered out of her hands to join the others, lighting up the dark sky beautifully.

As Stefan wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders, a feeling of peacefulness settled over Lucy. She'd be okay. Not now, not the next day, or the next few months. Maybe not for a long time. But one day, it wouldn't hurt as much. One day, she'd be okay.


	62. Voicemails and Anger Problems

**[4x03; The Rager]**

"_This is Klaus' phone. I don't know how you got this number but don't leave a message."_

Lucy rolled her eyes at the dramatic voicemail greeting that awaited her every time her called her hybrid brother. He wouldn't answer anytime she called him and it was getting on her nerves. She had left numerous messages, with many, many apologies and still, she heard nothing from him.

When she couldn't contact him, she'd call Elijah and Kol. Elijah was sympathetic with her, telling her that he would try to get ahold of him for her but Kol didn't see the problem with Klaus ignoring her. He told her to bask in the silence treatment because, otherwise, Nik would always be looming over her protectively—Kol made sure to add that he wouldn't know but that was what Rebekah went through for a thousand years.

"Nik, this is probably the hundredth message I've left you," Lucy sighed after the beep. "I know you're mad and I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry, so can you stop ignoring me now? I'm mad at Bekah, Kol and Elijah are gone, and I miss you—ugh, I can't believe I just said that—"

She was cut off by the voicemailbox, ending her message. She quickly called him again.

"_This is Klaus' phone. I don't know how you got this number but don't leave a message."_

"Yeah, hi, it's Lucy again," she muttered into the phone. "the stupid thing cut me off. Anyway, I kinda need my big brother because, other than Jeremy, all my siblings suck. I really want to hear from you, Niklaus. Please, just call me…okay, bye, love you."

She hung up the call and threw her phone on her bed so forcefully it bounced and would have hit the floor if it wasn't for the fact that Caroline, who was sitting on her bed, caught it.

"Woah," Caroline raised her eyebrows at Lucy. "Someone's angry today."

"I'm not angry," Lucy retorted as she pulled a skirt, blouse, and chunky green cardigan out of her closet. "I'm cranky."

She pulled off her pajama top as she stormed over to her dresser and pulled out undergarments and some black tights. She turned away from Caroline to pull her bra off and replace it; Caroline clicked her tongue.

"You seem pretty angry, though."

"I'm cranky," Lucy insisted. "Turn around."

"Oh, please, I've seen that tushie before," Caroline rolled her eyes but turned so Lucy could have her privacy anyway. "Does Stefan know that I've seen more of his girlfriend than he has?"

Once her panties were on properly, Lucy whipped around and threw her tights at Caroline as hard as she could. Caroline simply caught them with a laugh.

"Shut up," Lucy complained. "That's part of the reason I'm cranky—"

"Angry."

"Shut up," Lucy pursed her lips. "Anyway…every time we're close to doing something, it feels like Elena's interrupting. I mean, I know she's a baby vamp and all, but she's so needy. It's like she has a radar for when it's Lucy and Stefan time."

"She's probably jealous," Caroline shrugged while Lucy got dressed the rest of the way. "You know she's possessive. She probably doesn't like the fact that she doesn't have both Salvatore brothers worshipping her."

Lucy gaped at her best friend, amused. "Caroline!" she couldn't help but laugh. "Don't say that!"

"What?" Caroline smiled innocently. "Look, I love Elena but it's true. And she is needy. When I had just transitioned I had you and Stefan to help me. That was it."

"Yeah, and you're an awesome vampire," Lucy pointed at her.

Caroline nodded. "It's true but maybe that's why Elena is always calling on Stefan."

Lucy hesitated and reluctantly had to agree. "True," she sighed. "but why can't Joel help her? Oh, my God, I'm the worst sister ever, aren't I?"

"No, all sisters talk about each other behind their backs," Caroline assured her.

"We don't talk about each other behind our backs."

"No but we're soulmates, Luce," Caroline pointed out; Lucy nodded in agreement. "Trust me, my mom and her sisters talk like this all the time. It doesn't mean that they love each other any less, it just means they need to vent."

"True but I still feel bad," Lucy sighed and began pulling on some black ankle boots. "but Elena's vulnerable right now. She needs me to be supportive, not angry."

Caroline sighed and stood up, walking over to her. "Lucy Eleanora," she placed her hands on Lucy's shoulders. "You can be angry with Elena. You have a right. She helped kill your brother and she almost killed you. It's all right to be angry because no one would blame you. You just have to make sure that anger doesn't take over."

Lucy nodded and stood on her tiptoes to kiss Caroline on the cheek. "Thanks, Carebear," she grinned. "When did you become the calm one?"

"It was when the Salvatore brothers came to town, Lucy-Goosey," Caroline laughed. "Speaking of calm…what are you going to do about school and Rebekah. She's probably going to be there today…"

Lucy stiffened at the mention of her oldest sister. She was cross with Rebekah and everyone—including the blonde, herself—knew it. Just like she was angry with Elena and Joel, she felt the same toward Rebekah. She had ran Matt off the road and killed Elena, even if she didn't do it with her own hands.

However much she was angry with Rebekah, though, she couldn't ignore her. She wasn't ignoring Elena and Joel and it wouldn't be fair if she talked to them but not Rebekah. Besides, Rebekah was one of her favorite siblings—she shouldn't really have favorites but, at this point, she didn't really care—and she loved her dearly. She just needed some time to simmer down.

"I'm going to be calm, cool, and collected," Lucy said confidently. "I'm not going to blow up."

"At anyone?"

Lucy nodded. "At anyone."

Caroline grinned. "That's my girl," she wrapped her arm around Lucy's shoulders. "Come on, we're gonna be late and Stefan texted me."

"Stefan texted you? What did he text you about?"

"Well, since you were upgraded to the girlfriend, he needed someone to be the best friend," the girls walked out of Lucy's room and down the stairs together. "I was selected out of the slim pickings. Lucky me.

Lucy rolled her eyes and smile. "Don't say that, Care. Stefan adores you."

"And I adore him," Caroline returned her smile. "but the text message was about you, actually."

"Wait," Lucy paused as she opened the front door. "You guys text about me?"

"Sometimes," Caroline shrugged casually. "today he was making sure that I was picking you up because he's driving you home from school."

Lucy's eyes lit up in excitement. "Is he really?"

"Yep…" Caroline trailed off with a sneaky grin. "in his motorcycle."

"…Excuse me?"

Lucy stared at her combination lock with hard eyes, feeling a headache coming on. She wanted to take the damn thing and throw it into a furnace or something. Anything to destroy the devil-lock. She could practically see it taunting her and it was pissing her the fuck off.

She was officially in the anger stage of grief and it was hard on her. Lucy had never really been an angry person, so this was all new to her. But she _was_ angry and it felt like it was all the time. If someone didn't put the water bottles on the top shelf of the refrigerator, she grew annoyed. If Joel didn't put the cap on this toothpaste, she was irritated. If her stupid locker wouldn't unlock, she grew angry.

It was tough on everyone and she hated it. She hated being angry.

She hadn't noticed that Stefan appeared by her side until he reached for the lock and spun in her combination flawlessly. She grumbled a grateful thank you and ripped her history textbook from her locker, along with her notebook. History had become her most hated class of the day and it was her luck that it was her first period.

"Morning, beautiful," Stefan greeted her calmly, despite her obvious mood. He was telling the truth when he said he'd be her goofy if she was being broody. He wasn't going to break that promise.

"Morning," Lucy sighed, feeling some of her anger slip away in his presence. She turned to face him and was rewarded with a sweet peck. "You look amazing in navy," she sighed when he pulled away. "it brings out your eyes."

"You say that about every color I wear," Stefan pointed out with a smile.

"Well, because it's true," Lucy winked at him, her mood officially better. "So, it's your first day back in a while…how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, how are you?" Stefan returned her question easily. "I know it's hard to be in history."

It was because Alaric was no longer teaching their history class. The first day Lucy had gone back to school, she had walked out of the classroom within the first five minutes. She cried on Caroline's shoulder in the girls' locker room until third period. The second day, she lasted a half-hour. The third day, she went the whole period without leaving.

It helped now that Joel was subbing until they got a proper history teacher. Somehow, the administration took one look at his associate's and upcoming bachelor's degree and deemed him worthy of teaching history—even though his degree was in computer tech. Even though she was angry with him, having her big brother teaching her historical events she already knew about was comforting.

"It's getting better," she told him honestly. "Do you think Elena will be okay?"

"Honestly, I don't know," Stefan sighed. "She's pretty emotional lately."

"It's that Petrova fire Kit talks about," Lucy said playfully, hoping he would get the joke. "It's contagious."

Stefan didn't disappoint her; he laughed. "Must be," he agreed and shut her locker. "Come on, the bell's about to ring."

They laced their hands together as they walked down the hallway to their first class. They turned into the history hallway when Lucy remembered what Caroline told her about the motorcycle.

"By the way, Care told me you have a motorcycle."

"Mmm, did she?"

Lucy eyeballed him, shaking her head at his innocent tone. "And she also told me you want me to ride on it."

"Maybe…"

"Stefan, it took two months to even get in a car after the accident," she reminded him, though he wasn't around for that summer—that she knew of at the time, anyway. "I can't get on a motorcycle!"

"Well, maybe you can think about it," Stefan said hopefully. "You know I won't let you get hurt."

"I know that, but…"

"But you're scared," Stefan finished for her. "and I get it but you can't be afraid forever, Luce. Fear just brings you down."

"Who said that, Aristotle?"

"Very funny, pretty girl."

"Pretty girl?" Lucy raised her eyebrows, using the new pet name to change the subject. "I like that."

Stefan saw right through her. "Don't change the subject," he pouted down at her as they reached the classroom door. "Will you please ride on my motorcycle?"

"Will you call me pretty girl again?"

In all honestly, she loved that new pet name. She loved being called Goofy but pretty girl was a little more romantic.

"I'll call you whatever you want, Lucy," Stefan grinned at her. "I've got a century worth of names. Sweetheart, doll, baby, honey-bun—"

"Okay, I get it," Lucy laughed and Stefan grinned at the sight of her large smile. It was rare to see those precious dimples these days. "I like baby but don't you dare call me honey-bun."

"What about cherry pie?"

"Absolutely not," Lucy tried to be stern but she couldn't help but laugh. Stefan chuckled with her. "Come on, you goof. We have class."

They entered the classroom and took their usual seats. Because the seating chart hadn't changed since the first day of school, Stefan sat next to Elena—who was already planted in her seat, staring at the chalkboard with sad eyes—and Lucy sat in front of Caroline, who grinned at her.

She may have heard the whole pet-name exchange.

Once Lucy was situated in her seat, she turned to greet Elena. "You okay?"

Stefan added, "It's the first time you've been back in Alaric's classroom."

Elena clenched her jaw as tears came to her eyes. "It's first period and I'm ready to bawl my eyes out."

"Morning, everyone!" Lucy heard the familiar call of her oldest sister as she entered the room, handing out green flyers to everyone she passed.

"And, just like that, I'm no longer feelings sentimental," Elena muttered angrily.

Lucy suppressed her eyeroll and turned to face the front of the classroom.

"So, I'm throwing a little anti-curfew party at my new house," Rebekah announced to the class as she continued handing out flyers. "It starts in fifth period and goes to whenever. Spread the word."

"You finally unpacked?" Lucy asked her as she was handed a flyer.

"Yes, and I have your room sorted out already," Rebekah informed her perkily. While Lucy raised her eyebrows in surprise, she turned to Elena and set a flyer on her desk. "You're welcome to join, too, Elena, if you'd like to bury the hatchet."

Elena glared at her. "It's a pretty enormous hatchet."

"Well, I'm feeling generous of spirit," Rebekah looked so much like Klaus when she said that, it made Lucy smile.

Elena sighed and picked up the flyer, looking it over. "New house, huh?" she asked the blonde scathingly. "Did your brother finally kick you out?"

"He didn't kick me out, I left."

Elena smirked. "So, you left the only person on Earth that actually likes you?"

"_Elena_!" Lucy hissed at her. Just like that, her irritation was back. A cat fight in first period between two of her three sisters was bound to make that happen.

"Well, your sister likes me," Rebekah retorted. "Actually, I think I'm her favorite sister."

"_Rebekah_!"

Elena picked up her pencil and whipped it at Rebekah. It was like child's play for the blonde Original, who easily caught it and threw it back at the doppelganger. The pencil dug itself into Elena's shoulder; making her grunt. She forcefully pulled the pencil out of her and threw it down. As the bell rang, she got up from her seat and rushed out of the classroom, taking Joel—who had just happened to be walking through the door—with her.

Rebekah quickly left the classroom after Elena and Lucy turned toward Caroline and Stefan. "Can we not have one normal day at school?"

They didn't even make until second period before Lucy, Stefan, Caroline, and Joel were gathered to listen to Elena whine. All she could talk about was how much she hated Rebekah and how much she wanted to kill her with the white oak. Lucy felt like she was a kid in Charlie Brown listening to an adult speak.

Despite the blur of Elena's words, though, Lucy was irritated. She didn't want to listen to Elena complain about Rebekah and how she killed her—even though she was still alive and able to do whatever the hell she wanted. Elena killed Finn, she plotted to kill the rest of her original siblings, and she almost died in the process. She didn't care about Elena's problems; if that made her selfish or a horrible person, she didn't have it in her to care.

"It was a valiant first-day effort," Caroline tried comforting Elena. "No one will judge you if you want to go home."

If Lucy remembered correctly, Caroline was back at school the next day after Bonnie made her daylight ring…and she didn't have a single problem.

"I don't want to go home," Elena snapped. "I want to take the white-oak stake and kill her. That's how mad I am. She made me murderous."

Lucy couldn't keep her mouth shut. "How about you don't kill another one of my siblings?"

It was quiet for a second as Elena looked at her in complete shock. Lucy stood her ground, though, she wasn't going to back down from this. She didn't get one single apology for anything that Elena—and Joel, for that matter—had done to her.

Finally, Elena spoke…it was more of a yell. "She killed me, Lucy! I'm a vampire because of her!"

"Yeah, why don't you yell the v-word so the whole school can hear. That's really smart when there's a hunter hanging around," Lucy retorted. "and, just in case I need to remind you—because you've clearly forgotten—you killed Finn. Finn, who did _nothing_ to you—"

"Oh, get over it!" Elena's vampire features were on the verge of popping out as she spat at Lucy. It had goosebumps erupting all over her body but she wasn't giving up. "He lived in a coffin for nine hundred years. You hardly remembered him."

"I did remember him, thank you very much!" Lucy was on her feet now, her voice raised to match Elena's. Stefan was going to intervene but Caroline quickly stopped him; Lucy needed this. "I remember every fucking moment that I spent with him a thousand years ago."

"We thought we were killing the Originals," Elena said haughtily. "I don't need to explain myself to you."

"No, I guess you don't, Elena," Lucy rolled her eyes. "I mean, it's not like you didn't almost kill me in the process. It's not like they're my siblings, too."

"Lucy, I mean this in the nicest way possible," Elena stepped closer to her, looming over her threateningly; Caroline, Joel, and Stefan got to their feet, waiting to intervene on a half-second's notice if things got violent. Even Lucy reached for her necklace in case Elena attacked. "I could give a fuck about the Original family and if I have a chance to kill Rebekah, you can bet I'm going to take it."

Lucy could feel her blood boiling. "I swear, if you even touch them—"

"What are you gonna do, hurt me?" Elena asked mockingly. "Do you have enough magic for that or will you have to borrow from _my_ ex-boyfriend?"

Lucy lunged toward Elena and it took only a second for Stefan to grab her arms and pull her away from her sister. Elena smirked triumphantly as Lucy fought against him but Joel quickly scolded her, telling her that she was way out of line.

Elena didn't look that bothered, though, and it made Lucy see red. God, she had never resented her siblings like this and Klaus had _literally_ killed her aunt.

She fought harder against Stefan but he refused to let go.

"Just get the fuck out of here, Elena!" Caroline told Elena harshly. "Before I kick your ass for her."

"Go, Lena," Joel nudged his sister, anger and shame brewing in his own chest. As Elena left the parking lot, he turned toward Caroline and Stefan as Lucy started to calm down. "I'm gonna go but I want to talk later, Luce."

Lucy didn't respond but Caroline nodded at him. He took that to mean that she would convince Lucy to speak with him and walked back into the school for the rest of his planning period.

When Joel left, Stefan sat Lucy on the picnic table they were sitting on previously. He knelt down so he was eye-level with her—Caroline hovering worriedly behind him—and cupped her cheeks in his hands.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," he cooed soothingly. "Listen to me, Lucy. She's gone, okay?"

Tears, both angry and sad, fell from Lucy's hazel eyes. "I hate her. I hate her so much."

"Shh, I know," he said softly; he knew full well that Lucy didn't really hate Elena but he wasn't going to argue with her. Not about this and not when she was this upset. "Just calm down for me, baby, okay? Calm down."

He hoped that using one of the pet names she requested would break through to her. And it did. Lucy blinked, though she didn't stop crying, and immediately started to apologize.

"Oh, my God, I'm so sorry," she said quickly. "Oh, my God, I didn't mean to. I just lost my temper. I'm not cool, calm, and collected!"

"Lucy, it's all right," Caroline spoke up, her voice just as soft as Stefan's. "None of this is your fault, okay? None of it."

"I just got so angry," Lucy was almost hysterical. "Why am I so angry all the time?"

"It's not your fault," Stefan told her. "You're grieving and you're upset. It's okay. You needed to let that out."

"I hate it," Stefan's heart broke at the whimper that escaped her lips. "I hate this so much."

"Shh," Stefan brought her head to his chest, pressing his lips against the crown of her head. "It's okay, Lucy. I'm gonna help you, I promise."

"We'll both help you," Caroline stroked her fingers through Lucy's curly locks. "Stefan's good at helping people, you know? He's like a vampire Oprah."

Caroline's goal was to make Lucy laugh and it worked. She snickered against Stefan's chest and pulled away from him, wiping her eyes.

"Yeah, he is," she agreed, her cries calming down into sniffles. "You start a self-help campaign."

"You should write a book," Caroline added perkily, much to Stefan's chagrin. "and you could go on _The View."_

"No," Lucy shook her head in disagreement, making Stefan sigh in relief. "I don't like _The View_. I think he should go on the _Today_ show or something like that."

"I hate you guys."

"You wish."

"No, you don't."

Rebekah's new house was gorgeous and entirely too huge for one person, even if she _was_ an original vampire.

The place was already packed full of their classmates when Lucy and Stefan had arrived at the party, having separated from Caroline, who wanted to check on Tyler. There were five large kegs in front with teenagers crowded around them, all of them with full red solo cups in their hands and large grins on their faces.

Despite the fact that Lucy was having a bad day, the sight made her smile. This was normal. This was familiar. But even though she normally would have stolen herself a beer, she didn't want to drink. She was a lightweight, even if she hated to admit it, and she had too many feelings floating around in her body that she couldn't risk it.

Stefan grabbed a cup for himself, though. She knew it was drinking from a juice box for him.

"Are you sure you don't want one?" he sipped on it as they walked up the steps to the entrance. "It's actually cold."

"No thanks, babe," she smiled at him.

"Babe, huh?" Stefan raised an eyebrow at her, giving her the cutest expression. "That's good. I like it."

"Do you?"

"Yeah."

"Not cherry pie?"

"Oh, come on," Stefan rolled his eyes playfully as they stepped into the house. "Huh, I didn't have to be invited in."

"Well, at least you don't have to stand outside, that'd be so awkward," Lucy shook her head. "Especially when I left you by your lonesome?"

"You'd abandon me?" Stefan pouted at her before drinking the rest of his beer with a grimace. "I thought you loved me?"

"I do love you," Lucy gave him a quick peck. "I love you so much, I'm going to look for some better alcohol because I know you hate beer from a keg."

Stefan gasped mockingly. "You do care."

Lucy laughed and winked at him. "You know I do, babe."

She walked away from him, then, making her way through the crowd of her peers to find Rebekah and a bottle of bourbon. She made sure to look at the house while she walked around and it was very nice. The design gave her jealous and the decoration were beautiful. It was literally Rebekah in house form—the closest she would ever get, anyway.

Despite walking around for thirty minutes, Lucy never found her oldest sister. She ran into April, so looked properly drunk, and when she asked about Rebekah, April pointed her in the direction of the kitchen.

Lucy walked into the large—and very nice—kitchen just as Stefan was stopping Elena from going after Rebekah with the white-oak stake. She didn't say anything as Stefan took the stake from Elena but her blood started boiling again.

When Elena walked out of the kitchen without noticing her, fully chastised by whatever Stefan told her, she turned to Stefan expectantly. He gave her a closed-mouth smile that was slightly apologetic.

"Damon gave it to her," he explained, slipping it into his back pocket. "You're mad, aren't you?"

Lucy nodded simply. "Yes."

"And you want to hurt her?"

"Yes."

"That's normal," Stefan reached up to stroke her left cheek with his thumb. "and it's okay to be angry but you can't let it control you, Luce."

"I know but it's hard," she admitted.

"Rage is a powerful feeling," Stefan agreed. "but guilt, take it from me, it'll destroy you."

Lucy stared at him, the corner of her lips quirking slightly. Caroline was right; he really needed to write a book. "You're right."

"I know I am," Stefan smirked at her; Lucy's face visibly lit up and she pressed herself closer to him. He was so damn sexy sometimes. "So, how about you be a good girl and get on the back of my motorcycle so we can get the fuck out of here."

Lucy's lower belly swooped at his words. "Oh, my God," she breathed. "Please get me out of here."

Stefan wrapped his arm around her lower back. "With pleasure."

The motorcycle ride was actually fun and the best part of it was how adorable Stefan looked in his helmet. Something that was more fun than the drive back to the Boarding House, though? The fun they started when they rushed to Stefan's room.

Lucy wasted no time in practically attacking Stefan with her lips, forcefully pushing him onto his bed. She pulled away from his lips only to straddle him and pull off her blouse—her cardigan had been discarded somewhere between the front door and the stairs—revealing her lacy blue bra.

Stefan groaned at the sight and quickly sat up, using his vampire sped to flip them around so he was on top. Their lips clashed together again; Lucy's nails ran up the length of Stefan's back, pulling his henley up with them and he paused for a second to let her take it off of him.

And then his lips were on her neck and in her cleavage and she was moaning in pleasure.

"Stefan," she arched her back, trying to get him to actually touch her. His lips were great—better than great, really—but she was ready for the next step. "Please."

Stefan was just as impatient as her. With a twist of his fingers, her bra was pulled away from her breasts. But Stefan wasn't done; he quickly reached down to her legs and with a little tug, her tights were ripped off of her.

Lucy gasped as Stefan wrapped his lips around her right nipple, taking his time to suck and stroke it with his tongue. God, she had never felt anything like this before. It felt so damn good and she wanted him to feel that way, too.

She trailed her left hand down from his shoulder, stroking the skin of his pecs. She took a second to rub one of his nipples, earning her a delicious vibration against her breast as he moaned, and then continued down his taut abs, happy trail, and to his jeans. He was hard and he was big but it didn't scare Lucy.

Was it weird to admit that she was looking forward to this?

"Lucy," Stefan half-moaned-half-gasped, pulling away from her chest as she rubbed at his cock through his jeans. "oh, fuck."

She had heard Stefan cuss when he was happy, sad, and angry, but it had _never_ been as sexy as it was now.

And then Stefan was jumping away from her like she was on fire. She sat up in shock and faltered when she saw the terrified look on his face.

"Stefan?" she asked worriedly. "Are you all right?"

Stefan was breathing heavily as he shook his head slightly. He raised his right arm from his side, his eyes widening when he looked down at it. Lucy jumped off the bed and hurriedly put on his henley as she went to check what was happening to him.

"Oh, my God," she breathed in shock. "Is that…?"

Stefan nodded gravely. "Damon said that the hunter had werewolf venom."

Lucy immediately started to panic but she hid it. She had to be strong for Stefan and she needed to get ahold of Klaus. She knew he was in Mystic Falls again, thanks to an angry text Caroline sent her about him cockblocking her and Tyler, and it was now more than ever that he needed to answer. If she had to go to the Lockwood mansion and drag him by the ear to the Boarding House, she would. She was not fucking around.

"Okay, lay down," she told Stefan, trying to keep her voice strong. "I'm gonna call Nik and I'm gonna get you some blood, okay?"

"Lucy…"

"Seriously, Stefan, lay down," she gave him a stern look and waited until he was tucked in to leave the room.

Her phone was downstairs in her purse, so she got that first. As she hurried down to the basement for a few blood bags, she dialed her brother.

"_This is Klaus' phone. I don't know how you got this number but don't leave a message."_

"Okay, Nik, I know you're mad but I really need you to come to the Boarding House," she pleaded into the phone, opening the large freezer where the Salvatores kept their blood store. "I know you're in Mystic Falls, okay? I need your help. Like, I really need your help, okay? I know you hate Stefan but I know you like him too and he's in trouble and only you can help him."

…

"_This is Klaus' phone. I don't know how you got this number but don't leave a message."_

"Nik, please, please answer," Lucy was practically in tears as she paced at the foot of Stefan's bed, her worried eyes watching him nervously. He was sleeping but she couldn't stop thinking he was dead. "Please. I need your help, brother. I need you, please."

…

"_This is Klaus' phone. I don't know how you got this number but don't leave a message."_

"He's getting worse, Nik, and I don't know what to do," she cried, looking back over at Stefan, who had red veins pulsing through is skin. "I need your help. Please just get here. I'll do anything."

But Klaus didn't answer, yet again. She ended the call and tossed her phone on the bed next to Stefan's legs. It was a scene all too familiar.

"Dammit, Nik, where are you?"

A throat cleared from the door behind her. She turned to see Klaus holding her cardigan up with a finger and an amused look on his face. "Little sister, I see you've been busy?"

Lucy's breath caught in her throat. "You came."

"I did," Klaus nodded. "and, for future reference, one voicemail is just as effective as nine—"

Lucy cut him off as she threw herself at him, wrapping him into a relieved and tearful hug. Klaus was shocked but eventually he returned her affection, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"What's wrong, love?"

"Stefan has werewolf venom in his system," Lucy explained. "You're the only one that can heal him and I know you hate me for what I did to you but I know you love me, too, and I'm so sorry, Nik. I'll do anything, just help him, please. Just—"

"Hey, calm down, sweetheart," Klaus poked her cheek, a smirk growing on his lips. "I can't just let Stefan die, now, can I?"

Lucy looked at him hopefully. "Really?"

"How can I resist my little sister?" then he dropped the ball. "but I want a favor."

Lucy nodded frantically. "Yeah, anything, Nik."

"Well, Luciana," he walked around her and grabbed one of the glass tumblers from Stefan's bar. "This is a favor from Stefan, actually."

"I'll convince him to do it."

"I thought you would," Klaus grinned at her; he walked over to Stefan's bed and bit his wrist, allowing his blood to drip into the glass. He helped Stefan drink it down and then backed away from the bed, his eyes darting to the painting above the headboard.

"One of yours?"

"Yeah," Lucy confirmed. "Thank you so much, Nik."

"You owe me one," he reminded her; she nodded seriously. "but, regarding the desiccation, I suppose we can forget about the whole thing."

Lucy smiled at him hopefully. "Really? Are you sure?"

Klaus nodded. "No matter how many times my sisters annoy me to death, I'd still do anything for them," he admitted and awkwardly looked away when she beamed at him. "When did you two become a thing, anyway?"

"His birthday," Lucy informed him. "Well, technically, it was nine days ago."

Klaus smiled sarcastically. "Happy anniversary."

"Oh, shut up."

"I'm going to go, now," Klaus sighed. "Make sure you tell him I want to talk."

"Will do."

"And make sure you don't crowd up my voicemailbox again, love," he added as he started walking out of the room. "All the notifications are bloody annoying."

"Yes, brother dear."

Lucy turned back to the bed as Stefan made a noise. She smiled in relief when he opened his beautiful green eyes, crawling onto the bed to sit next to him.

"Feeling better?" she whispered; when he raised his arm, beckoning her to cuddle with him, she complied.

"Mmhm," Stefan confirmed with a hum. "Klaus finally answered you, huh?"

"Yeah, he did," Lucy smiled slightly. "and good thing, too. What would I do without you, Broody?"

Stefan leaned his forehead against her temple. "Probably the same thing I would do without you; be miserable."

Lucy laughed slightly and pressed a sweet kiss to his cheek. "Yeah, you're probably right."


	63. There's a Cure

**[4x04; The Five]**

Stefan peered into one of the many boxes that were stacked around the living room. Each one of them was full of weapons, equipment, and—strangely—chemistry supplies. Most of the weapons were marked with the etching that were on the wooden bullets Tyler was shot with; the mark of the hunter.

"So, what is all this?" Stefan asked, picking up a meticulously carved stake as Damon came into the living room with yet another box.

"Some personal items that I snaked from the vampire hunter's RV—may he rest in peace," Damon set the box down and started rummaging through it. "I'm searching for a supernatural handbook."

Stefan raised his eyebrows at his brother. "You know for a fact that he was supernatural?"

Damon pulled a Bunsen burner from the box. "He definitely wasn't natural," he shrugged. "The guy magically appears just as someone blows up the entire founder's council, covered in a tattoo that only Jeremy Gilbert, of all the people in the world, seems to be able to see," he pulled out a small black bag, zipping it open. "Klaus mentioned something about him being one of the five and then he kamikazes himself with explosive. Does that seem natural to you?"

Stefan perked up when Damon mentioned Klaus; he had yet to hear from the hybrid after Lucy informed him that Klaus wanted to speak to him. "What's the five?"

"That's what I'm hoping is in the first chapter of the handbook," Damon paused as his phone started to ring; he answered it. "Liz Forbes, my favorite sheriff…What? …That's concerning. Keep me posted."

Damon simply hung up the phone and slipped it back into his pocket, not speaking a word about the call to Stefan. Stefan eyed his brother curiously, a little annoyed that he didn't feel like sharing.

"What, you're not going to tell me?"

"I can't tell you, it's private," Damon said simply. "And we're in a fight?"

"We're fighting?" this was news to Stefan. He didn't have a problem with Damon—at that moment, anyway—and he didn't think he did anything to his older brother to make him mad…but then, again, wasn't Damon always mad at him?

"Well, you've hardly spoken to me," Damon continued unpacking his box. "I had to find out from Caroline—who found out from Twitch—that you were poisoned with werewolf venom."

"Since when are we joined at the hip, Damon?" Stefan scoffed but softened when he realized that his big brother was worried about him. "Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I've been trying to help Lucy with her anger."

"Yeah, Elena told me they had a big fight," Damon said absentmindedly; Stefan wasn't surprised that Elena complained to Damon but he _was_ surprised that Damon didn't have any unnecessary retaliation for Lucy—but he was grateful, nonetheless. "Anyway, Liz told me they didn't find any remains at the explosion site."

Stefan hummed. "So, Connor's still out there."

If Klaus was with Damon and the hunter when everything went down, the hunter was probably with him. Damon did say that the Original said something about Connor being one of the five, whatever that meant.

Damon nodded. "Apparently so," he confirmed. "I'm going to need you to get on this today. I have to take Elena to Whitmore and Joel's helping Twitch move into Ric's loft."

Stefan already knew about Lucy moving into Alaric's loft; that wasn't news to him. "Wait, why are you taking Elena to Whitmore?"

"I'm teaching her to feed," Damon informed him. "She needs to learn snatch-eat-erase now more than ever. Bonnie was invited to some creepy professor's lecture, so we're crashing her visit."

"They have classes on Saturdays now?" Stefan furrowed his eyebrows.

Damon shrugged. "Apparently."

"Hey, where are you?" Lucy asked worriedly as she answered Stefan's call. "Caroline's already here. Are you okay?"

"_I'm fine but I have bad news_," Stefan told her; she hummed as she packed a couple of her books into one of the cardboard boxes Joel had bought to pack her things in. "_Connor's still alive."_

Lucy paused, her eyes flitting over to where Joel was carefully packing some of her blank canvases into another box. He looked back at her, equally shocked from Stefan's news. "He is? Joel said that Damon saw him die in the explosion."

"_Liz called. She said they found no remains_," Stefan sighed. "_but I'm out looking for him, so I don't think I'll be able to help until tonight. I'm sorry, Goofy."_

"No, no, it's fine," Lucy hurried to assure him; there were more important things going on than her moving into the loft. "Just be careful, okay? I love you."

"_I love you, too, pretty girl," _she could hear his smile. "_See you later."_

"Bye."

Lucy ended the call and turned to Joel, knowing that he heard the whole conversation with his sensitive hearing. "This is bad."

"Yeah," Joel agreed but mustered up a supportive smile. "Don't worry about Stefan, though, okay? He's good. He's not gonna let a hunter get the jump on him."

"I know," Lucy nodded; she was still going to worry about Stefan, though. She would until he was safe in her arms.

"Okay!" Caroline took that moment to reenter Lucy's bedroom, her arms full with collapsed cardboard. "I got the other boxes—oh, what's wrong?"

"Connor survived the explosion and Stefan's out looking for him," Joel summarized as he took the boxes from her.

"Oh," Caroline nodded in understanding before turning to Lucy. "Well, he'll be fine."

"I already told her that."

Caroline fondly rolled her eyes at Joel. "Well, did you tell her that Stefan is the strongest other than Damon and he'll kick Connor's ass?"

Joel shrugged. "In other words."

Caroline looked back to Lucy, who was grinning at the two of them. "Well, then, I have nothing."

"Thanks, Care," Lucy laughed.

She was glad she had her best friend and one of her brothers with her while she packed up a lifetime of memories. She was officially moving into Alaric's loft—which he left to her in his will—because she thought it would help her with her grieving process. She wouldn't be around Elena—who had _only_ apologized for her harsh words the other day, not anything else—so she wouldn't be angry and resentful all the time and she'd get to process Alaric's death, too. She was going to miss living in the house but this move just felt right. Her brothers were understanding, especially after she and Joel had a long talk.

Lucy and Joel aired out all their problems with each other. Mostly it was Lucy who talked; she told him how hurt she was about him helping kill Finn and conspiring to kill the rest of her original siblings. She explained to him—really explained, almost every detail—how she had all her memories of her life as Luciana and Lucia and how they were all one in the same. Because Joel hadn't heard everything before, he never really understood but now he did. He apologized profusely for everything he did. He had actually shocked Lucy because he started to cry in remorse and she had only seen Joel cry three times in his life; their parents' deaths, Jenna's death, and Alaric's death.

Joel's apology meant a lot to her and she told him that she accepted his apology and that it really helped her start to forgive him. She wasn't going to be hostile to him anymore—even though she mostly gave him the silent treatment—and they were fine now. Some of Lucy's anger had even left when everything was settled, relieving her. She hated being angry; she was Goofy for a reason.

"Oh," Caroline started to set up one of the collapsed boxes. "Did you tell Joel that my mom actually approved the move?"

"I figured she did, since we're packing up her stuff," Joel told her matter-of-factly.

"Okay," Caroline gave him an annoyed look. "but did she tell you that Mom co-signed everything?"

Joel turned to Lucy with raised eyebrows. "Really?"

Lucy nodded. "Since I'm a minor, I needed an adult on the deed. You and Elena are vampires, so I figured it'd be a good idea to have Liz's name on the deed."

"That's a good idea," Joel admitted, though he was disappointed that he couldn't do proper guardian things because he was technically dead.

Lucy nodded. "And Jeremy's on there, too, just in case," she added. "Hey, can you pass me those books down there?"

Joel picked up the books that she pointed at and dutifully passed them over. "Okay," he sighed, looking around the room. Her bookshelves were mostly packed except for her paints and a couple of picture frames; her paintings still needed to be put in her carrier bags, and her dresser and closet were both still full. "Tell again what you're bringing."

"All the furniture," Lucy reminded him; she didn't want to sleep in her dead father's bed and all her furniture were a matching set so she had to bring them, too. "and then everything that can be packed. It's all going."

"Are we bringing Ric's bed back here?"

"I was gonna donate the frame and stuff," Lucy shrugged. "Why, did you want it?"

"No, not really," Joel shook his head. "I was thinking about making an office for when I graduate."

"That's a great idea!" Caroline exclaimed. "Oh my God, can I decorate?"

Joel looked to Lucy for an answer because he was honestly stumped; did he trust Caroline enough to give her free reign over his office?

"She's good at it," Lucy told him; Caroline smiled at him hopefully and he couldn't resist her.

"Yeah, fine, Caroline," he gave in quickly. "You can decorate."

"Yes!" Caroline hissed enthusiastically. "Oh, I think a gray-blue would look great on the walls—"

"Hey!" Lucy exclaimed, waving her hand in front of the blonde's face. "Focus, Carebear."

Caroline nodded perkily. "Right. I'll start on the closet."

As it turned out, Connor was at Klaus' house. It was easy to sneak through the mansion undetected by Klaus' hybrids. For being such the "superior" species, they were sure stupid. Stefan knew Klaus was smart but it seemed his little lackeys weren't.

Connor was strung up on some medieval torture device in Klaus' living room. Stefan tried to compel him, to get any information about the five, but Connor was impervious to his compulsion. He wasn't wearing any vervain and when Stefan nicked the inside of his wrist with his fingernail, he didn't smell any in his blood, either.

Stefan stepped into the shadows when he heard Klaus' voice come from down the hall, ordering one of his hybrids to do something. When Klaus walked into the living room, he walked straight over to Connor, who glared at him silently.

Klaus clicked his tongue and turned to where Stefan was standing. "Looks like I'll have to beef up the hybrid security detail."

"I was going to take him," Stefan walked toward him so he was standing in front of Connor, too. "but I figured you went through so much trouble to truss him up in your red room of pain."

Klaus grinned. "It's from the inquisition. I thought it was a nice touch."

"What'd you get out of him?"

"Not enough," Klaus sighed. "He's mum about the council fire and he's not saying anything about the greater evil we're all supposed to be shivering over. What brings you snooping?"

"Well, I can't say it in front of him," Stefan crossed his arms over his chest. "As I'm sure you've figured out, our friend, here, can't be compelled."

Klaus looked over at Connor. "You're full of mysteries, aren't you?"

"I told you," Connor spat at him. "I don't know anything."

"Thankfully, I know plenty," he gestured toward the den and raised his eyebrows at Stefan. "Shall we?"

When Stefan walked into the den, Klaus shut the double doors behind them.

"So, what's with the home invasion?"

"Damon said you knew something about this guy," Stefan stated. "I should have figured you were up to something when Lucy told me you wanted to talk in exchange for healing me."

"You're welcome for that, by the way."

Stefan rolled his eyes. "Who is this guy?" he demanded. "What's the five?"

"So many questions…"

"It's a good thing I have nothing to do today," Stefan lied as he went to sit on one of the leather couches. "All I have to do is get answers out of you."

"Fine. You might actually be useful in persuading Rebekah to cooperate," Klaus sat on the couch opposite of Stefan and started to explain, "The Brotherhood of the Five was a group of highly skilled vampire hunters. We crossed paths with them in Italy during the twelfth century. My siblings and I had followed the Normans as they conquered the South, feeding and turning people as we went…but, with the bloodshed, came exposure."

Klaus went on to tell them that the hunters had a type of show they put on for the locals. Vampires would be staked to poles around the stage as the main hunter, Alexander, made a vampire burn up in the sunlight. To make things even more interesting, Rebekah and Alexander were fond of each other.

"So, these hunters have been around for nine-hundred years?" Stefan asked, shocked.

"Apparently," Klaus shrugged. "Well, our friend in the other room is the first I've seen since then. Kind of makes you wonder what they've been up to all these years."

"And Rebekah had a thing with one of them?"

"Oh, she didn't just have a thing," Klaus corrected him. "She fell in love with him. He told her all his secrets…which I will gladly share with you provided you do two things for me."

Stefan raised his eyebrows. "And what's that?"

"I want Elena to be present for this conversation," Klaus stated.

"Elena's at Whitmore College," Stefan informed him quickly; Klaus pressed his lips together, annoyed. "What's the other thing?"

"Get Rebekah over here. She's being stubborn and hateful and I need to make peace with her," Klaus ordered. "I want her to give me some very important information about the hunter which she won't do unless she believes we've made up."

Stefan leaned toward Klaus. "What's in it for me?"

"Just get her here and I'll tell you," Klaus stood from the couch; Stefan copied his movements. "Oh, and Stefan, trust me when I say this…that hunter in there holds the answer to all your hopes and dreams."

Before they could load Lucy's belonging up into the loft, they first had to deconstruct all of Alaric's bedroom furniture. He only had a dresser, bed, and two nightstands, so it didn't take long for Joel take them apart and group everything together so he could take it to the donation center later on that day.

Luckily for Lucy, Caroline and Joel had super vampire strength, which meant that she could start to unpack while they brought up her furniture. It took most of the day to get everything sorted and put together, not to mention their breaks and the call from Stefan Lucy had to answer so he could find Rebekah for some odd reason.

As dinner time rolled around, they ordered pizza and ate while continuing to set everything up. Caroline made Lucy's bed and unpacked her clothes while Lucy tackled her new painting area and Joel started placing books in the bookshelves taking up one whole wall of the loft.

Lucy kept some of Alaric's stuff. There were a couple of ties she wanted to give to Joel, Jeremy, and Stefan, some pictures of Alaric, his family, and her, some of the weapons the council didn't get to, and stuff that had to do with the Saltzman family history and whatever research Alaric did in his free time. The rest of his clothes and items that weren't sentimental went in the donation bins.

The alcohol went in a box to be delivered to Damon.

"So, where's Jeremy?" Caroline asked the Gilbert siblings as she finished with Lucy's bedding and went to start hanging up the clothes that were to be hung in the closet. "Did he go with Bonnie, Elena, and Damon?"

"No," Joel said, reaching up to place some of Lucy's movies onto a shelf where she could reach them. "He texted me earlier. He's hanging out with some friends."

"What friends?" Lucy turned away from where she was setting up her easel to frown at him. "Matt's got a shift at the Grill and the rest of us are busy."

"Maybe he's meeting up with some of his stoner friends," Joel shrugged. He finished up the movies and walked over to the kitchen, grabbing another slice of pizza. "Hey, what did Stefan want earlier?"

"He wanted to know if I could give him Rebekah's number," Lucy started to arrange her paints in the new storage rack she got. She also got a drying rack for her wet paintings that matched it; they were side-by-side in her painting area. "He needed to get some information from her about the hunter."

Joel hummed around a mouthful of pepperoni and cheese. Caroline, being the speedy perfectionist she was, finished with the clothes that went in the closet and started on the dresser.

"Hey, Luce," she called, lugging the box onto the bed to open it. "What did you want to do for your birthday?"

"The same thing as last year," Lucy shrugged. "My family, my friends, and coconut cake. Why? What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking of a Christmas themed party," Caroline grinned at her. "Ugly Christmas sweaters, spiked eggnog, holiday-themed Pictionary, cookie decoration, secret Santa…"

"Will I still get presents?" Lucy asked teasingly.

"Of course!"

It honestly sounded like a great idea to Lucy. It was fun and played off the fact that her birthday was only ten days before Christmas. That way, they could have a Christmas party with all their friends, too.

"That sounds great, Care."

The reminder of Christmas kind of surprised Lucy and made her realize that the holiday season was upon them. Thanksgiving was in a week and none of them were prepared to make a huge meal. She hadn't gone shopping or even come up with ideas for Christmas presents. To top it all off, the Miss Mystic Falls pageant was pushed up to December first. Everything was happening at once and it made a flash of panic go down her spine.

So many things to prepare for. So many things to do.

"Hey, Care?"

"Hmm?"

"Wanna go dress shopping tomorrow?"

"For the Miss Mystic pagent?" Caroline peeked at her excitedly; Lucy nodded. "Of course!"

Stefan walked into Klaus' house with Rebekah by his side. It wasn't hard to convince her to come back to the mansion with him once he decided to bribe her with a good word in with Matt. He also promised to give her a clean slate with him but he guessed the Matt offer was much more appealing to the blonde Original.

"Welcome home, sister," Klaus greeted her as they walked into the living room.

Rebekah gave her brother an unimpressed look when she saw Connor. "Is this a trick?" she asked flatly. "How do you know he's one of the Five? Where's his bloody tattoo?"

"Oh, the tattoos aren't visible on this lot like they were on the last," Klaus told her flippantly. "Let's eat."

However much Stefan didn't want to eat dinner with the two blonde Originals, he was coerced into joining them to find out what this whole spectacle was about. He didn't understand why Klaus liked to talk over dinner. Two of the serious talks they have had together have been over food and Stefan couldn't imagine why. Arguing ruined his appetite, not that he had a big one for human food, anyway.

"Thank you, my lovely," Klaus thanked the compelled waitress as she poured him another glass of wine. "I could kiss the council for burning up all the vervain in town. They made my life so much easier…" he turned to his sister and pointed at her plate. "Rebekah, love, eat your veggies."

Rebekah stubbornly refused to eat. "I'm not eating until you apologize."

"For what indiscretion?" Klaus shot a quick smirk to Stefan. "There have been so many."

"You broke my neck."

"You threw away Elena's blood so I can't make any more hybrids."

"Because you took me for granted!"

"That's what big brothers do, sweetheart!" Klaus slapped his palm down on the table, making the silverware rattle.

"Let me just name the million other people I'd rather be having dinner with right now," Stefan spoke up flatly, interrupting their feud. "Like my girlfriend, for one."

"All right, fine," Klaus leaned back in his seat and turned back to Rebekah. "I'm sorry. I often forget how delicate you are. Forgive me?"

Rebekah pursed her lips. "I'll take it under consideration."

"Okay, good," Stefan cleared his throat and sat up straighter. "Now, why don't you tell me about Rebekah's hunter?"

"Right," Klaus nodded, as if he forgot the meaning for their dinner together. "Alexander. Nice chap, foregoing the obvious issues. He was looking for creatures of the night which is why we felt quite safe around him wearing our daylight rings."

Klaus told Stefan that he, Rebekah, and Elijah sat down with Alexander for a meal and asked him about his crusade. Alexander explained to him that he and his four brothers were created to hunt and kill all the vampires on earth with a special weapon.

Stefan raised his eyebrows in surprise. "So, that's what this is about?" he asked in disbelief. "A weapon?"

Rebekah gave him an annoyed look. "Not just any weapon—"

"Rebekah, love, don't get ahead of the story," Klaus interrupted her.

"How is a weapon the answer to all of my hopes and dreams?" he quoted Klaus' earlier statement; when Klaus and Rebekah gave each other mysterious looks, he sighed in exasperation. "Why don't we just skip with the theatrics and get right to the point."

"Not quite yet," Klaus shook his head. "Because, in order to find this weapon, we need to solve the puzzle, which seems to have disappeared."

Stefan gave him a confused look. "What puzzle?" when Klaus gave him a pointed look, his face fell in realization. "The tattoo. What is it?"

"A map leading us to its treasure."

"Fat lot of good a tattoo's going to do us if we can't see it," Rebekah snapped at her brother.

"We can't but someone else can," Klaus countered before turning to the waitress. "Why don't you tell the hybrid to bring him in, love?"

The waitress left the room and he continued, "You see, the hunter was so eager to get to the bottom of his mystery tattoos that he mentioned there was only one other person who could see them…"

Stefan was on his feet before one of Klaus' hybrids even entered the room with Jeremy, easily figuring out what Klaus meant. The whole reason the hunter was interested in Jeremy was because he could see this so-called tattoo that no one else could.

He blurred over to Jeremy, who was struggling against the hybrid, but was stopped by Klaus.

"I wouldn't," Klaus warned him. "Lucky for us, young Jeremy, here, is a bit of an artist."

Stefan knew that well; Lucy raved about her little brother's talents all the time. It was pretty cute.

Jeremy grunted angrily. "I'm not helping you with anything."

Klaus nodded at the hybrid and within a second, the hybrid had pulled Jeremy's Gilbert ring off his finger and tossed it to Klaus. The Original smirked at the youngest Gilbert. "I'm afraid you are."

Stefan was reluctant to let Jeremy be pulled into the living room to draw the tattoo but he didn't have much of a choice. He couldn't overpower Klaus and strangely, Klaus told Stefan he wouldn't hurt Jeremy. He then followed up his assurance with a snide comment about not killing any more of Lucy's siblings—even though he technically killed Elena once.

Still, Stefan thought it was kind of admirable that Klaus promised such a thing—he would never, _ever_ admit that to his face, though. He didn't want Klaus thinking they were friends all of a sudden.

"So," Stefan started when their dinner was cleared. "tell me more about this tattoo."

Klaus' lips twisted into a wry smile. "My sister's suitor was unwell to tell us anything. Rebekah, however, was more than willing to investigate…isn't that right?" he gave his sister a pointed look; she gulped harshly. "It was the Five who originally made the white-oak daggers. My sister's boyfriend threw a slumber party that night. He and his brothers put us all down in our sleep. Elijah, Kol, Finn…and me."

"How was I supposed to know?" Rebekah was quick to defend herself.

Klaus raised his wine glass sarcastically. "Cheers to my sister's uncanny ability to choose men."

Was that supposed to be a slight against him? Stefan was pretty sure it was.

"I thought the daggers didn't work on you because of your werewolf side," Stefan recalled.

Klaus grinned slyly. "They don't."

It turned out that Klaus brutally killed the hunter that attacked them, plus the other four, including Alexander. He had blamed Rebekah for everything that happened that night because she had let her guard down around Alexander. And it was all for the weapon that the tattoo-map led to.

"Go ahead, Rebekah, tell him," Klaus goaded her angrily. "Tell him what the hunter told you the tattoo leads to. What's this great weapon that could bring about the end of the vampire species?"

Rebekah's eyes were wet as she breathed in shakily. "A cure," she said finally. "He said there was a cure."

Stefan stiffened in shock. A cure. There was a cure for vampirism. Now he understood what Klaus meant about his hopes and dreams being answered.

He didn't know how Klaus knew but for awhile he had been wishing that he could be human again. It was just a fantasy that he thought about sometimes when he was trying to go to sleep because he never thought it would happen.

He ached to be human again. To go to college again and have the real student experience. To have a career where he didn't have to move every two years. To enjoy life because he knew that he was actually vulnerable to most things in the world. To not have to crave blood everyday and fight the ripper part of himself. And then, on the nights he spent with Lucy, he wanted more than that. He wanted to marry her. He wanted to buy a forever home with her. He wanted to see her belly swell with their babies. He wanted to grow old with her, to have grandchildren, to die with her.

He knew he couldn't have that because he was a vampire…but, if there was a cure…He didn't want to get his hopes up.

As Klaus went to go get himself a drink from the bar, Stefan frantically followed him. "There is no cure for vampirism."

"I'm telling the truth, Stefan," Rebekah insisted, leaving the table herself.

"Then why wouldn't you have searched for it?" Stefan demanded, looking between the siblings. "Why didn't you find it?"

"Because, when the hunters drew their final breath that night, the marks disappeared from their bodies," Klaus poured himself a drink. "The map was gone, the Brotherhood of the Five extinct. For nine-hundred years, there was not a whisper of another hunter until our friend in there showed up in town."

"Well, now we have the map," Rebekah spoke calmly as Stefan's mind raced. "What do we do next?"

"We don't do anything," Klaus corrected her, taking a sip of his whiskey. "You can't be trusted, little sister. You'll be blabbing this secret to the first boy who calls you pretty. I mean, it's pathetic, really, isn't it?" he turned to Stefan as if he was wanting his opinion. "How she continues to hand her heart to any man who shows her a hint of affection."

Why was Stefan in the middle of this family drama again? Oh, right, the cure.

"But I haven't!" Rebekah shouted at him, her eyes filling with tears. "Instead I stay with you and let you leech ever moment of happiness in my life. You know, at least I fared better than Finn," she told Stefan. "Klaus left him daggered because he was tired of his judgment."

"No, Finn was a dulled," Klaus disagreed, walking toward her. "He was more interesting lying in a box."

"You want the cure for Elena, don't you? So you can go back to mass producing your hybrids," Rebekah stated, her voice raising in volume as she reverted back to the subject of the cure. "That's why you wanted Stefan to bring Elena in—because you knew she wants to be human again and she would help you even though she hates your guts!"

Klaus narrowed his eyes at her.

"Yo know, what?" Rebekah continued. "You can shove your cure."

She turned away from her brother and stormed out of the room. Within seconds, the front door slammed shut. Klaus turned back to Stefan with an amused smile like Rebekah was simply performing a skit that he found funny.

Stefan didn't see the humor in the situation. "Well, I hope you got what you wanted out of her before you chased her off."

"She never would have told me what I needed to know," Klaus said. "but she'll tell you."

Stefan pressed his lips together. "What do you need me to find out?"

"The map is useless without the tool to decipher it."

Stefan thought back to what Klaus said about the night the Five tried to put the Originals down. He had said that Alexander told Rebekah that the sword was the key to cracking the code. "The sword."

Klaus nodded. "She knows where it is and you're going to get her to tell you," his voice grew serious. "Not only does Elena have a chance to become human again but you can have that life with Luciana you want. You can call it a deal with the devil if you like, but you know you won't walk away from it."

Stefan hated when Klaus was right.

Stefan poured some bourbon into his glass as he waited for Rebekah to show up at the Boarding House. He had sent her another message, pleading for her to talk to him about the cure, and she surprisingly told him that she'd be there soon.

It was only five minutes after he got her message that Rebekah walked into the house. "Hey," she greeted him as he poured her a glass as well. "I'm sorry. I know you wanted my help. He just…he makes me so angry."

Stefan gave her a sympathetic smile and handed her the glass. "No one deserves to be treated that way."

It was true. Siblings fought, yeah, but the way Klaus and Rebekah did it made his and Damon's relationship look like the best in the world. He didn't understand how Klaus could treat Lucy so delicately despite the fact that he talked to Rebekah like she was dirt beneath his shoe. Maybe it was because they spent a thousand years together…

Rebekah took a sip of her drink and sighed. "I wanted it back then, the cure," she confessed to him. "I was willing to leave behind my family for it. Would you take it if you have the chance?"

"Yeah, I would," he answered her honestly. "It would be nice not crave blood everyday and fight that ripper part of myself…and, I would take it for Lucy."

Rebekah smiled softly at him. "I envy the love between you and Lucy," she told him tearfully. "I really did believe Alex when he said he loved me. He promised me we'd be married. We even picked out a church. San Vittore in Brienno."

Stefan smiled; he had been before and it was a beautiful place.

"I know you want my help, Stefan, but I just can't do anything that lets my brother get what he wants."

"I know," Stefan nodded in understanding. "but think of more than Klaus. Think of yourself, of your sister. I want a human life with Lucy. I want us to have a family. I want us to grow old together, to die together, to be buried together."

Tears spilled down Rebekah's cheeks as she smiled sadly. "I buried him," she could relate to what Stefan was saying about a life with Lucy. That was what she had wanted with Alexander. "Even after everything. I laid him to rest in the place where we would be married. What kind of hopeless fool does that?"

Stefan pressed his lips together sadly. When he agreed to help Klaus dagger Rebekah, he didn't expect the honesty they shared together. He really felt for her; how she had lived her whole life under her brother's thumb, how Alexander betrayed her, how she was daggered repeatedly. Deep down, Rebekah was a good person. She deserved better than the life she got.

Rebekah scoffed in realization when she saw the look on his face and the sadness in his eyes. "Oh, but that's what you wanted to know, isn't it?" she laughed bitterly. "Because I buried him with is sword."

Stefan looked away from her, ashamed. It was then that Klaus stepped into the room. Rebekah slowly turned to face him, closing her eyes in bitter resignation.

"I'm sorry, sister," Klaus said solemnly as he pulled the white ash and a dagger from behind his back. "but you're right. You really are a hopeless fool."

Rebekah tried to speed out of the house as Klaus dipped the dagger into the ash but Stefan sped in front of her.

"I'm sorry, Rebekah," he apologized sincerely, his eyes stinging with regret and shame.

Rebekah inhaled sharply and whirled around to face Klaus, angry tears falling from her eyes. "Go right ahead," she shouted at him. "Laugh at the girl who loved too easily. But I would have rather lived my life than yours, Nik. No one will ever sit around the table telling stories about the man who couldn't love."

Klaus started to tear up as well, a long tear falling down his left cheek. He looked at the floor as he readied the dagger but Rebekah was having none of it.

"Do it," she demanded harshly. "Look me in the eyes and do it, you coward! Do it!"

Klaus lunged forward and grabbed Rebekah's shoulder, stabbing her in the heart with the dagger. He held onto her desiccating body as it slowly grew limp, his wet eyes shutting sadly. He picked up her body and walked into the living room, gently setting her down on the couch.

While Stefan covered her body with a blanket, Klaus made sure to finalize a couple of details with his hybrids.

"I have a plane waiting," he informed Stefan. "I'll get the sword. My hybrids will keep an eye on Connor. You put Rebekah somewhere no one will find her and make sure Jeremy forgets everything he heard today."

Stefan nodded stiffly. "I'll take care of it."

"You can only tell Elena what is happening with the cure," Klaus continued sternly. "No one else must know about it, do you understand? Not Damon, not Lucy. Nobody. If this gets out, it could mean all out deaths. So, if you tell anyone other than Elena, I'll erase each and every memory from all of you."

"I won't say anything," Stefan promised reluctantly. He didn't understand why he had to keep it from Lucy but Klaus _did_ say that they could die if anything gets out.

"It's just you, me, and Elena in this, Stefan," Klaus stated. "Some secrets are stronger than family."

Stefan didn't agree but he'd go along with Klaus' orders for now. The cure was too important for him and all the vampires in his life. He didn't want Rebekah's temporary death to be in vain, either.

As soon as Klaus left for his plane, Stefan stashed Rebekah in the cellar for a temporary resting spot and sped out of the house. When he got to the town square, he slowed into a walk so he could be inconspicuous as he walked into Lucy's apartment building. Once he was in the clear, he blurred up the two levels of stairs to the loft and knocked on the door, hoping that Lucy would still be awake.

When she opened the door, Stefan couldn't help but smile. Lucy hadn't been awake; he could tell she had been asleep but her bleary eyes and the messy braid her hair was in. There was a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and she was wearing one of his shirts that he left at her old room at the Gilbert house.

She was so damn beautiful.

"Stefan," she smiled sleepily. "What are you doing here?"

"I said I'd stop by," he reminded her, smiling softly. "Can I come in, pretty girl?"

Lucy grinned at him. "Of course," Stefan was able to step through the threshold; he quickly swept her off her feet and held her in his arms, earning himself a cute but tired laugh. "What are you doing?"

"I can't let you sleep alone on your first night in the apartment," Stefan kissed her gently as he locked the door behind them with one hand and started walking to the bedroom area. Lucy returned his affection earnestly. "Left side?"

Lucy nodded and pressed her forehead against his jaw. "Left side."

Stefan laid her down on the bed in the left side before crawling into the right. Once he was settled—with his shoes off, like she always insisted—he pulled her into his embrace, wrapping an arm around her waist as she laid her head against his chest.

"Goodnight, Broody," Lucy whispered, kissing the spot right above his heart. "Love you."

"I love you, too."

He kissed the top of her head and settled in for the night, trying not to let the guilt about Rebekah swallow him. The thought of a cure flickered into his mind and, as he fell asleep, he dreamt about Lucy and the human life he had with her.


	64. Secrets and Lies, Lies and Secrets

**[4x05; The Killer]**

There were only a couple of things in Stefan's life that ever went right. They weren't very important things; his favorite coffee was easy to make, The Great Gatsby was an easy read, and small things like that. His relationship with Lucy was going great but even that had started out on a rough patch with the whole love-square thing and now he was keeping lies from her.

Which led him the thing that was currently going wrong in his life.

Stefan had woken up with Lucy and everything was fine. They made out a little and it was going to go further but, like always, they were interrupted. It was Jeremy this time, asking Lucy if they could get breakfast before he went to work at ten because he missed her at the house. Lucy absolutely melted over it and practically kicked Stefan out of the loft once she got dressed so she could pick up her little brother.

He wasn't really bothered about that, though. He went home, took a cold shower, and called Elena to tell her about the cure. She was understandably excited about it and simultaneously disappointed that they had to work with Klaus and keep it a secret from everyone but she promised she would anyway. It was toward the end of the call that things started to go wrong. First, he got a text message from Klaus telling him that they had a problem. Second, when he went to Klaus' house to see what was wrong, he found the headless body of the hybrid that was supposed to be watching Connor.

And Connor was gone.

"How the fuck did Connor escape?" Stefan asked Klaus—who was still in Italy—as he rubbed his forehead, looking down at the dead hybrid.

"_I blame mind-numbing incompetence but pointing fingers isn't going to help me,"_ Klaus replied among the numerous sounds of construction equipment. "_You're going to help me."_

Stefan sighed and lowered his hand, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Well, he could be anywhere by now."

"_Think, Stefan,"_ Klaus prompted him. "_He took the hybrid's head which means he wants werewolf toxin."_

"Which means he plans to stay in Mystic Falls to kill vampires," Stefan realized.

"_Which is a pity since I'm on the other side of the world, digging up a dead hunter. You'll have no access to my blood and therefore the antidote,"_ Klaus pointed out needlessly. "_Nevertheless, his tattoo is our only map to the cure so your task is quite simple. Find him, catch him, and above all, keep him alive. He's no good to us dead."_

"Damon's been looking everywhere for him. If they cross paths…"

"_You need to keep Damon in check."_

"It would be a lot easier if I could tell him the truth."

"_You trust Damon with the cure?"_ Klaus said flatly. _"I imagine he prefers Elena the way she is_."

Stefan rolled his eyes. "Nice try, Klaus, but I trust Damon a hell of a lot more than I trust you."

"_And I trust no one,"_ Klaus countered tensely. "_Which is why one of my sisters is lying daggered in a box. The more who find out about the cure, the more who will go after it. Nations have gone to war over less. You mark my words; tell another soul and I will throw the hunter's sword into the Mediterranean and we can end this quest right now. Am I understood?"_

Stefan held back the many profanities he was tempted to throw at the Original hybrid. "Crystal."

He hung up the phone without another word and slipped his phone into his jeans. He had to tell Elena what was going on; she was his only ally in this at the moment and as much as he hated to admit it, he needed her help.

Lucy tapped her thumb on her steering wheel to the beat of the music playing through the speakers. It was some song by The Fray that Caroline recommended to her, so Lucy downloaded it. It was actually pretty good but most of the band's music was good so she wasn't that surprised.

After eating breakfast sandwiches with Jeremy in the McDonald's parking lot, she had dropped him off at work. She was halfway to Caroline's house to pick her up so they could go shopping for dresses when she realized that Jeremy's phone was still in the passenger seat. She made an illegal U-turn—after checking if there were any police cars around—and headed back to the Grill to give it to him. Like any other teenager, including herself, the boy couldn't survive without his phone.

She parked in the small parking lot off the alleyway next to the Grill and locked her car before walking into the restaurant. They still hadn't opened yet, so Matt and April were the only ones in the dining area.

"Hey, guys," Lucy greeted them with a smile, walking over to them.

"Hey, Luce," Matt grinned at her. "Where's Jeremy? He's late."

"I dropped him off a couple of minutes ago so he should be here," Lucy shook her head in confusion and looked over at April. "Do you work here, now, April?"

"Um, no, actually, I was just asking Matt about Rebekah," April told her. "Hey, you're friends with Rebekah. Do you know where she is?"

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows. "No, I haven't talked to her yet today. Why?"

"I'm worried about her," April admitted. "She said she'd help me find stuff out about the fire that killed my dad and then she just disappeared."

Before Lucy could even start to worry about her oldest sister, there was a commotion by the kitchen doors. Connor, the hunter, roughly pushed Jeremy into the dining area. His arm was wrapped around his neck with a sharp knife pressed against his throat.

"Trust me, that's the least of your problems," Connor told April.

Lucy inhaled sharply and reached for her necklace but Connor was already shaking his head at her.

"If you make another move toward that necklace, I'll slit your brother's throat."

Lucy shakily dropped her hand, knowing that Connor would be too quick for her to do anything. He walked toward them, pushed Jeremy away from him, and ripped the necklace off of Lucy's necklace in three swift moves. Lucy gasped angrily and caught Jeremy as he stumbled, glaring at the hunter.

"Sit down!" Connor yelled at them, pulling a gun from his pants to point it at them. "Sit down!"

Lucy exchanged a nod with Matt; while she pulled Jeremy over to a table, Matt grabbed April. They sat at the table together, looking at Connor anxiously. Poor April was absolutely terrified, not knowing the whole story like Matt, Jeremy, and Lucy did.

"Gilbert, give me your cell phone," Connor demanded.

"I don't have it," Jeremy said sourly.

"Don't lie to me!"

"I have it!" Lucy spoke up nervously. "I have his phone in pocket."

Connor pressed his lips together. "Give it to me," he ordered. "Give me yours, too."

Lucy nodded and pulled the phones out of her jean pockets. "Look, can you just let April go?" she requested, her hands shaking as she handed the phones over to the hunter. "She has nothing to do with this."

"She has everything to do with this. Her and her father," Connor disagreed as he brought the phones over to another table; Lucy's lips twisted in confusion. "Plus, she and I have history."

"What are you talking about?" April asked indignantly, her voice wavering. "I've never seen you before in my life!"

Connor sighed. "You kids need to get some vervain and don't just wear it as a bracelet where anybody can just take it off," he gave Jeremy's wrist a pointed look. "Maybe then you'd remember our conversation at the hybrid's yesterday."

Lucy looked over at Jeremy, wondering why he was at Klaus' house. Jeremy just shook his head at him and asked, "Our conversation? Are you saying someone compelled me?"

"Will someone please just tell me what he's talking about?" April spoke up loudly.

"Compulsion," Connor said, exasperated. "Secrets. Vampires, witches, siphoners, reincarnations."

Lucy jerked back in shock. "How do you know that?"

The fact that she was a reincarnation wasn't widely known. The siphoner part of her was easy to pick up on but other than her friends, Katherine, and her original siblings, no one else knew about the fact that this was her third life—that she knew of, anyway.

"I know a lot of things."

"If you know so much, then you know our friends are going to come for us," Matt spat at the hunter, his face turning red from anger.

"Oh, yeah, I'm counting on it. Every vampire that comes for you is another one I get to kill," Connor nodded and picked up Lucy's phone. "Now, who should I text first, hmm? Damon or Stefan Salvatore? Caroline Forbes? Tyler Lockwood? Joel Gilbert? How about the whole Original family?"

Lucy clenched her jaw. Every person that Connor listed would come for them. If they weren't careful, every person on that list would die in the process.

Connor smirked at them. "How about all of the above."

Once he messaged every vampire—and hybrid—in Lucy's contacts, he smashed her phone to pieces. He did the same to Jeremy's when he was finished. If Matt or April didn't have their phones with them, they were screwed. Everyone was screwed.

Stefan took large strides through the Lockwood mansion, hurry toward Damon's voice. He knew that the others had gotten the message from Lucy's phone, too, by the way his brother was concocting a plan.

"So, we each take a different entrance and hit him at the same time," Damon finished his plan as Stefan walked into the living room where Damon, Elena, Tyler, and Joel were gathered.

"Stefan," Elena breathed in relief when she saw him, giving him a smile.

Damon glared at him. "Where the fuck have you been?"

"Coming up with a plan," Stefan answered swiftly.

"Yeah, we have a plan," Damon stated. "The plan is I'm going to rip Connor's heart out and I'm going to feed it to him."

"That's not a plan," Stefan protested, his voice hardening. "We need to be careful. Connor has Lucy and who knows how many other hostages."

There wasn't time to fuck around. The cure and, more importantly, Lucy's life were on the line, here. Stefan didn't have time to argue with his brother about Connor's life. They needed to keep the hunter alive and keep Lucy and whatever other hostages safe.

"Hence the open-heart surgery."

"Damon's right," Joel agreed. "Connor's strong but he's not going to be able to take all of us."

"I called in the hybrids to help, too," Tyler spoke up just as Caroline walked into the living room.

"My mom put squad cars blocking the streets," she informed them. "They're saying it's a faulty gas line. We're good to go."

"Good," Damon nodded. "No cops, no witnesses, no reason to wait around."

"All right, hold on," Stefan stopped everyone. "You're all not going."

"He shot me, like, nine times," Tyler scoffed. "If we're killing him, I want in."

"He's got Lucy and if Jeremy got to work on time, he's there, too," Joel added. "I'm going."

"Me too," Elena volunteered.

Stefan inhaled deeply, anger starting to brew in his chest. "Listen, nobody is going anywhere until I figure out what we're walking into."

"Until _you_ figure it out?" Damon asked in disbelief. "Is that where you've been all morning, our buying bossy pants?"

Like Damon could talk. He was always being bossy.

"This guy's known for setting traps, right?" Stefan pointed out, trying not to lose his patience. "We'd be pretty dumb to walk into one, especially if he has werewolf venom."

Joel looked at him in alarm. "Does he?"

"Well, he's had it before," Elena came to Stefan's rescue when he faltered.

"Fine," Damon sighed, looking to Stefan. "You want to take some time to do recon, you get one hour. But we're going to need some extra help so where the fuck is the wicked witch of the west?"

"She can't do magic," Caroline reminded him.

"Really?" Damon rolled his eyes. "Well, call her and tell her Lucy and Jeremy are in danger. Maybe that will bring her out of retirement."

Their group split up; Damon, Elena, and Joel were going to Lucy's apartment—after calling Liz for permission for the former two to enter—Caroline was calling Bonnie, Tyler was going to Klaus' house for the hybrids, and Stefan was going to town square to stake out the Grill.

Stefan called Klaus once he got to the square. He explained the situation that was going on, even though Klaus had informed him early on that he got the message from Lucy's phone, too.

"_Just get Luciana and Connor out of there_," Klaus finally cut Stefan off, exasperated. _"Am I supposed to bloody care about the rest of them?"_

"Well, you should," Stefan replied. "Damon does. So does Caroline, Tyler, Elena, and Joel. If any of them get to Connor, then you just wasted a trip to Italy. I can buy us some time but Damon's getting antsy. So, if you want Connor alive, you better get your hybrids onboard with my plan."

He ended the call and shoved his phone in his jeans as he walked toward the Grill. Still in the street, he stopped to listen to what was going on inside. There were five heartbeats and five voices, all of them arguing about something.

He recognized Lucy's voice first and even though he already knew that she was in there with the hunter, it still made his heart ache and his stomach twist with nerves. He had to get her the fuck out of there before she was hurt.

Then he heard Jeremy's voice and then Matt's and then April Young's.

Stefan called Joel once he made sure there was no one else in the restaurant.

"_What'd you find out?"_ Joel answered.

"I could only make out the voices," he told him.

"_How many hostages?"_ Damon asked; clearly he was on speaker.

"Four; Jeremy and Lucy," Stefan informed them. "Matt's there, too, with April Young."

"_What_?" Elena exclaimed.

"_Those two idiots_," Damon cursed. "_They're like danger magnets."_

"_We have to get them out of there_," Joel declared.

"Yeah, I just need a little more time," Stefan stated.

"_The clock's ticking, brother."_

Stefan rolled his eyes at Damon even though he couldn't see. "You know, I could do without the color commentary."

He hung up the phone and started making his way to Lucy's loft. When he arrived at her door, he could hear Damon, Elena, and Joel worrying about Lucy and Jeremy.

"Stefan's on his way," Damon assured the two oldest Gilbert siblings. "This will be over soon."

"Will it?" Elena asked. "I mean, haven't we already been here before with Jeremy? Isn't this why we sent him to Denver?"

"Well, we'll get him out of this and we'll compel him down to the Bahamas. Maybe he'll find an island girl," Damon tried to placate her. "Stefan can convince Lucy to leave town."

Stefan took the opportunity to enter the apartment.

"Did you find the tunnel map?" he asked his brother.

"Got it," Damon held up his phone. "Apparently Twitch hid Ric's old weapons in her closet. It was with seven stakes, a weird MacGyver crossbow, and the last remaining vervain in Mystic Falls. So, how about we get this party started?"

"Not yet," Stefan shook his head and looked down at the weapons on the kitchen island. "Klaus is sending one of his men. He'll take the front and you and I can take the tunnels."

Damon furrowed his eyebrows. "Since when do we team up with Klaus and the lollipop guild?"

"I already told you, Connor has werewolf venom. We need someone to draw his fire; the hybrids are immune to it so they're out best bet."

Joel shrugged. "It sounds like a good idea."

"Wait," Damon waved him off so he could question Stefan. "How are you sure he even has werewolf venom? Why is Klaus involved, Stefan?"

Stefan rolled his eyes and turned his back on his brother, picking up one of the vervain darts they had found in Lucy's closet. "Oh, stop being paranoid, Damon. Klaus is involved because Lucy is involved."

"You're lying," Damon declared. "_Why_ is Klaus involved. Did he compel you?"

Stefan clenched his jaw and turned back to his brother. "I am telling you the truth," he said firmly. "This is the best way to get everyone out."

"Okay," Elena stepped forward to interrupt their argument. "What is with you two? We're wasting time!"

"You know, what, she's right," Damon narrowed his eyes at Stefan. "Fuck your plan. I'll kill Connor myself."

Damon went to pass Stefan but Stefan quickly grabbed his shoulders, stabbing him in the back with the vervain dart.

"Stefan, what the fuck are you doing?" Elena shouted at him, eyes wide with shock.

As Damon fell completely unconscious, Stefan dragged him over to the couch by the window. He took his phone from his jacket and slid his daylight ring off his finger so he wouldn't be able to leave the loft.

"Okay, why did you do that?" Joel wondered, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Damon had the right idea with the tunnels," Stefan sent the picture of the tunnel system to his phone and threw Damon's back to him; it landed on his stomach with a thud. "but I'm not going to go in there if I can't count of him to do it my way."

"If _you_ can't count on _him_?" Elena asked in disbelief, temporarily forgetting about what was at stake when her boyfriend was passed out on the couch with vervain in his system. "You just vervained him!"

Stefan rolled his eyes; he didn't have time to listen to Elena complain. He needed to get to Lucy and make sure that Connor stayed alive. "Do you think he cares about April or Matt?" he demanded, raising his voice at her. "He'll get Jeremy and Lucy out for you but then he'll go right after Connor, no matter who gets hurt."

Elena scoffed. "Then I'm coming with you."

"You're not coming with me, Elena!" Stefan shook his head as he started toward the door; he couldn't babysit her while trying to keep everyone safe and alive.

"You need my help!"

"Joel's coming with," he looked at Joel, who nodded at him in confirmation. "besides, what if Connor attacks you and you have to defend yourself? _What if you kill him_?"

Elena deflated at his pointed reminder; she remembered what he had told her that morning. If Connor died, then so did the map to the cure. She wanted to be human again; she couldn't risk the map disappearing.

"Fine."

"Fine," Stefan grunted back as he stormed out of the apartment, Joel on his trail.

Lucy fiddled with her bracelet, her knee rapidly bouncing under the table as she stared at Connor. He was making some kind of bomb and if she had to guess, there was werewolf venom added to whatever he was making it out of.

It had already been two hours since he took them hostage and no one had stepped foot into the Grill for them. Lucy was glad; if anyone she cared about walked through that door, they'd die. She had no doubts; with the bombs and the werewolf venom it was almost a guarantee. Still, she wished this whole situation was over. She didn't want to die at the hands of an arrogant hunter and she sure as hell didn't want Jeremy, Matt, and April to die, either.

"He's clearly delusional, right?" April stammered quietly, growing more nervous with each hour that went by. "I mean, all this—all this talk about vampires? I mean, he mentioned my dad…"

"Hey, this guy's a nut job, okay?" Matt tried to comfort her without revealing that everything was true. "Don't let him get in your head."

"What if he knows something?" she asked and spared Jeremy a questioning look. "Jeremy, did he say anything to you about why he's doing this?"

"I don't know, maybe," Jeremy's tone was passive aggressive. "Maybe I just can't remember."

As he got up to walk over to Connor, Matt hissed at him, "Let it go, Jeremy!"

"Jeremy!" Lucy quickly stood up and followed him, reaching for his hand to pull him back. He was much stronger than she was, though; he overpowered her and dragged her along to talk to Connor.

"You said we had a conversation yesterday."

Connor nodded as he continued making bombs. "Mmhm."

"About what?"

Admittedly, Lucy wanted to know the answer, too. Who had compelled Jeremy? Was it Klaus? Was that why he was at his house yesterday?

"We'll get into that. First, take a look at my handiwork," Connor gestured to his bombs boastfully. "I picked up some tips from the hunter's trade."

Lucy bit her lip. "What is that?" she asked nervously, hoping she was wrong about the ingredients. "Werewolf venom?"

Connor nodded. "The fluid is derived from werewolf toxin," he informed them. "Trip the wire, bomb goes off, nails deliver a lethal dose into the bloodstream."

Lucy inhaled deeply at the thought of any of her loved ones meeting that fate.

"What's the point?" Jeremy asked, disgusted. "What do you get out of all of this?"

Connor turned to them; his expression almost thoughtful. "You know, I used to think that there was no get. That I was just supposed to do—kill vampires. That was until I realized that the mark held the answer to why the way I am. The more I kill, the more it grows, and once it's complete, I'll learn my story and all this will have meant something."

"What are you talking about?" Lucy was absolutely confused. "What _mark_?"

"It's a tattoo," Jeremy told her. "I can see it but I guess it's invisible to everyone else."

"An invisible tattoo?" she asked in disbelief, her eyes flickering back to Connor.

"Don't worry about it," Connor snapped at her before looking to Matt and April. "Hey, we're going to have visitors soon. You two get in the back. Get up! Move!" he yelled when they hesitated; they immediately jumped to their feet. "And before you think about any other exits, I got every door rigged, got it?"

Matt nodded and hurried out of the dining area, dragging April into the kitchen with him. Lucy held onto Jeremy's arm tightly, trying to make sure he'd stay by her side and stay safe. Her nerves were in overdrive and her chest ached but she was more worried about her little brother than anything Connor would do to her.

The Grill's phone rang only minutes after Matt and April disappeared into the kitchen. Connor answered it.

"We're closed," he barked into the receiver and then huffed at whoever was speaking to him. "I'll free them as soon as you give me what I want…you and everyone like you dead."

He paused, his face falling as the person replied. "Yeah," he scoffed as he tried to act like whatever was said didn't affect him. "that's a weak move. You must be desperate."

The person spoke again and whatever they said made Connor furious. He slammed the phone back down on the hook and threw it across the room.

He made Lucy and Jeremy take a step back from the bombs he made and continued to work of them, making sure that everything was rigged to go off. It was unnerving to see the way he fiddled with them; he was so concentrated, so sure about his moves. He was a professional.

Whoever walked through those doors was going to die.

Jeremy inched toward the weapons, forcefully peeling Lucy's fingers from his arm.

Connor stopped him, not even looking away from the bomb. "You may be a potential hunter but you make one move and I will break all twenty-seven bones in your hand."

What did he even mean by that? Jeremy could see this so-called invisible tattoo and all of a sudden he was on a fast track to becoming a lethal vampire hunter with a heart of stone? What the hell was going on? There had to be more to this than killing random vampires.

"They're not all bad, you know," Jeremy informed Connor, defending their friends and siblings. "Some of them are my friends."

"Friends, huh?" Connor scoffed. "Yeah, I had a friend like that once. She got turned by this vampire I was hunting. He thought it'd be ironic."

Lucy gulped harshly. "What happened to her?"

"I didn't want to hurt her," Connor confessed as he stopped messing with the bomb and picked up a gun, loading it with wooden bullets. "She promised that she would keep it under control, but…A vampire's a loaded gun. Eventually, it's going to go off," he pulled up his sleeve and pointed to a spot on his forearm. "That's when I got this."

Lucy didn't see anything but it looked like Jeremy did. His eyes widened in shock, darting up and down the expanse of Connor's arm. "So, you killed your own friend?"

"Listen, if you're gonna be like me, you need to understand," Connor raised his voice; Lucy flinched and grabbed Jeremy's arm, pulling him back to her side. "Vampires kill humans. Hunters kill vampires—"

He cut himself off as they all heard the sound of the outermost doors opening.

"We got company," Connor picked up the stereo remote and pressed play. As loud rock music blared throughout the restaurant, he ducked to the floor and pulled Jeremy and Lucy down with him.

It was only seconds but it felt like hours as someone opened the door and stepped into the dining area. Lucy heard a rapid beeping and then there was an explosion. It was so loud it felt like her eardrums were going to burst. She pulled Jeremy closer to her, her breathing speeding up.

From beside them, Connor stood up and grabbed a large rifle. Lucy didn't look but she could hear everything. There was the crunching of glass as whoever set off the bomb stood up, the cocking of the gun, the loud gunshot as Connor shot it, and then the wet thud of a body.

Lucy suppressed the sob that threatened to come out and clenched her eyes shut, wishing that this day had never happened.

Jeremy stood up, pulling Lucy with him, and walked over to Connor. The hunter was taking off his button-up shirt, leaving him in just a gray undershirt. He held out his arm and looked down at it expectantly, waiting for something. Lucy didn't see what happened but Jeremy gasped. She guessed it must have been the tattoo.

And then Connor looked up from his arm, pulled Jeremy and Lucy so they blocked his body, and aimed his gun at the wall near the kitchen entrance. Lucy saw a blur as the person ran away from the bullet Connor shot at them. Lucy could just make out that familiar hero-hair.

"Oh, my God," she breathed nervously as he sped across the bar. Connor's shots followed him, breaking most of the glass bottles behind the counter.

Connor roughly pushed her away from him; she landed on one of the little rugs that was rigged with a bomb. It started beeping rapidly; if she moved, the bomb would go off and she would die.

Holy shit, she was gonna die.

"Connor," Stefan called as Jeremy stared at Lucy in horror. "You don't have to do this."

"Stefan!" Lucy couldn't help but cry out. She was scared. She was so scared. The only thing that made her feel a little bit better was the fact that it wasn't Jeremy in her position.

"Fuck," Stefan cursed softly before raising his voice. "Connor, we can end this right now. Just put down the gun and come with me."

"Sure," Connor had no intention of handing himself over to him. "Come out and I'll hand the gun over."

"Think about this," Stefan pleaded. "No one has to die. I'll tell you everything you need to know."

"I don't make deals with vampires!" Connor shouted over the beeping of the bomb.

"Listen to me, if you die right now then your whole life, all that killing? It will be for nothing," Stefan tried to get through to him. "I can give you the truth. Put down the gun and let Lucy and Jeremy go."

The door behind them opened; Connor spun around and pointed the gun at the door. Lucy didn't dare move but she saw another blur come out of the kitchen; it had to be Joel or Damon.

"Please!" it was Elena at the door behind her. "Don't hurt them!"

Connor pointed the gun at Lucy's head; she squeezed her eyes shut, tears streaking down her cheeks. "Come any closer and she's dead."

"Elena, get out of here!" Jeremy yelled at his oldest sister, his eyes darting from Lucy's still form to her.

"She's my sister," Elena continued to beg Connor. "and he's my brother. Just—just let them go."

"You hear that?" Connor called to Stefan; he had no idea that Joel or Damon had joined him. "The girl's gonna watch your girlfriend die right in front of her," he threatened. "On the count of three—one, two…"

Connor didn't get to three; Stefan stood up from his hiding place, hands in the air, while Joel and Elena rushed toward Jeremy and Connor. While Joel pushed Jeremy to safety, Elena tackled Connor to the floor, his gun going off in the process.

Lucy gasped at the gunshot and opened her eyes in shock. It was then that she felt the white-hot pain spread through her stomach. She inhaled sharply, grunting in pain, and pressed her hand against the wound on her stomach.

Blood spilled over her hand and her stomach heaved, making the pain worse. Her eyesight was going blurry but she reminded herself that she was still on the sensor. If she moved, if she faltered, the bomb would go off and Joel and Jeremy, who were closest to the bomb—other than her—would get the full blast.

"Joel, move!" she heard Stefan shout, though it sounded like she was underwater.

She felt herself being picked up and sped through the room. Stefan only had time to kick a table up behind them as the bomb went off, protecting them from the blast.

"LUCY?"

That was Elena's voice, Lucy realized. Good…that was good. She'd be able to say goodbye to her Gilbert siblings before she died. She just needed Caroline, Katherine, and her original siblings, too, then. Maybe Stefan would tell them goodbye for her.

She could feel familiar hands on her cheeks as more commotion went on the other side of the restaurant. Even with her eyes closed she could tell that it was Stefan's hands holding her face.

"Broody," she whispered and tried to open her eyes. She succeeded but she couldn't see him through the blur of her tears. "Hey."

"Hey, Goofy," Stefan's voice was shaky. "Hey, Joel! Get over here!"

"Stefan," Lucy tried to get his attention as Joel called back to him. "You have to tell—"

"Don't you do that," he looked down at her with serious eyes. "Don't you say goodbye. You're not dying, you hear me? You're _not_ dying."

Lucy wanted to tell him he was in denial. She was in so much pain that she didn't remember that he was a vampire. A vampire with blood that would heal her.

"Lucy, oh, my God," Joel's face appeared above her and then Jeremy's and then Elena's.

"Give her your blood. I'm going after Connor," Stefan told Joel before looking down at Lucy. "You're gonna be okay, Luce. I love you."

Lucy didn't get to answer him as he sped off. She eyes fell shut as Joel bit into his wrist and pressed it against her lips. She grimaced as she choked down the blood but the relief was almost instant.

"The bullet went through," Elena assured her as the wound in her stomach started healing. Her eyes started turning red and her vamp-veins rippled into view as she looked at the blood soaking her shirt. "Sorry—I—"

"It's okay," Lucy gave her a small smile, already feeling better. "I know you're not going to hurt me."

Joel sighed in relief and brushed his fingers through Lucy's hair before turning to Jeremy. "How did this happen, Jere? Why did Connor come after you guys?"

Jeremy's sad eyes went to Lucy; she gave him a comforting smile as he answered, "He came after me," he corrected Joel. "He said I was like him because I could see his tattoo."

Joel furrowed his eyebrows while a look of realization warped Elena's expression. "His what?"

"His hunter mark," Jeremy informed him. "It's invisible to everyone but me. They didn't tell you about it?"

"No," Joel's gaze hardened as he looked over to a guilty Elena. "Who else knows about this?"

"Stefan, Damon, and Elena know, but other than that I don't know," Jeremy shrugged. "And, apparently, I was with Connor all day yesterday but I can't remember. Someone compelled me."

"I have to go," Elena suddenly declared, standing up. "I'm gonna go help Stefan."

Lucy watched her sister speed away from them and tried to piece together what was going on. Connor had said Jeremy was with him yesterday but Jeremy didn't remember. Stefan was trying to convince Connor to come with him so he could explain what the mark was and who the Brotherhood of the Five—whatever that was—were. Elena's face has been so guilty before she ran away…

Stefan and Elena were up to something and it involved Connor. Something was going on and they were lying about it.

She glared in the direction Elena left in. "I think I know who."


	65. Relationship Milestone

**[4x06; We All Go a Little Mad Sometimes]**

_Lucy angrily pressed her lips together as she gathered up the rest of Alaric's weapons that Damon had left on her kitchen island. She ignored the sad green eyes on her as she stomped to her closet, throwing them back into the bin she originally put them in. _

"_Lucy."_

_She didn't say anything to Stefan. She was pointedly ignoring him while she made her way to her dresser to grab pajamas so she could take a shower and wash all the blood off her body. She didn't want to say anything that'd she regret because lately, that's where her anger led her. _

_She loved Stefan but right now, she needed time to process everything that went on. She was taken hostage, she had witnessed a hybrid being killed, she had been shot, and she found out that not only did Stefan compel Jeremy, but he and Elena were keeping secrets for some unknown reason. _

"_Lucy, I'm sorry," Stefan didn't know what else to do but apologize. The lump in his throat made it hard to speak. _

_Everything had gone wrong. Everything. Connor was dead. The map to the cure was gone. The chance for a normal human life with Lucy slipped through his fingers before he even had the chance to grasp it. _

"_You're sorry?" Lucy turned to him, a pair of pajama pants clenched in her hands. "Sorry that you compelled my brother, that you and Elena are keeping something from me, or that you left when I had just been shot?"_

"_I'm sorry about all of it," Stefan told her, clenching his jaw guiltily. "I just—I can't tell you what's going on but I-I need you to trust me, okay?"_

_Lucy gave him a look of disbelief. "I do trust you, Stefan. I trust you more than anyone."_

_Stefan quickly crossed the loft to stand in front of her, grabbing one of her hands to hold it tightly. "Then I need you to trust that this is nothing bad. I would never put you in danger, Lucy."_

"_I don't care about me," Lucy pulled away from him. "You compelled my brother, Stefan. You compelled him even though you know how I feel about that—you know that more than anyone I know."_

"_Lucy, I—"_

"_Honestly, I don't want to talk about it anymore tonight," Lucy cut him off. "I-I have those interviews in the morning and then I'm helping with the set-up of Professor Shane's exhibit. I want to shower and go to bed."_

"_Okay," Stefan nodded in agreement; his stomach twisted from the way they were leaving things for the night but he had to give her time. She was right but so was he; she couldn't know about the cure when it was so dangerous to know. "Okay, I'll go. I love you, Lucy."_

"_I love you, too, Stefan," Lucy made sure he knew. Just because she was angry didn't mean she felt anything less for him. "Goodnight."_

"_Goodnight."_

_When Stefan left the apartment, Lucy went straight into the bathroom. The shower was turned to the hottest temperature she could stand it; when she saw the access blood flow down the drain, tears spilled down her cheeks. _

Lucy tried not to think about the previous night as she sat in the hallway outside of one of the conference rooms in the school, waiting for her interview. The Miss Mystic Falls pagent was the upcoming weekend, so all week she'd be doing interviews, rehearsals, and decorating city hall.

Lucy was one of four girls on the committee and, while the other girls were very nice, she was sure she was going to win. She was the youngest member of the town's planning committee, she was co-chair of the dance committee, she was on her way to being valedictorian, and Mrs. Lockwood, who was one of the judges, absolutely adored her. Just like she loved Mystic Falls, the town loved her back.

Either way, she had to be on her best game. She wouldn't say she was competitive but she had always wanted to be Miss Mystic Falls.

She tapped her nude heels against the linoleum flooring, concentrating on the slight tapping sound they made. She perked up when Molly Fell walked out of the room where the interviews took place, a self-satisfied look on her face.

This was it. She was next.

"Lucy Gilbert?"

Lucy stood up and straightened the skirt of her black polka-dotted dress. She walked through the door and smiled sweetly at Mrs. Lockwood, Mrs. Johnston, Mr. Isaacs, and Professor Shane. They made quick introductions, though she knew everyone but Professor Shane, and she took a seat in front of their table.

"Before we start, Miss Gilbert," Mrs. Johnston—one of the art teachers at the high school—began. "I'd like to remind you that even though you are still sixteen, we've allowed you to compete in this year's pagent because it was pushed forward and you're in your senior year."

"Thank you, I very much appreciate it," she assured her politely.

"Okay, well, Lucy, we already know a lot about you," Mrs. Lockwood opened the file with her name on it that held her application, entrance essay, and transcripts. "Why don't you tell us what made you get so involved in the community?"

"Well, as you know, I've lived in Mystic Falls my whole life. I love the town and I love the people," Lucy answered smoothly. "While I was growing up, the history of the town and the Founding Families always fascinated me so my mom would tell me stories."

"She passed her love of the community down on me," she continued. "and I continue to serve, not only because I know it would make her proud, but I genuinely love Mystic Falls. If I can help the town and its people, I will do everything in my power to."

Mrs. Johnston looked impressed with her answer and so did Mr. Isaacs. Professor Shane had a thoughtful expression on his face while Mrs. Lockwood looked proud.

"Why don't you give us a quick summary of your involvement."

Lucy nodded and smiled. "I am a junior member of the Mystic Falls planning committee, the co-chair of the dance committee, and I have been on the student council since my sophomore year."

"Sounds like you've been busy," Professor Shane commented. "How have you been dealing with your grades?"

"Despite being the youngest in my class, I'm on track to be valedictorian," Lucy told him. "Currently, I have a 4.0 GPA."

"And your plans after graduating?"

"I've applied to Duke University and Whitmore College."

"Let me ask you this, Miss Gilbert," Mr. Isaacs leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table in front of him. "You've encountered so much loss recently. How do you find the strength to continue to succeed in your life?"

Lucy pressed her lips together thoughtfully. She hadn't expected a question like this and it was tough to answer. But, at the same time, the answer was so inherently simple.

"Loss is tough and I struggle with grief just like anyone else," Lucy admitted, clasping her hands together so she wouldn't mess with her bracelet. "I get angry and I get sad and sometimes it's not pretty…but my siblings and my friends get me through the hard parts. They're my strength. They make me realize that I can't keep thinking about the past and dwelling on how much I've lost because I still have so much in front of me."

She looked down at her lap for a brief second before looking back at the judges. Mrs. Lockwood gave her a comforting smile; Lucy was so glad she was there. They may not be close like Lucy and Liz were but Mrs. Lockwood gave her so many opportunities that other girls her age may not have. She was lucky.

"Well," Mrs. Lockwood closed her file with a pleased smile. "Thank you so much, Lucy. We look forward to this week."

"So do I," Lucy agreed with a bright smile. "I've been looking forward to this for a long time. Thank you so much for the opportunity."

She shook each of their hands again and left the room, glad that it was over. She quickly went to her locker—thankfully, she got it unlocked on the second try—and grabbed the bag of clothes that she brought to change into so she could help set up for Professor Shane's exhibit. He was the occult professor that took over Grams' classes at Whitmore and now he was recruiting from the high school with other professors from Whitmore.

Once dressed in jeans and a gray v-neck, she joined Matt and Jeremy in the main hallway to help. There were a bunch of items that Professor Shane brought to showcase, plus there were other faculty members from the college that had to set up booths, too. Even Joel was going to speak as a representative of the internship program that the college offered.

The three of them helped out with the internship booth—even though Joel had yet to appear—before moving onto the history department's booth. They had fun setting up and Lucy was glad that Jeremy agreed to hang out for the day.

She was so worried about him. After everything that happened the day before with Connor keeping them hostage, his eventful day hadn't ended. Apparently, during the night Elena was hallucinating and stabbed Jeremy in the neck with a kitchen knife. His ring had brought him back to life but that only worried Lucy more; what if what happened to Alaric happened to him, too?

Jeremy let her hover but made sure that she knew he was okay but that only soothed some of her worries. Elena had killed Connor and now she was having hallucinations that he was still alive and taunting her. That was why she stabbed Jeremy in the first place. It was horrifying but not really something she could help with.

And it might have been selfish of her but she needed to be at the school. She wanted this for herself and she felt like she had been sacrificing an awful lot for Elena recently. Soon the hallucinations would pass and her sister would be back to normal.

"Hey," Jeremy called to Lucy and Matt as they walked back from their break with a bottle of water for him. "do you see anything on my hand?"

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows and grabbed his hand. "No," she observed the unblemished skin. "Why?"

"What's going on, Jere?"

"What if I told you I saw the beginning of a mark like Connor's?"

Lucy blinked at him in shock while Matt asked, "Are you serious?"

Jeremy nodded. "It showed up after he died," he told them. "He told me that I was a potential; that was why I could see his mark?"

"Do you think that you'll be a hunter like him?" Lucy asked him worriedly. "Like he passed the torch onto you or something?"

"I don't know, Lou," Jeremy frowned at her, his face falling almost helplessly.

"We'll figure it out," Lucy squeezed his hand comfortingly and then released it just as April Young approached them.

"Hey, guys!" she greeted them with a smile, holding a wooden statue in her arms.

"Hi," Lucy grinned at her.

It was then that Professor Shane approached them holding a large rock close to his chest. "She's gone all the heavy lifting," he told Lucy, Matt, and Jeremy about April. "I found her wandering the hallways with this. Hi, Lucy."

Lucy smiled at him and then turned to Jeremy and Matt to introduce him. "Guys, this is Professor Shane. He's in charge of all of this."

"I wrangle all of the freaky stuff," Professor Shane added. "and you don't have to call me Professor. Shane's fine."

Matt and Jeremy gave him polite, if not awkward, smiles.

"Thank you guys for helping, I really appreciate it," Shane continued. "Y'all get free admission to my free exhibit."

Lucy laughed as though what he said was funny; yes, she was sucking up to the guy. "Looking forward to it!"

Shane gave them one last smile before heading off into the classroom where his exhibit was being set up.

"Why does he look so familiar?" April asked them once he was out of hearing range.

Jeremy shrugged. "No idea."

April nodded. "Hey," she perked up. "Have you guys seen Rebekah? She said she was going to help me look into what caused the explosion at my dad's farm and then she just—"

"Disappeared," Matt offered. "Yeah, I know."

That was another problem. Rebekah was still missing and she hadn't contacted Lucy despite the fact that she had called her using Caroline's phone since hers was now in pieces somewhere in the Grill. She was worried about her oldest sister and was nervous that her disappearance had to do with whatever Stefan and Elena were up to.

"I'm trying to get in contact with her," Lucy told April to save face. "I'll let you know if she gets back to me."

"Thanks, Lucy," April cheered up a little. "Well, see you guys later."

As April left to go deliver the statue to Shane's exhibit, Lucy turned back to Matt and Jeremy. "All right, break time's over."

Matt laughed and clapped Jeremy on the shoulder. "You heard the boss."

"You're looking at what people believe to be the world's first tombstone," Shane told the crowd that had gathered to listen to his lecture. "This item was donated to Whitmore College just last month. Discovered…"

Lucy listened carefully to what Shane was talking about. Because of what she was, she was really interested in the information he taught in his classes. She had heard that Bonnie went to talk to the man and had been practicing her magic with him, so she wondered if he knew anything about siphoners. It would be nice to learn more about her kind.

"The headstone belonged to a very powerful witch," Shane continued. "A witch so powerful, in fact, that Silas—that was his name—created a spell that would grant him immortality."

She raised her eyebrows thoughtfully. If Shane really knew his stuff like Bonnie said then the story had to be true, right? Esther did create vampires using some sort of immortality spell a thousand years ago, so who's to say that something like that wasn't already created.

And the name Silas…it struck some kind of recognition in her that she couldn't place.

"Now, legend says that Silas did the spell with the help of a lady-witch who loved him, a woman named Qetsiyah," Shane stated. "Sadly for Qetsiyah, Silas wanted to give immortality to two other women…So, Qetsiyah killed them and buried Silas alive, leaving him powerless, immortal, and alone. This might actually be the origin story of Hell Hath No Fury Like a Woman Scorned."

People in the crowd laughed good-naturedly at his joke and Lucy twisted her lips. It sounded like a tragic and messed up story to her. She didn't think it was funny.

"Now it's said that Silas wants to rise again and regain his power. Wreak havoc on the world. Maybe we should be afraid…or maybe it's all a bunch of crap and that's just an old rock," Shane finished up his lecture. "All right, listen, enjoy exploring the exhibit. I'll be around to answer any questions. Thank you for coming."

Lucy clapped politely with the crowd but stopped when she felt fingers wrap around her elbow. She flinched away but sighed in relief when she saw that it was just Stefan that had snuck up on her.

"Hey."

"Hi," he gave her a small smile. "Can we talk?"

Lucy nodded and Stefan led her out of the exhibit, making their way to the history classroom.

"What's going on?" she asked him, her stomach dipping when she saw the serious look on his face.

"Where have you been all day?" he asked, his voice hardening ever so slightly. "I've been calling you and you never answered. I was worried about you."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows. "I told you that I had the Miss Mystic Falls interviews today," she reminded him a little huffily. "and my phone was smashed to pieces by a lunatic, in case you forgot."

"Sorry, I forgot," Stefan's face fell in realization; Lucy bit her lip, trying to conceal how hurt she was that he forgot about something that was so important to her. "I knew you did, it's just there's been a lot going on today."

"Yeah, I know, with _Elena_," Lucy stated flatly; Stefan could see how unhappy she was. "I guess that's what guilt does to you when you stab your little brother in the neck."

"What, no," Stefan shook his head. "Lucy, that's not what's going on. She's having hallucinations of Connor."

"Because she killed him."

"You don't understand—"

"Well, then make me understand!" Lucy raised her voice in frustration. "Stefan, I don't know anything that's going on so excuse me if I don't know the reality of the situation."

Stefan sighed heavily and brushed his fingers through his hair, trying not to get irritated with her. It wasn't her fault that she was in the dark, it was his. He had to remind himself of that even though he didn't like being yelled at.

"Connor was a hunter—"

"Yeah, I know that—"

"I'm trying to tell you what's going on and I can't do that if you're interrupting me," Stefan said firmly; Lucy pressed her lips together and nodded at him to go on. "Connor was part of a group of hunters called the Brotherhood of the Five. They're specially created to hunt vampires over nine hundred years ago. They have a mark—his was invisible—that grows each time they kill a vampire and if a vampire kills them, first, there's a curse that makes that vampire the hunter's last kill."

"Okay, so what does that mean?" Lucy folded her arms over her chest. "Elena's dying?"

"The hallucinations that Elena is having are trying to get her to kill herself."

Well, Lucy felt like a bitch now. All throughout the day she'd be indignant about Elena's condition and the whole time she had been having suicidal hallucinations. She was hardly even worried about her yet Elena was going through something horrible.

"God," Lucy breathed ducking her head to hide the guilt she felt. "Okay, so where is she now?"

"Klaus has her so she won't hurt herself but Joel and Caroline are getting her out of there," Stefan informed her. "Damon, Bonnie, and I came here to get you and Professor Shane."

Lucy looked at him in shock. "Does Bonnie think Shane knows something?"

"Yes, she does," Damon walked into the classroom, answering her question instead of Stefan. "Heard your argument, by the way. Trouble in paradise?"

"Shut up, Damon," Lucy and Stefan spoke in unison, each of them sending a glare to the oldest Salvatore.

"Touchy," Damon smirked. "Anyway, Bonnie's getting the creepy professor right now. They'll be here any second."

Damon was right; a minute had only passed by when Bonnie entered the classroom with Shane on her heels.

"Shane, these are my friends, Stefan and Damon," she introduced the brothers to Shane. "They're kind of experts on this stuff, too."

"I audited your class," Damon informed him. "It's very enlightening."

"That's right," Shane nodded, his eyes darting from Damon to Stefan and Lucy, who wound up standing side-by-side without realizing it. "I remember you. What's your specialty?"

"The origin of the species."

"Oh, I think Darwin would arm wrestle you for that distinction," Shane laughed.

"Not that species."

"You're into the monster stuff," Shane nodded with a skeptical look at Bonnie. "All right, awesome."

Damon gave him an unimpressed look and pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket; he unfolded it and handed it to Shane. "I was kind of hoping that you might have stumbled upon this at some point, maybe."

Shane looked over the paper. "This is the hunter's mark," he flipped the paper over to show Stefan and Lucy. "Where'd you get this?"

The paper had a drawing on it of an arm; there was a large mark curled around it with weird letters and symbols. Lucy could see Jeremy's initials at the bottom. Had he drawn what he saw of Connor's invisible mark?

"Came to me in a dream," Damon shrugged casually.

"Do you know anything about the hunter's curse?" Stefan spoke up, wrapping his arm around Lucy's shoulders without a thought.

Neither of them were thinking about how they were a little irritated with one another.

Shane scoffed. "Why, you got a dead hunter in the trunk of your car or something?"

"It's just metaphorical," Stefan replied.

Shane's eyes darted to Bonnie and then back to the drawing, looking a little nervous. "Legend says that if a hunter is killed by that which he hunts then that person will be cursed to walk the earth and torment until…"

Bonnie looked at him anxiously. "Until what?"

"Until a new hunter's awakened and their legacy is passed on," Shane finished. "They're called potentials."

Lucy sighed and bowed her head, remembering all that went on between Connor and Jeremy. At the Grill, Connor was teaching Jeremy the ropes and he did call Jeremy a potential. A mark had appeared on Jeremy's hand as soon as Connor was killed. Oh, God, this wasn't good.

"Listen, I have a bunch of research on it," Shane offered. "Why don't I go grab it for you?"

"That would be great," Damon said while taking out his phone.

As soon as Shane left the room, Bonnie turned to Lucy, Stefan, and Damon. "How are we supposed to find a potential hunter?"

"You won't have to look far," Lucy sighed reluctantly. Elena was gonna die if the hunter's curse wasn't broke and she knew Jeremy would do anything in his power to help her.

"Exactly," Damon nodded and put his phone to his ear. "Little Gilbert, your services are needed."

Lucy and Stefan quietly explained what was going on to Bonnie as Damon spoke with Jeremy on the phone, telling him their location and urging him to hurry. It was after Shane came back with the research and left the school again that Bonnie knew everything that was going on with Jeremy.

"How did I not know any of this stuff about Jeremy?" she demanded angrily.

"The witch who loses her powers gets left out of the important conversations," Damon told her matter-of-factly.

"Shut up, Damon," Lucy snapped at him before turning to Bonnie. "They've been keeping things from me, too."

"For good reason, Lucy," Stefan reminded her in a tired voice.

Lucy rolled her eyes passive-aggressively.

Jeremy took that moment to enter the classroom. "Is everything okay? What does Elena need?"

"We figured out how to help her," Bonnie informed him, forgetting about her anger at being left out. "You need to kill a vampire."

"Oh, great," Jeremy nodded. "Give me a stake, I'll kill Damon right now."

Lucy snickered but stopped when Stefan nudged her with a pointed look.

"Easy, van Helsing," Damon glared at Jeremy. "We'll get you one. Don't worry."

"Before you do this, you need to know what you're getting yourself into," Bonnie warned Jeremy.

Jeremy went to respond but Stefan's phone rang. He pulled it out of his jacket and answered it, putting it on speaker so Lucy, Bonnie, and Jeremy could hear.

"Hey, Joel, we figured out how to help Elena," Stefan told him.

"Yeah, well, we have a big problem," Joel sighed. "I lost her."

"What?" Damon asked sharply. "Again?"

"She's in bad shape," Joel stated. "I tried to help her but she attacked me. Damon, you have to go find her and talk her down. She'll listen to you."

"Fine," Damon agreed. "I'm heading out now. Stefan will tell you what we found out."

Damon sped out of the classroom and Stefan informed Joel about Jeremy and his need to kill a vampire to release Elena from the hunter's curse. Bonnie and Jeremy went to go meet up with Joel while Lucy and Stefan went to her apartment.

It was silent as they entered, Lucy making sure to put her interview clothes into her dirty clothes basket. The air between her and Stefan was tense and both of them knew that it had everything to do with the secrets Stefan was keeping from her.

By the time that Lucy came out of her bathroom changed into pajamas and there still hadn't been a word between them, Stefan knew that he had to take the first step.

"Lucy, I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about," Lucy replied tensely.

She dragged her laundry basket over to the closet that held her washer and drier. Stefan walked over and helped her separate her clothes into two piles—ones that could go through a normal washing cycle and ones that needed the delicate cycle.

"You're doing that passive-aggressive thing where you act like you're not mad," he pointed out, picking up the normal pile and piling them into the machine. Lucy glared at him and stuck soap and fabric softener pods into the tub before turning it on. "You're doing it right now."

"Fine," Lucy sighed and turned to him, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm mad that you're keeping secrets from me. Secrets that included Elena."

"Well, actually, Damon and Joel know about it, too," Stefan said unhelpfully.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" she raised an eyebrow at him. "Stefan, I don't know about you, but I don't want secrets in our relationship. You don't have to hide anything from me; I want your good, your bad, and your in-betweens. I want _all_ of you."

"I want that, too, Luce."

"Well, then, tell me what's going on," she pleaded, her eyes filling with tears.

Stefan looked hesitant. "Luce, it's dangerous…"

"Stefan, please, just tell me…"

Stefan couldn't resist her sad face. She was right, anyway. He didn't want to hide things from her and he'd be just as upset if she did this to him. Klaus may think they were in danger if anyone outside of Mystic Falls knew of the cure but Stefan wouldn't let anything bad happen to her—besides, Lucy could take care of herself. She was a little badass.

"There's a cure," he blurted out.

"A cure," Lucy repeated slowly, a little confused. "A cure for what?"

"A cure for vampirism," Stefan told her. "That's what the hunter's mark is. It's a map to the cure."

"And this is a real thing?"

"Klaus, Rebekah, and Elijah ran into the Brotherhood of the Five in the twelfth century," Stefan informed her. "It's the real deal—at least, Klaus, Elena, and I are pretty sure it is."

Lucy nodded, her anger slowly fading as she tried to process everything he had told her. There was a cure for vampirism and they were trying to find it. Obviously Elena wanted the cure because she never wanted to be a vampire but...Wait, did that mean—did that mean that Stefan wanted the cure?

She knew Stefan so it was more than likely that he did want the cure—but she had to make sure that was what he wanted before she assumed anything.

"And you want the cure?" she asked him quietly.

Stefan nodded seriously. "I do," he confirmed. "I never wanted to be a vampire, you know? And it'd—it'd be nice not to be a blood-thirsty monster."

"You're not a monster, Stefan," Lucy said firmly, grabbing his hands to intertwine their fingers together. "But…if you want the cure, I want to help you. I want to be by your side."

Stefan smiled down at her, his beautiful dimples popping out. "I don't want to take the cure just for me, Luce. I want to take it for you."

Lucy gave him a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"I want a human life with you," he told her earnestly, rubbing the back of her hands with his thumbs. "I want to go to college with you, I want to marry you, I want to have a family…There are so many things I want to do but I don't want to do them without you."

Tears stung Lucy's eyes as she looked up at him. Her heart swelled knowing that he wanted that with her because that's what she wanted with him, too. She loved Stefan so much that she couldn't imagine living her life without him. She couldn't imagine having a husband that wasn't him or having kids without him being their father.

An eternity would be perfectly fine, if that was what happened. But a human life? That would be beautiful and amazing and perfect. It was her dream and it turned out to be Stefan's dream, too.

They had a chance to make their dreams happen.

Lucy couldn't really say anything because he had successfully rendered her speechless. So, she showed him how much she loved him without words. She stood on her tiptoes and pulled him into a passionate kiss.

Stefan immediately reciprocated her affection, untangling their fingers so he could grab her thighs and pick her up. Her legs immediately went around his waist and she took the opportunity to push her tongue into his mouth, moaning into it when he squeezed her ass in return.

All of a sudden they were a blur as Stefan sped them over to her bed. He threw her on the mattress and pulled off his shirt before climbing on top of her, digging his head into her neck to press sweet, open-mouthed kisses to her delicate skin.

"Stefan…"

Stefan simply hummed as he licked down her neck to her collarbone. Lucy ignored the slight tickling at the spot as he soon moved on to the top of her cleavage. When he unbuttoned the top button of her pajama shirt with his teeth, she was pretty sure she was going to have a heart attack because, God, that was sexy.

"Stefan," she breathed through her pleasure. "are we going to have sex?"

Stefan pulled his head away from her and sat up on her hips, using his fingers to undo the rest of the buttons. "No," he answered breathlessly, softly moving his hips so she could feel his hardness against her. "Our first time isn't going to be make-up sex."

"Oh, okay."

"But," Stefan removed her shirt and easily undid her sports bra, his hands quickly cupping her breasts. "that doesn't mean we have to stop."

Lucy giggled. "I like your thinking," she agreed. "I—oh, my _God_…"


	66. Crowned

**[4x07; My Brother's Keeper]**

The sharp _thwack_ of an arrow heading toward him made Stefan duck. He dodged out of the and sped toward the person responsible for the arrow, quickly knocking the bow out of his hands. Joel sighed and bent down, picking it up as Stefan smirked.

"You got me," Joel stood back up to his full height. "Again."

"Come on, you're getting slow on me," Stefan raised his eyebrows. "I thought I was supposed to be training you."

"Yeah, and somehow I got roped into being the one with the bow," Joel rolled his eyes. "and the only reason you're training me is because I'm supposed to be babysitting you."

Stefan pressed his lips together. "I don't need a babysitter."

"According to your sober-sponsor, you do," Joel reminded him of Caroline. "She said you're having trouble."

"And _she_ was supposed to help me," Stefan stressed.

The reason he was having so much trouble was not something he wanted to share with Joel. Not when Lucy was his baby sister and he was protective over her. It wasn't that Lucy was giving him problems—but, at the same time, she kind of was. The previous night, when they crossed that step into a sexual relationship, he had trouble holding back.

He didn't have the same problem with Elena but he knew that it was because, if he was honest, his love for Lucy was something that he never felt for Elena. It was all-consuming and passionate, and he wanted to have all of her and give all of himself in return. The vampire side _was_ part of him, however much he wanted to deny it.

"Caroline is busy setting up the pageant," Joel didn't sound sympathetic with his plight. "so you're left with me. Disappointing, I know."

"It's not that," Stefan shook his head, feeling a little guilty. "You have excellent control, Joel, it's just…Caroline know more about my struggles and stuff. I mean, you and I aren't exactly the closest of friends."

"Well, let's change that," Joel handed him the bow so he could take a turn. "We're family, Stefan. Let's get to know each other."

Stefan chuckled awkwardly. "Okay…"

"We'll start easy," Joel assured him. "Uh…Did you pick up your suit?"

"Of course," Stefan nodded, thinking of the charcoal gray suit Lucy had picked out for him to wear as her escort for the Miss Mystic Falls pageant. "I don't want to risk the wrath of bossy Lucy."

Joel laughed. "Good man," a fond smile spread across his face. "Did she ever tell you about the time she made me, Elena, and Jeremy create this whole Christmas play for our parents?"

"No. When was that?" Stefan asked curiously.

"Lucy was ten or eleven, I can't remember exactly," Joel started to share. "and this was the year of the shortly-lived piano lessons."

"I didn't even know she took piano lessons."

"Hence the shortly-lived part," Joel shook his head in amusement. "anyway, she learned to play _We Wish You a Merry Christmas_ and she came up with the idea to make a whole play around the one song. Elena and I didn't want to do it but Jeremy was all for it. They convinced us to join in…"

"So, Lucy made Elena write the play while she and Jeremy were in charge of props and got the main role of Santa," Joel continued with a laugh. "Of course, that's when the problems started. Lucy didn't like the way Elena was writing the play. She hated the way I used an Australian accent for Santa. The only thing she didn't argue about were the decorations because Jeremy worked really hard on them and you know she's a sucker for him."

Stefan laughed. "What happened then?"

"She fired me and Elena. Elena was pissed because Lucy made her write the play only for it to be garbage—Lucy's words, mind you—and they got in a fight. It was actually a bad one, too—they were both grounded for the week before Christmas."

"Did your parents see the play?"

"Lucy's stubborn," Joel nodded. "She had Jeremy play Santa and turned the whole thing into a monologue that he completely butchered. She didn't care, though. She got to play W_e Wish You a Merry Christmas, _Mom and Jenna cooed over her and Dad gave her a standing ovation."

Stefan grinned; Lucy was the same, then. Bossy and cute all at the same time.

"Anyway, she's been bossy since she could talk," Joel told him. "So, good luck."

"Well, thank you, but I don't think I need it," Stefan said. "I like her bossiness."

Joel grimaced. "T.M.I, dude. That's my sister."

"I didn't mean it like that, Joel."

"Yeah, yeah," Joel rolled his eyes, chuckling. "Come on, your turn to shoot."

Stefan nodded and grabbed a metal arrow from the bag they brought. Before he could even place it in the bow, Klaus had blurred up behind him, his arm tightened against his throat.

"In what world do the words _tell no one_ mean _tell your brother and every teenage sycophant in town?_" Klaus asked him angrily.

Joel groaned in annoyance. "The secret's safe, Klaus. No one who knows about the cure would endanger us."

"Trust me," Stefan grunted as he tried to pry Klaus away from him. "You know I want to find it more than anyone else."

"Well, then I suggest you find some vampires for Jeremy to kill before I'm tempted to offer you two up as victims," Klaus spat through his clenched jaw. "And try to keep this one to yourselves, would you?"

The pressure around Stefan's throat was relieved as Klaus sped off again. He cleared his throat as he looked at Joel, who was looking back at him nervously.

"Well," the oldest Gilbert asked him. "What should we do?"

"Are you okay with Jeremy killing more vampires?"

"It's up to him," Joel stated. "I'll ask him and if he agrees, we'll start there."

"Okay, tomorrow we can go to the hospital and pick someone to change," Stefan told him, thinking quickly. "If someone there isn't going to make it or—"

"Hold on," Joel interrupted him. "You have to be at the pageant with Lucy—"

"No, I can—"

Joel shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I can take care of this, Stefan. My sister needs you."

It didn't take much for Stefan to agree. He'd much rather be escorting Lucy around a pageant instead of changing humans just so Jeremy can kill them.

"Okay."

Lucy stared at her best friend in disbelief, irritation blooming in her chest.

"You're telling me that they let April Young on the pageant committee?" she hissed quietly so no one could overhear her. "She wasn't at the interviews! Did she even do an entrance essay?"

"Yes, that's what I'm telling you," Caroline grimaced as she continued to arrange the flower centerpieces they were both working. "And no, I don't think she did the essay."

"I spent two weeks on that thing! It was twelve pages!"

Caroline gave her a sympathetic look but it didn't really help Lucy.

"I mean, now I'm gonna lose to a girl who just came back to Mystic Falls because she'll totally get the sympathy vote—"

"Lucy, come on."

"What, it's true!" Lucy pointed out. "and I worked too damn hard on this."

"And the judges know that," Caroline reached across the table to place a calming hand on her arm. "You're not gonna lose to April Young, Lucy."

"You don't know that," Lucy pouted. She was being childish but she couldn't help it. She had wanted to be Miss Mystic Falls ever since she was a little girl when she found out that her mom had been crowned in her day.

"They'd be stupid not to pick you."

Lucy sighed and shook her head, changing the subject as she started on a new centerpiece. "Okay, so tell me what happened this morning. You said you needed to spill some tea but you haven't told me anything."

"Okay but you can't tell Elena I told you," Caroline warned her. "In fact, I'm only telling you this because you're my soulmate and I look out for you."

"I look out for you, too," Lucy assured her anxiously; what did Elena tell her that was so bad? "Is it bad, Care?"

Caroline grimaced. "Elena told me that she's confused."

"Confused about what?"

"About her feelings for Stefan and Damon," she admitted carefully; Lucy stiffened in realization. "She said she wants to make sure her feelings for Stefan are completely gone before she can consider being in a relationship with Damon."

Lucy was speechless for a moment but not surprised. Elena had been acting sketchy lately and she was calling on Stefan a little more than she was calling on Damon. She was trying not to be upset, she really was, but it was kind of hypocritical of her.

She tried to speak calmly but Caroline could see right through her. "How does she expect to make sure?"

"I don't know," Caroline sighed. "but you don't have to worry, Lucy. Stefan loves you with all of his heart."

"I know that," Lucy nodded. She trusted Stefan but it was more difficult to trust Elena, especially with her track record. She did kiss Damon while Stefan was off saving his life, after all. "You know what I don't get?"

"What's that?"

"I don't get why Elena continues to destroy our relationship," Lucy shook her head, her eyes starting to fill with tears. "I really don't get it because I am trying _so_ hard to conserve what little we have left and it's like she's not even trying."

Caroline sighed and set down the rose she had in her hand. She walked around the table and pulled Lucy into a hug, resting her chin on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Luce. I really am."

"I'm sorry, too," Lucy sniffed into her black cardigan. She pulled herself together, not wanting to cry in such a public place, and allowed Caroline to let go of her. "At least I have you, right? And Rebekah and Kit."

"Exactly," Caroline nodded, smiling slightly. "Speaking of Rebekah…"

"I'm going to undagger her," Lucy told her seriously. "but I need your help because Stefan's being tight-lipped about everything."

She had been mad when she discovered that Stefan helped Klaus dagger Rebekah but her anger didn't last too long. Stefan didn't want to dagger her sister, he had made that perfectly clear, so she tried not to hold it against him. However, she was annoyed that he hadn't told her where Rebekah was being stored.

"I can get the location from him," Caroline nodded.

"Good and can you please not tell anyone that I'm taking the dagger out?"

"Of course…Wait, how are you gonna calm Rebekah down so she doesn't stake Klaus and Stefan in their sleep?"

Lucy grimaced. "I'll think of something."

"Good luck with that."

"Lucy!" Professor Shane walked up to her and Caroline, looking a little lost. "You don't mind pointing me in Mayor Lockwood's direction, do you? We have a last-minute interview."

Lucy tried to her hide her annoyance about April with a smile. "Of course, Professor Shane. Mayor Lockwood and the rest of the judges are in her study. It's right off the dining room."

"Right, thank you," Shane nodded gratefully. "See you girls later."

Lucy smiled at him while Caroline gave him a little wave. As soon as he was out of hearing range, Caroline asked her, "That's the guy who told you how to break the hunter's curse?"

Lucy nodded as they went back to their arrangements. "He's also the one who's helping Bonnie practice magic again."

"Oh, you mean how she's so obsessed that she bailed on pageant prep?" Caroline raised her eyebrows judgmentally. "And now he's judging Miss Mystic Falls…either he's good at everything or he's creepy."

Lucy hummed. "Creepy."

"Definitely."

"You have to eat something for breakfast, Goofy," Stefan stood behind the island in her apartment, a pan of eggs cooking away on the stove in front of them. "You love breakfast."

"I can't eat," Lucy insisted, resting her head on the counter. "I'm nervous."

Stefan grabbed the toast as it popped out of the toaster, quickly spraying it with butter. "You weren't nervous before."

"That was before April Young joined the pageant," Lucy huffed. "Pastor Young just died, she's totally going to get the sympathy vote."

"No, she's not," Stefan sighed, sprinkling almost a cup of cheddar cheese into the eggs; Lucy liked her eggs with too much cheese but he figured he'd indulge her today. "You know, I know…hell, everyone knows you're going to win, Luce. The whole competition is just a formality."

"Stefan—"

Stefan slid the plated eggs and toast over to her. "Eat," he said sternly, grabbing a fork from the drawer to hold it out for her. "Or you're gonna be hungry later."

Lucy grumbled in annoyance as she grabbed the fork from him and stabbed it into the eggs. Stefan watched her and mentioned that Joel had told him the Christmas play incident the day before, making her laugh in embarrassment and defend herself. It was a good distraction for her while she ate and, before she knew it, she was done with the plate.

She insisted that she cleaned the dirty dishes since Stefan made breakfast, but once that was done, she started to get ready for the pageant. She'd put her dress on at the Lockwood mansion before the event started but she had to make sure her hair and make-up were set to go.

It took her an hour for everything to be done and while she did her business, Stefan did his. He dressed in the charcoal gray suit that Lucy picked out and made sure his hair was immaculate. By the time he was done, so was she, and they were on their way to the Lockwood mansion.

"You kicked ass in the interview," Stefan reminded her as he drove them through town; she began to get nervous again. "You know the dance forward and backward. You're beautiful and you do so much for this town, Lucy. You're gonna win."

"Okay," Lucy sighed as she stared out the passenger window of her car. "I just…I wish my mom could be here."

"I know," Stefan grabbed her left hand and intertwined their fingers; he pressed a quick peck to the back of hers. "She'd be really proud of you, Lucy."

Lucy gave him a teary-eyed but grateful smile as they pulled up to the Lockwood residence.

They separated after a good-luck kiss; Lucy went upstairs to get ready while Stefan went to check her in. Lucy was already in her dressing gown, waiting for her turn to use the changing room when Caroline, who was dressed in a gorgeous green dress, greeted her enthusiastically.

And then she dropped the bomb.

"Why do I have to help April pick out her dress?" Lucy sighed. "She's my competition, Care."

"Because she asked for you and you're a good person," Caroline told her; Lucy wasn't convinced. "Look, the sooner she picks out her dress, the sooner you can put yours on."

Lucy pressed her lips together but agreed. "Fine."

April was in the changing room, her hair and make-up already done up nicely, trying to decide between a blue dress and a red dress. Elena was already with her, which made Lucy send Caroline a glare, but she tried to ignore her sister. She didn't need family stress today.

"Oh, Lucy, you're here!" April said enthusiastically. "Which dress? The red or the blue?"

"Blue," Lucy said immediately.

Caroline agreed. "Blue."

"Really?" April seemed disappointed as she looked at the one-shoulder dress. "The blue seems a little safe."

"Safe is good when it comes to the judges," Elena assured her.

"She's right," Caroline confirmed. 'Gracie Lockwood had a three-foot slit her year and practically got laughed off the court."

Lucy snickered and it wasn't long before Elena and Caroline joined her.

"She got my vote," Damon spoke up as he entered the room.

Caroline's smile instantly fell while Elena perked up. "Get out!" Caroline threw a scrunchy at him. "Lurker!"

"Ouch," he muttered sarcastically. "Where's Professor Shane?"

"Check the judges' table," Lucy informed him.

Damon nodded and then turned to April. "The red one, definitely."

"We've already agreed that the red one's a little bit too showy," Caroline spoke up defensively.

Damon rolled his eyes at her. "It's a pageant. That's the whole point."

"Did you win Miss Mystic last year?" Caroline asked him rhetorically. "No, I don't think you did."

"Neither did Elena and she wore blue."

"Nobody cares what you think."

"I care," April spoke up.

"See?" Damon gestured to her. "April cares. Red, right, Elena?"

Lucy and Caroline turned to Elena expectantly, knowing that she'd back them up.

Elena hesitated and then admitted, "The red is pretty."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows, exchanging a confused look with Caroline. Elena had literally just agreed with them but when Damon said something she changed her mind in a heartbeat.

Damon nodded in satisfaction. "And my work here is done."

Lucy turned to her sister. "What happened to thirty seconds ago when you hated the red one? What happened to safe is good?"

Elena shrugged and then spoke to April. "Whichever one you want to wear, April."

She left the room quickly, then, following after Damon.

Caroline scoffed. "What just happened?"

"I have no idea."

Caroline shook her head and turned to April. "You need to get dressed because Lucy needs her time."

April nodded quickly, looking intimidated with Caroline's intense expression. "Okay."

Lucy slipped into her gown; it was light pink with embroidered flowers on the skirt, a rhinestone belt, and beaded torso. She and Caroline had found it in Charlottesville and it looked fantastic on her.

"Oh, my God, you're so beautiful," Caroline breathed as Lucy slipped into her silver heels.

Lucy beamed at her. "Thanks, Care," she breathed. "So, why didn't you tell me why your date to this thing is my brother?"

Caroline huffed. "How did you even find out?"

"He called to tell me all about it this morning," Lucy rolled her eyes and looked into the mirror, making sure the necklace and bracelet that Stefan gave her were situated nicely. "He was excited about it. It was weird."

"Ugh," Caroline groaned. "I only agreed to it because Jeremy killed his hybrid."

Lucy hummed and gave her a skeptical look. "He also told me that you and Tyler broke up, even though you never told me about it."

"Klaus just thinks that so he doesn't know about Tyler and Hayley helping unsire his hybrids," Caroline told him. "He thought that Tyler and Hayley had a thing and this was better than the alternative."

Lucy pressed her lips together. "Why didn't you tell me about any of this, Care?"

"You've had more important things going on, Luce."

"Hey, friendship—especially ours—is a two-way street. You help me, I help you, remember?" Lucy reminded her. "I care about what's going on with you. So, if you need to call me at two in the morning to tell me about something that's bothering you, I don't care. You're my number one, babe."

"Aw, babe," Caroline smushed her into a tight hug. "Don't make me cry."

"Don't smudge my make-up," Lucy returned with a laugh; Caroline abruptly let her go.

She beamed at Lucy. "Are you ready for this?"

Lucy nodded. "I am."

"Welcome to this season's Miss Mystic Falls," Mrs. Lockwood greeted the guests that gathered in her decorated backyard. "We are so excited to showcase our most outstanding community leaders in the making."

Lucy took a deep breath as she stood in line with the other contestants. There were five of them all together and she was second-last to be called when Caroline would announce them to the town. Their escorts were waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs where all the guests were gathered.

She was nervous right now but she knew as soon as she saw Stefan she'd be fine. He was her rock and he always calmed her down. He had always been able to, even at the beginning of their friendship. Her anxiety was afraid of Stefan Salvatore and she was glad for it.

Mostly, she glad that Stefan knew how much this all meant to her. He hadn't hesitated when she asked him to be her escort and he assured her—with a pinky promise and everything—that he wouldn't bail on her like he did with Elena. The fact that he was so supportive about the whole thing made her love him even more. There wasn't a day that went by when she didn't fall more in love.

The music cut off as Caroline stepped up to the microphone to introduce Lucy and the others.

"Hi, everyone. I'm Caroline Forbes," Caroline said sweetly into the microphone. "As the reigning Miss Mystic Falls, it is my honor to introduce this year's Miss Mystic Court!"

The crowd at the bottom of the stairs started to cheer and applaud while the band started up the entrance music. Molly Fell was first in line and started down the stairs when Caroline called her name.

"We begin the procession with Molly Fell, accompanied by Dylan Clark," Caroline went on when Dylan and Molly walked off to stand to the side together. "Next we have Amber Wolverton, accompanied by Hector Linsey."

Michelle Cunningham was next to be called when Amber and Hector left the stage. Now, it was Lucy's turn.

"And here's Lucy Gilbert, accompanied by Stefan Salvatore!"

Lucy held up her dress as she went down the stairs, smiling at the crowd as they cheered and applauded for her. She saw Matt, Elena, and Damon in the crowd, clapping for her, and her smile grew when she saw Stefan waiting at the bottom of the stairs, a huge, dimpled smile on his face.

She smiled at the crowd and the judges one last time before she grabbed his outstretched hand, gripping onto it tightly.

"You look beautiful, Luce," he whispered to her as he walked her off the dance floor.

"Thank you."

"And finally, we have a last-minute entry," Caroline announced. "April Young, accompanied by Jeremy Gilbert."

The crowd clapped for April as she walked down the stairs in her red dress. To Lucy's surprise Jeremy wasn't waiting for April; instead, Matt stepped up and took April's hand so she wasn't embarrassed.

Lucy was glad that Matt was there for April. Despite not wanting her to win, she still liked the younger girl and didn't want her embarrassed in front of practically the whole town.

Once April was on Matt's arm, Lucy, Stefan, and the rest of the court walked back to the dance floor so the traditional dance could start.

Lucy grinned up at Stefan as she looked her place in line with the other girls. "You ready for this?"

Stefan smirked back at her. "Born ready."

The music started up and the dance began. Lucy and Stefan bowed to each other before they stepped together, walking around in a circle while their hands stayed inches apart. They reversed and walked in the other direction before adding another hand and doing the same thing.

Finally, they were able to come together. Stefan took Lucy's hand and started to lead, moving them gracefully across the dance floor around the other contestants and their dates. They were both great dancers—even though Stefan hated to admit it—so it was easy to just let their bodies do the work so they could enjoy each other.

It was another dance in the books for them. Lucy loved dancing with Stefan. Other than the fact that she loved dancing and she loved him, she was pretty sure the reason was because Stefan actually danced with her without a complaint. He usually hated dancing—Elena used to drag him out onto the dancefloor—but with her, it was never a chore for him.

Sometimes when they were alone, he'd randomly pull her in for a dance. Sometimes it was intimate, loving, and slow with some song she didn't know from a year before she was born. Sometimes it was sexy, with hip grabbing and grinding. Sometimes it was playful, with them dancing randomly in the morning while they made breakfast and listened to the radio.

It was something special they did together and it was one of Lucy's favorite things about them.

Stefan ducked his head down toward her, his chin brushing against her cheek. "I love you, Lucy Gilbert."

"I love you, too, Stefan Salvatore," she breathed back. "Thank you for doing this."

"I'd do anything for you."

Eventually the music stopped and the dance came to an end. They were met with applause and Lucy instantly put back on her game-face, a bright smile in place for the town and judges. She and Stefan walked off the dance floor and got something to drink before mingling.

Lucy made sure to greet everyone she came across. She asked Mrs. Dennis about how her grandchildren were doing, she spoke to Mrs. Johnston, one of the judges, about the upcoming art expo and possibly entering one of her paintings. She spoke to Professor Shane again, discussing the advantages of going to college in-state. She was being a suck-up but she didn't care. She wanted to be Miss Mystic Falls.

Klaus caught her as she was almost down with her rounds, wishing her good luck and telling her how proud she made him and their family. Admittedly, his words made her start to tear up but Klaus told her to stop before her make-up ran. She gave him a big hug and allowed him to move on to Caroline. She still hadn't seen Joel or Jeremy and it was worrying her. Joel had said he would be there and Jeremy was April's escort and he was nowhere to be found.

Before she could worry anymore, it was time for the crowning. Lucy stood next to April and Molly Fell as Mrs. Lockwood and Caroline got the crowd's attention.

"And now the moment you've been waiting for," Mrs. Lockwood spoke into the microphone. "Caroline, would you do the honors?"

Caroline stepped up to the microphone with Elena, who was holding the Miss Mystic crown, at her side. "This year's Miss Mystic Falls is…" she smiled widely. "Lucy Gilbert!"

Lucy let out a deep breath and squeaked in excitement, tears of joy stinging her eyes. Everyone in the crowd clapped and cheered enthusiastically as Mrs. Lockwood pulled her into a hug and whispered about how proud she was. Elena congratulated her with a smile as Caroline carefully placed the beautiful beaded crown on her head. And Caroline almost cried as she hugged her tightly after her new sash was in place.

Things went quickly after that. Stefan greeted her with a very enthusiastic and proud kiss while they and the rest of the court gathered for pictures. Lucy and Stefan got their very own picture by themselves and Lucy couldn't wait to frame it in her apartment. After that, they all split up and were allowed to mingle. Lucy profusely thanked the judges and accepted the scholarship that went with the title. She even cried a little bit when she was approached by Liz, who told her how proud her mom would have been of her.

When she finally got some alone time, Lucy got herself a piece of cake. It wasn't coconut but it would do. She ate that and then went off to find someone she knew, since every friend in her group was nowhere to be seen.

She was by Mrs. Lockwood's study when she heard Stefan's voice.

"Elena, you can't do this," she heard him say sternly, causing her to stop in her tracks. "I don't have those feelings anymore. I love Lucy and you said you loved Damon."

"I do," Elena spoke next. "but he told me to figure out what I wanted, so I am."

"Why would you—" Stefan grew frustrated. "Why would you even get his hopes up like that?

"I didn't mean to. I just know that I have feelings for both of you. We ended us too soon, Stefan."

"We didn't end it quick enough," Stefan disagreed; Lucy smiled faintly, though she wasn't happy about what Elena was saying. "I love Lucy. I'm _in_ love with her. There is no _us_ anymore, Elena. You need to accept that."

"I don't need to accept anything!"

This was too much for Lucy. She didn't want to hear anymore. She opened the door to the study, meeting Elena's shocked and angry expression with a furious one of her own.

"Lucy…" Stefan sighed, thinking that she thought the worst of them.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Elena?" she demanded, glaring at her sister. "Are you incapable of thinking of someone besides yourself?"

"No, I—"

"I heard what you said," Lucy cut her off. "and you know what, I'm not surprised, honestly. I'm not upset for myself. You know who I am upset for? Damon. He's been madly in love with you for over a year and you continue to lead him on."

"I'm not leading him on," Elena protested. "I love him."

"If you loved him like you should, you wouldn't have feelings for Stefan."

"Stefan was _my_ boyfriend, Lucy!" Elena raised her voice angrily. "He was my boyfriend and you stole him away from me."

"No one did any stealing," Stefan spoke up, crossing the room to stand by Lucy's side. "Lucy and I never did anything while we were dating."

"Can't say the same for you and Damon, though," Lucy stated haughtily. "The first time you kissed him was when Stefan was handing his life over to Klaus to save his brother's life."

"That wasn't—"

"Don't lie, Elena," Lucy snapped at her. "Honestly, I was hoping everything would be fine. You told Stefan you were fine but obviously you're not. I have tried to keep our relationship in tact but I can't do it anymore when you're not even trying."

"Lucy, would you just—"

"Just don't talk to me for a while," Lucy shook her head and left the study, heading toward the changing room.

Elena followed her. "Lucy, would you wait? I'm sorry, okay? You're right."

"Elena, seriously, I need some space," Lucy insisted as she entered the room; she stopped in her tracks when she saw Jeremy waiting for them. "Jeremy, hey. Where are you been?"

"What are you doing with that?" Elena pointed at the wooden stake in his hands; he stood up threateningly. "Put it down."

"Connor was right," he said blankly while Lucy reached for her necklace. "All I can think about is killing vampires."

"Jere, listen to me," Lucy grabbed her necklace but didn't siphon any magic. "You are nothing like Connor, okay?"

"I want to believe that," Jeremy nodded. "and I know that I don't want to hurt Elena or Joel but everything inside of me is telling me to drive this stake through their hearts."

"Why would you say that?" Elena asked, hurt by his words. "It's me, Jeremy."

"And you're a vampire."

"She's also our sister," Lucy told him, growing worried the more that Jeremy glared Elena down. "Joel's our brother. They would never do anything to hurt us."

"I wouldn't," Elena promised, reaching for Jeremy's right hand. "Jere—"

She cut herself off, gasping loudly when she saw the blood on the palm of his hand. She pushed away from him, her vampire featured coming out as she tried to resist the pull of his blood.

"Elena, get out of here," Lucy urged her.

Jeremy lunged toward Elena but she threw him back, making him land in a heap on the floor. Lucy quickly siphoned some magic before he could get up and stepped between him and Elena, putting up a forcefield that would keep him away for a little while. The trouble was that Jeremy was strong and she had to consciously keep it up if she wanted to get him to stop.

"Elena, go!"

Elena stupidly tried to get around Lucy, breaking through the barrier to get to Jeremy. Jeremy jumped toward her and Lucy tried to get in the way but he pushed her, throwing her across the room and throw one of the chairs. The chair broke and Lucy landed awkwardly, a sharp pain jolting through her wrist.

As she tried to get up, she heard a pained grunt and a loud choking noise. She scrambled to her feet to see that Jeremy had stabbed Elena in the neck with a smaller stake. She waved her hand toward him and pushed him toward the door just as Matt and Stefan came into the room.

"Jeremy!" Matt immediately wrapped his arms around Jeremy, who was struggling to get back over to Elena. "Jeremy, you don't want to do this, okay? That's your sister. It's that stupid mark on your arm."

"Shut up, Matt!"'

"Jeremy, look at me," Matt forcefully turned Jeremy around as Stefan rushed over to Lucy to make sure she was okay. She brushed him off for a moment, hoping that Matt could get through to her little brother. "I'm human and I'm telling you not to hurt her."

"Get him out of here, Matt!" Stefan called as he gently picked up Lucy's wrist, making her hiss in pain.

Matt pushed Jeremy out of the room, leaving Lucy, Stefan, and Elena alone. Elena struggled to get the stake out of her neck but managed as Stefan tended to Lucy.

"Does that hurt?" he asked gently; she nodded. "How bad? Can you move it?"

"It's bad," Lucy whimpered in as she tried to move her wrist; it wouldn't budge and was already turning a nasty reddish-purple.

"Here," Stefan pushed up his sleeve and nicked his wrist before holding it out to her. Lucy took a sip of his blood, careful not to get it on her dress, and quickly grimaced before giving him a grateful smile.

"Thanks," she whispered as her wrist started to heal up, returning to its normal color.

"What the hell is going on?" Joel walked into the room, spotting Elena cleaning up her mess and Lucy healing. "Was Jeremy here?"

"Yeah, he tried to kill me," Elena confirmed shakily. "We have to find him."

"Fuck," the oldest Gilbert cursed. "This is all my fault."

Lucy gave him a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

"I think that when a hunter kills a vampire, their urge to keep killing grows stronger," Joel explained. "He and I—he was with me all day. He killed a vampire."

"You're joking, right?" Elena said flatly while Lucy simply blinked at him.

"We need the map to get the cure," Joel defended himself.

Elena shook her head in disgust. "If getting my humanity back means stripping Jeremy of his, then I don't want the cure."

"He's the only way to find the cure, Elena," Stefan spoke up, wrapping his arm around Lucy's waist.

"I just said I didn't want the cure!" Elena yelled at him. "This is who I am now."

"You're not the only one who wants the cure, Elena," Joel sighed. "This isn't all about you."

Elena huffed angrily and shook her head at her siblings and Stefan. She stomped out of the room without a word, leaving Lucy, Stefan, and Joel to stare wordlessly at each other.

"Are you sure you're okay with me moving in, Luce?" Joel asked Lucy as he dropped a duffle bag full of his things on the floor by the couch.

Lucy nodded. "You can't live in the house right now," she started to pack her own bag so she could temporarily move back home. "Matt and I will keep an eye on Jeremy. It's gonna be okay."

"I know," he sighed and sat on the couch next to Caroline. "but I feel bad. This is my fault."

"No, it's not, Joel," Caroline assured him. "You couldn't have known this was gonna happen."

"But Elena—"

"Elena's lost right now," she said as Lucy paused her packing and walked over to sit on Stefan's lap in the armchair. He wrapped her arms around her while she snuggled her head in his neck. "There's something wrong with her. Just promise me that you guys won't stop looking for the cure."

"Klaus won't let us even if we wanted to," Stefan sighed.

Caroline scoffed. "What does he care? He doesn't even want it."

"He wants to keep Elena human so that he can make more hybrids," Stefan informed her.

"He's gonna need them," Caroline sighed. "Tyler has almost got all of them unsired…oh, my God. Oh, my God!"

Lucy sat up, concerned. "What? What's wrong?"

Caroline stood up from the couch, holding her hands against her lips. "I was trying to understand why Klaus was so intrigued by Damon and Elena," she explained. "He said I would figure it out. This is what he was talking about."

Joel gave her a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

"Think about it," Caroline prompted them. "Every time Elena has had a problem, Damon has been the magic solution. Today, Elena was worried. Who swoops in and tells her to relax? Damon, and she listens. When Elena started feeding, who said that she could only drink blood straight from the vein?"

Lucy gaped at her while Stefan stiffened and Joel perked up in realization. "Damon."

"And when she tried to drink from animals?" Caroline turned to Stefan for an answer.

"She couldn't keep it down," Stefan stated seriously. "Same thing with blood bags. Damon said she couldn't, so she couldn't."

"Damon likes the red dress," Lucy recalled the moment from earlier in the day. "Elena likes the red dress."

"Damon says kill Connor, she kills Connor," Joel added.

"What if it's possible?" Caroline asked, getting riled up. "Damon's blood made her a vampire, right? It's rare but it happens. What if this is really happening?"

They all gave each other nervous looks. Elena was sired to Damon.


	67. Montage

**[4x09; O Come All Ye Faithful + 4x10; After School Special]**

**December 9, 2010**

"I'm going to kill that bastard brother of ours," Rebekah cursed in between sips of her third blood bag. "And your boyfriend while I'm at it."

"I don't blame you. What they did was awful," Lucy sighed, watching as her oldest sister drank the rest of the blood she had provided after undaggering her. "but, in Stefan's defense, Nik kind of forced him to trick you. He feels really guilty about it."

"Does he?" Rebekah rolled her eyes, feeling no sympathy for the man who helped dagger her. "Good for him."

"Okay, obviously that's something you two need to work out for yourselves," Lucy said, moving on. "Listen, I know you want to kill Nik and Stefan but I need you to lay low for a while."

"And why's that?"

"Because I don't want Nik trying to dagger you again," Lucy told her. "I want you to be able to take the cure if you want to. If he knows you're awake right now, he'll dagger you again and then I'll have to find where he's hiding you and it will be a whole tedious process."

Rebekah hummed, giving Lucy an unimpressed look. "And how long am I supposed to wait here?" she gestured to her room. "It's almost your birthday and Christmas."

Lucy blinked at her. "You still celebrate Christmas?"

"It's not quite the same, different religion and all that," Rebekah shrugged.

Lucy smiled, remembering her holidays as Luciana. "Remember we used to write down our wishes for the upcoming year? It was Kol's favorite part."

A fond look came across Rebekah's face. It had been years—a millennia—but she could still remember their family gathering around a fire and throwing their wishes into the flames. Luciana would get too excited to throw the wish into the fire and would get scolded by Mikael, even if it was out of love. Kol would end up throwing her wish into the fire for her because she was told to stay by Esther's side. Niklaus would do the same for Henrik, who was more timid than Luciana. Finn would be forced to participate and Elijah only did so because it made his younger siblings happy. It was a lovely memory and made her yearn for the days when her family was whole.

"Do you think you might want to do that this year?" Lucy asked hesitantly. "I know you and Nik are at odds but it would really mean a lot to me."

Rebekah blinked away tears. "I suppose I could put aside my hatred of Niklaus for one day," she gave in. "It's our first holiday together in years. It'd be nice for the family to be together."

Lucy beamed at her. "Thank you!"

**December 11, 2010**

Lucy moaned softly, trying to ignore the pleasured shiver going up her spine. Stefan's lips were distracting, especially when she was in the middle of trying to get dressed. He kissed down the back of her neck and over her shoulder as she tried to clip her bra on.

"Stefan, I'm trying to get dressed," she complained, slapping away his fingers as they tangled with hers, trying to keep them away from the bra clasp. He hummed against her skin and successfully pulled her hands away, holding them firmly in his. "I'm going to be late."

"You won't get in trouble," Stefan breathed as he pulled away from her neck, his lips trailing down her spine. "You're too beautiful to get into trouble."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's what Mrs. Lockwood thinks, too," she muttered sarcastically, her breathing picking up as he kissed back up to her neck. "Stefan…"

Stefan sighed in defeat and pressed one last kiss to her shoulder, letting go of her hands. "Fine," he plopped back down on the bed as Lucy clasped her bra and left his bed. "Do I have to go to this thing?"

"Do you love me?" Lucy countered as she reached for her bag of clothes.

"You know I do."

"Then _you_ know you have to go," she gave him a sweet smile, her dimples popping out. "I have to be there in an hour but you don't have to be there long. I promise."

Stefan leaned up onto his elbows as she slipped on a plaid button-up shirt, a cream sweater, and sparkly pencil skirt. "I'll be there, then," he promised. "I'm going to stop by Klaus' house first, though."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows at him. "Why?"

"Because I want to see this hunter's sword he went to Italy to get," he told her. "I've never laid eyes on the thing."

"Well, why would Nik say he had it if he didn't have it?"

"Because he lies."

Lucy thought for a second and then nodded her head in agreement. "True."

Stefan chuckled and got up from the bed. "I'm going to take a shower," he told her, dropping a quick kiss on her lips before continuing to his bathroom. "Love you."

"Love you, too!"

Lucy looked at Caroline in horror. "Tyler wants to do what?"

"He wants to put Klaus in his body and bury him in a ton of concrete," Caroline repeated quickly, tears filling her blue eyes. "Luce, I don't know what to do. I don't want to lose Tyler but if I protest, I'll lose him anyway."

Lucy bit her lip, trying to think of a solution. Tyler had gotten all of Klaus' hybrids unsired and now they were planning a revolt. A witch would place Klaus' essence in Tyler's body who would then be buried in concrete until they could find another body to transfer the Original to. She didn't want the plan to go down any more than Caroline, but for different reasons. Klaus was her brother and he had been playing fairly nice for a while. She was tired of people trying to neutralize him.

"Okay," she said nervously. "I have a plan."

"What?" Caroline asked urgently. "Is it good?"

"I don't know," Lucy confessed. "What if we intercept the witch? I mean, they can't do anything without it, right?"

"But Tyler would—"

"No, I can do it," Lucy insisted. "Tyler can be mad at me all he wants."

Caroline sighed and shook her head. "I don't know, Luce…"

"Care, I can't let Nik be put down and you can't lose Tyler," she stated firmly. "So, unless you have another plan…"

Caroline hesitated for a minute before giving in. The two of them went their separate ways in the middle of the winter festival, with Caroline going to distract Tyler and Hayley and Lucy going to find Mrs. Lockwood. She told her that a family emergency came up—which wasn't really a lie—and she couldn't stay for the rest of the festival. Mrs. Lockwood understood and gave her a hug, telling her to have a good birthday and a merry Christmas if she didn't see her again before the holiday; Lucy returned the wishes.

On the way to pick up her belongings that were stashed at the Grill, Lucy called Stefan.

"_Hey, sorry I'm late_," he apologized immediately. "_I went to Klaus' and he gave me some more information about the hunter's sword. You know the map in Jeremy's tattoo?"_

Even though Lucy had to tell him what was going on, that caught her attention. "What about it?"

"_The sword decodes it,"_ he told her. "_It's literally the key to finding the cure_."

Another problem. If her plan didn't work and the witch transferred Klaus into Tyler's body, they'd lose the key to finding the cure, as well. Knowing her brother, he didn't just hand the sword over to Stefan for safe keeping. If it came down to it, Klaus wouldn't even give it to her.

"Great."

"_What's wrong?"_

"Tyler and his hybrids are taking out Klaus tonight," Lucy informed him. "I have a plan but I think I'm gonna need your help."

"_Of course I'll help you_," he agreed without hesitation. _"What's the plan?"_

"Just meet me at the Grill."

Twenty minutes later, Lucy, Stefan, and Caroline were meeting in the basement entrance of the Grill.

"Hey," Stefan greeted them as he walked toward the girls. "Okay, what's the plan?"

"The plan is to intercept the witch," Lucy told him before turning to Caroline. "Did that Hayley girl tell you who the witch was?"

"No, she didn't spill," Caroline rolled her eyes angrily. "What are we going to do?"

"You have to convince Tyler to call the plan off."

"Well, that's not gonna happen," Tyler appeared behind Stefan, answering the older vampire. When the three of them turned to face him, he glared at his girlfriend. "You told them? I had twelve hybrids sworn to secrecy for a month. I have Hayley and a witch risking their lives and you're blabbing my plan to them?"

"Look," Stefan stared him down. "all we're asking you for is some time, okay?"

"How long?" Tyler stepped threateningly toward her. "An hour? A day? Because every minute that goes by that we don't do this, they're at risk. Joel and Klaus already served one of them up for Jeremy to kill. I don't owe you anything, I'm taking him out."

Stefan stiffened at the unspoken threat from Tyler. He towered over Tyler and roughly grabbed his arm. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that."

Lucy's eyes widened as she saw six hybrids walk up behind Tyler to have his back. When she looked behind her and Caroline, she saw the other six staring at them threateningly. Careful not to cause attention for herself, she siphoned magic from her necklace—she didn't even have to use her hand, which was a cool new trick that she had been working on.

"Sorry, man," Tyler smirked as the hybrids closed in on Stefan, Lucy, and Caroline. "but you don't have a choice."

Lucy quickly raised both of her hands—one in Tyler's direction and one behind her and Caroline—and put all her strength into a pain-inflicting spell that would temporarily stop all of them at once. It took a lot of magic, energy, and concentration but she had been practicing and she was getting better at her spells.

All of the hybrids around them, including Tyler, cried out in pain from the ache in their heads. Stefan and Caroline looked at her in shock but she couldn't look at them or her concentration would break. The two vampires took their chance; Stefan grabbed Lucy and he and Caroline sped out of the basement entrance.

**December 15, 2010**

It had been a good seventeenth birthday for Lucy.

Despite the fact that they were all mourning the loss of Mrs. Lockwood—who Klaus had killed the night of the winter festival because of Tyler's plan to put him down—they were able to celebrate a little. She met with Rebekah in the morning for a birthday breakfast and spoke to Kol and Elijah on the phone. Klaus dropped a new easel off at her apartment but didn't stick around because he knew how she felt about Mrs. Lockwood. In the evening, instead of a full-out party like they had planned, Joel, Jeremy, and Stefan put together a little get together with pizza and homemade coconut cake—courtesy of Stefan. Lucy, Stefan, Joel, Caroline, Matt, Bonnie, Jeremy, Elena, and Damon all gathered in the Boarding House to celebrate, eating cake, opening gifts—birthday and secret Santa—and watching cheesy Christmas movies that made them laugh.

Eventually, after their last movie, everyone left and Stefan led Lucy up to his room so he could give her his gift. Lucy sat at the end of her bed while he rummaged around his closet, taking the present from the place he had been hiding the gift from her.

Lucy jiggled her leg in anticipation. She loved presents and Stefan had always given her really good ones. When he emerged from his closet, his hands held behind his back, she perked up and gave him an eager look.

"This is your birthday gift," he reminded her. "Not your Christmas one."

"Stefan, one gift is fine," Lucy assured him. Since her birthday was only ten days before Christmas, she was used to having combination gifts. It never bothered her before and it wouldn't bother her at all in the future.

Stefan rolled his eyes and presented her an envelope. "Happy birthday, Goofy."

Lucy took the envelope with an excited smile and opened it. Her mouth gaped wide open when she read the contents. Looking up at Stefan with wide eyes, she asked, "Are you serious?"

Stefan nodded with a smile. Lucy looked back down at the travel plans, trying to take everything in. It was a two-week vacation to Europe, including a stop in the British Isles.

"A trip to Europe?" she said in disbelief. "Stefan, this is…"

"You told me that your first family were Vikings," he said, sitting on the bed next to her. "And you and Katherine lived in Bulgaria. I figured you might want to see them."

"Bulgaria and Norway?"

Stefan nodded. "Yeah and you love history, so I thought that it'd be a—"

He was swiftly cut off as Lucy pressed her lips to his, pouring all of her appreciation and love into the kiss. Stefan returned the kiss eagerly, wrapping his hand around her hips as her arms wrapped around his shoulders, dropping the travel plans in the process.

"Thank you, Stefan," Lucy murmured in between kisses. "I love you so much."

Stefan didn't reply but she could feel his love in the way his hands held her, the way his lips gently moved from her lips to her jaw and down to the sensitive spot behind her ear, the way he whispered her name in her ear before making a mark on her skin. Love didn't always need to be spoken and this was one of those times. Lucy could never deny the love she felt in Stefan's presence.

Lucy could feel the tell-tale arousal in her lower belly, making her desperate for the vampire kissing his way down her neck. She wanted Stefan and this time, no one would be able to interrupt them.

She pushed him away from her neck and grabbed her sweater, pulling it off her body. She was left in a camisole but Stefan quickly got the hint, pulling it off her himself. Her bra was quickly discarded, along with his shirt. In a blur she was pressed against Stefan's bed, his chest against her.

Their lips smashed together in a quick but passionate kiss before Stefan pulled away once again. Lucy moaned breathlessly as he kissed his way to her breasts, taking her right nipple into his mouth while sensually rubbing the other.

"Stefan…" she gasped, moving her hand to trail it down his fit abdomen to the fine hair that made up his happy trail, to the band of his jeans.

Everything melded together as Lucy focused on the pleasure that Stefan was giving her. She felt him remove her panties and leggings and she remembered helping him pull off his jeans and boxer-briefs but all that really stood out in her mind was Stefan trailing kisses down her stomach and to her pussy.

He pressed a quick kiss to the inside of her left thigh before licking the length of her wet slit, earning himself a loud moan that made him rut into the bed. He quickly found her clit and started lapping at it; Lucy's hands made their way into his hair as she arched her back at the pleasure that ran through her body.

The knot in her belly tightened the more Stefan worked at her, sucking, licking, and kissing. She knew she was nearing her orgasm but she didn't want to come yet. She let out another moan as he sucked her clit into his mouth and when she almost saw stars, she knew she had to stop him.

Lucy patted his cheek and when he looked up at her in confusion, she explained, "I want you inside of me."

Stefan's face was up by hers in a second, their lips clashing together as he grinded his hard cock against her thighs. They voiced their pleasure together as his slid against her wet core, their moans being lost in each other's' mouths.

Stefan pulled away, breathing heavily, and locked eyes with her. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes," Lucy replied surely. "I want you, Stefan."

Stefan pressed his lips to her forehead as he grabbed her left hand, intertwining their fingers together. When he pulled away, she saw the dark veins rippling underneath his dark eyes. He instantly ducked his head but she grabbed his chin before he could.

"Don't hide from me," she whispered. "I love you. All of you."

The veins disappeared. Stefan inhaled sharply and whispered, "I love you, Lucy," before gently sliding into her.

Lucy gasped as she adjusted to his cock but she wasn't uncomfortable. She bucked her hips, urging him to move and then moaned when he started to move inside of her. Stefan echoed her sound of pleasure with a groan of his own.

Stefan's head hid in her neck as they made love, whispering words of promises, pleasure, and love. Their left and right hands stayed intertwined but Lucy used her other hand to grip at the muscles in his back, gasping with every thrust he made.

It felt so good…so good. It was honestly the best pleasure she had ever felt before.

"I love you," Stefan whispered into her ear, his orgasm building as he moved his hips faster. "Come for me, baby."

"Stefan!"

Lucy arched her back, pressing her breasts into Stefan's chest, as he moved his free hand down to her clit, rubbing it roughly. A loud moan escaped her lips as the pleasure mounted all at once and exploded, sending her into a delicious orgasm that had her shaking against Stefan. Stefan thrust two times more and then came, his orgasm ripping through his body.

They stayed close together, both of them breathing heavily as they came down from their highs. Stefan started kissing her shoulder but paused when Lucy spoke up.

"Stefan?"

"Hmm?"

"You're kind of squishing me," Lucy giggled.

Stefan sighed and pulled out of her, plopping down next to her. "Way to ruin the moment, Goofy."

"Hey, I'm—"

Stefan shut her up with his lips, starting round two…and three…

**December 25, 2010**

"I can't believe I'm bloody doing this."

Lucy gave Klaus an annoyed look and shook her head. "It took me forever to get Bekah to agree to this," she told him, even though it didn't take her long at all. "And you're the one who daggered her so you can make it up behaving.

Klaus rolled his eyes like he was a toddler being scolded by his mother. "I hate this."

"Well, me and Ana love it," Kol spoke up from beside her.

"And this is our first holiday together in a millennia," Elijah reminded him. "We're continuing the tradition."

"Exactly!" Lucy gave Klaus a pointed look and stuffed her cold hands into her coat pockets. Christmas was unusually cold this year but it was nice. She couldn't remember is she had ever seen a white Christmas before and, even thought there was no snow, the chill gave something extra to the holiday.

"Except the part where we were one big happy family," Rebekah appeared, dressed nicely in a camel-colored peacoat.

"Guys, for once, can we just get along for an hour? It's an hour," Lucy pleaded.

Klaus and Rebekah, who were the only ones having a problem with their little get-together, couldn't resist the sad look on her face.

In unison, they both agreed, "Fine."

Lucy sighed in relief as the boys started putting the fire together.

For the first time in a thousand years, they would be throwing their wishes for the new year into the fire. It was something that they had done around the winter solstice but now that Christmas was a huge holiday, they decided to make it a tradition to do it on Christmas from now on.

Her heart was bursting with fondness and joy that usually came with the holidays but hadn't been present lately. Christmas the year before was hard without her parents but this year, the pain wasn't quite as fresh. This year it was Alaric's death that was weighing her down, plus the fact that she and Elena were on such bad terms. Still, she had her first set of siblings, Jeremy, Matt, Joel, Caroline, and Stefan to celebrate with and would be doing so later in the afternoon.

"The fire's ready," Elijah informed her, taking a bottle of sanitizer from his coat pocket and rubbing some on his hands.

"Good," Lucy pulled some index cards and pens out of her pocket and started handing them out one by one. "You have two minutes."

Kol sighed dramatically. "I forgot how bossy you are, Ana."

"Apparently it's a common personality trait for every life I've had."

"I'm so sorry."

"You should be," Lucy grinned at him. "All right, let's do this."

The siblings all began to write down their wishes.

_I wish that Elena and I mend our relationship. I wish that Nik and Rebekah stop fighting and Rebekah is able to get the cure. I wish that Kol and Elijah would visit more. I hope that Tyler finds his peace after grieving his mother. I hope that Caroline is happy every day and nothing ever makes her sad. I hope that Jeremy's hunter side will stay in control. I wish that Joel finds his role as our guardian and doesn't resent me and Jeremy for making him a single parent far too soon. I wish that everything works out between Damon and Elena. Most importantly, I hope Stefan gets the cure and he can live however he wants too. _

_Merry Christmas, _

_Luciana_

Despite setting the two-minute limit, Lucy was the last one finished with her wishes. She folded up the index card and put away her pen, looking around to see that all of her siblings were staring back at her with amused looks.

"Okay, so I need to practice what I preach," she shrugged, laughing lightly. "My bad."

Kol was the first to drop his wishes into the fire, his eyes lit up with fondness and nostalgia. Elijah was next, looking as serious as ever, and then it was Rebekah and Klaus. Lucy was up last, her eyes glistening with emotion. It wasn't the first time she cried from happiness but with all that was going on in her life, it felt good that her tears were from something that made her happy. This, recreating memories from a thousand years ago and bridging the gap between her first life and her third life, that made her happy.

As she threw her wishes into the fire, she smiled.

**January 10, 2011**

Lucy exchanged a worried look with Joel as Rebekah stared at Stefan with angry and hurt eyes. The three of them, plus Joel, had gathered to meet in the Boarding House, while Damon and Elena were at the lake house with Jeremy, to talk about the cure.

Now that the drama that unfolded over the entire month of December was over, Lucy was finally able to sit down and give Rebekah the news about what was going on with the cure. In exchange, Rebekah suggested that she team up with Lucy, Stefan, and Joel—who joined their team after Christmas when he told that, although he didn't want the cure, he'd still like to help Stefan and Elena find it. It took a little time to convince Joel and Stefan to meet with Rebekah but eventually they gave in. They set the meeting for the day after Carol Lockwood's memorial.

Joel was the one who broke the awkward silence. "So, are we gonna sit around all afternoon or are we gonna talk about this little mash-up?"

Lucy looked over at Rebekah and gave her an encouraging look.

"I still want to find the cure," Rebekah cleared her throat, looking around at her companions. "I want to ram it down Niklaus' throat and look into his eyes as he realizes he's mortal again. Right now, I don't know what's going on with the cure."

Lucy, Joel, and Caroline looked to Stefan, who knew most about the cure in their little group. His knowledge, however, wasn't enough to satisfy Rebekah. Stefan sighed. "Professor Shane, he work's at Whitmore, more than I do."

Rebekah pulled her phone out of her jeans. "Whitmore," she mumbled while typing out her message. "Okay, Kol's going to get this professor of yours."

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Bekah?" Lucy asked worriedly. She loved Kol but he could be a wildcard sometimes.

"He'll behave," her sister assured her.

An hour later, in which they ate dinner and told Rebekah that Jeremy was now a hunter and Elena had killed Connor, Kol arrived with Professor Shane in tow.

"Sisters!" Kol cheered as he pulled Shane into the living room. "What a nice evening to interrogate someone."

Lucy sighed and stood from her place next to Stefan on one of the couches and put her hands on her hips while staring at Kol. "Hi, Kol."

Rebekah joined her and nodded at their older brother. "Kol, finally," she turned to Professor Shane, who was looking around at each of the vampires and the siphoner. "You must be Shane."

Shane looked between her, Lucy, and Kol with amazed eyes. "Kol, Rebekah, and Luciana Mikaelson," he shook his head, as if trying to clear it. "Members of the Original family."

Stefan stood up, narrowing his eyes at Shane, and stepped up to Lucy's side. "How do you know that name?" he put a comforting hand on the small of Lucy's back, noticing her shocked look. "Her name is Lucy Gilbert."

It was also Luciana Mikaelson and Lucia Petrova but Shane wasn't supposed to know that.

"She's the reincarnation," Shane's tone was obvious. "Of course, I know her previous names."

"That's creepy," Joel glared at him while he and Caroline joined the group surrounding the professor.

Rebekah nodded in agreement and ordered, "Tell us where the cure is."

Shane hesitated a bit and it was clear that Kol wasn't the most patient tonight. He grabbed Shane around the throat and hoisted him up into the air. "Where is the cure?!"

It never occurred to Lucy that Kol might want the cure for himself, too, because she knew he enjoyed being a vampire. However, the more she thought about it, Kol had shared with her how much he missed having his magic. If he wasn't a vampire anymore, he get his magic back.

"Where is the cure?" he repeated, sneering up at Shane, who was a coughing mess.

Lucy didn't particularly care whether nor not he was in pain. Sure, she didn't want him dead but Rebekah had told her what he did. He had orchestrated the twelve deaths on Pastor Young's farm and he had also set up the event with that werewolf, Hayley, that lead to Klaus slaughtering twelve of his hybrids and Carol Lockwood's death. He was also manipulating Bonnie and making her do dark magic. Professor Shane was a jackass, plain and simple, and he had fooled a lot of people.

"You're human," Rebekah stated as Kol let him go in order for him to breathe. "Why do you want it anyway?"

"That's the beauty of this," Shane gasped, massaging his throat. "You can have it. I just want Silas."

"No!" Kol freaked out, reaching for Shane's throat once again; Lucy exchanged a confused look with Stefan. "What do you know about Silas?"

There was that name again. Professor Shane had mentioned Silas at his lecture and like before, the name sparked something in her brain.

"He's the world's first immortal being," Shane choked, trying to pull Kol's hand from his throat. "who just happens to be imprisoned with the cure and I want to free him."

Kol tightened his grip on Shane, his fingers making white pressure marks against his red flesh. Shane choked again, gasping hoarsely, until Rebekah sped toward him and Kol and pried her brother away from the professor.

"Stop," she scolded Kol, pushing him away from Shane; Kol scowled and walked around Lucy, Stefan, and Joel, heading toward the fireplace. "He's of no use dead."

Kol rapidly turned back to Rebekah, eyes blazing with fear. "Did you not hear what he said? Silas will kill us all."

"Silas does not exist," Rebekah tried to placate him. "He is a fairy tale made up to scare children into eating their vegetables."

Lucy raised her eyebrows and looked back at Kol. None of his usual playfulness or mischievousness was present at the moment. He was scared and that worried her. Was Kol right? Was this Silas character really that dangerous?

"Silas is very real," Shane coughed from behind Rebekah. "I know where he's buried and soon, I'll have the spell that wakes him."

Kol paused, looking at Shane with narrowed eyes. "Wait a second, you're lying. You can't get to him without his…"

"Tombstone?" Shane challenged him. "Dozens to die in a blood sacrifice? Believe me, I know. I've done it. Those massacres are a pain to engineer."

Stefan shook his head, disgusted, and stated flatly, "You sacrificed all those people."

"It was a noble sacrifice," Shane defended himself, as if he had any right. "And temporary because, once I raise Silas, he will raise the dead. He will bring back every last soul who died on his behalf."

"No!" Kol shouted again, picking up one of the fire pokers and racing toward Shane. Joel and Stefan were able to get there first; while they held Kol back from Shane, Rebekah took him and sped from the house.

"Kol, stop," Lucy quickly made her way over to her big brother, placing her hands on his face to calm him down; it took a few seconds but he eventually stopped fighting against Stefan and Joel. "It's gonna be okay."

"You don't understand, Ana," Kol shook his head. "Silas will end us all."

"We won't let Silas get out, I promise. We'll find someway to get the cure and put him back in his tomb," she promised. "Can you just please calm down?"

Kol pressed his lips together and inhaled deeply. "Fine," he agreed shortly. "I won't kill the professor."

Lucy sighed in relief. "Thank you, Kol."

"Anything for my baby sister," he pressed a quick kiss against her forehead while Stefan and Joel let go of him.

Kol left quickly and Joel took his leave shortly after. It was just Lucy and Stefan now and, when Rebekah messaged her to tell her that Shane was safely back at Whitmore, she told him the news.

"Well, that's good," Stefan sighed, putting the fire poker he took from Kol back in its place. "So, Rebekah wants to team up with us, huh?" Crossing the room, he quickly wrapped her up into his arms. "I thought she hated my guts."

"She doesn't hate you, she's just mad at you," Lucy smiled up at him. "but I figured that we needed an advantage."

Stefan furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "An advantage?"

"Mmhm," Lucy nodded. "Damon and Elena have Jeremy, Nik has the sword, and Shane has Bonnie. We're left with nothing."

Stefan nodded in realization. "Whoever gets the cure first decided what to do with it," Lucy nodded in confirmation. "So, what's the plan, then?"

"My plan for tonight was spend some alone time with my boyfriend," Lucy coyly quirked an eyebrow at him. "What do you say?"

"Hmm, let me think," Stefan hummed and reached for her thighs, picking her up with ease so she could wrap her legs around his waist. "I'd say that's a beautiful idea."

Lucy giggled the whole way upstairs.


	68. Chaotic Fury

**[4x11; Catch Me If You Can + 4x12; A View to a Kill]**

Lucy hummed into Stefan's mouth, biting his lip for a brief second before letting go and pulling away from him. At his disappointed and lustful gaze, she smiled playfully and opened her shower, stepping out of the hot water.

"Baby, come on," Stefan popped his head out of the shower as she wrapped a blue towel around her body. He watched, disappointed, as her body, slick and shiny, disappeared from his view as she secured the terrycloth. "One more?"

"I think two rounds in the shower is too much," Lucy laughed, pulling her wet hair into a bun at the top of her head. "and my fingers are all prune-y."

"Fine," Stefan gave in, turning off the hot water and stepping out of the shower. He took the towel that Lucy handed to him and dried himself off. "You _did_ almost hit your head when you slipped—"

"Yeah, okay, let's not talk about that," she quickly cut him off; she couldn't help but admire his body while tucking his towel around his oh-so fit waist. "Come on, let's get dressed. Bekah's coming over soon."

As Lucy started to leave the bathroom, Stefan followed after her. "That's why you didn't want to have sex ag—oh, shit!" he faltered when he saw Rebekah sitting on Lucy's bed, looking through one of her photobooks; he ducked into the bathroom while Lucy and Rebekah laughed. "Ever heard of invasion of privacy?"

"Well, as this is Lucy's place, I didn't think to knock," Rebekah called back nonchalantly.

Lucy chuckled under her breath and held onto her towel so it wouldn't slip, all the while collecting some of Stefan's clean clothes from his drawer in her dresser. She picked out some light gray jeans, boxer-briefs, and a thin black hoodie and opened the bathroom door just enough so she could give them to him.

"Thank you," he sighed in relief, shutting the door once again.

Lucy turned to her sister. "I thought you weren't coming for another hour."

She collected her clothes for the day; skinny jeans, a maroon long-sleeved blouse, and some tan ankle boots were thrown onto her bed next to Rebekah. She grabbed her undergarments and put them in the pile before facing Rebekah again, hands on her hips.

Rebekah just shrugged. "I was bored."

Stefan stepped out of the bathroom, fully dressed, with his hair styled, and Lucy traded places with him, hauling her clothes with her.

While she got dressed, brushed her teeth, and did her hair, she listened to the conversation that went on between Stefan and Rebekah. It got off to a shaky start but, eventually, it started to settle.

"Why are you—"

"Honestly, I didn't know—"

They spoke at the same time before sighing.

"Look, I didn't know you would be here," Rebekah explained quickly. "If I had known, I would have waited for another hour. Trust me, I didn't want to hear you defiling my baby sister."

Stefan snorted. "I'm not defiling Lucy."

"Oh, really? So that thing you did—"

"Please, shut up. I don't even know why you stayed in the first place."

"Well, I'd figured you'd finish soon. Anyway, do you happen to have Joel's number?"

There was a moment of silence and then Rebekah's annoyed voice.

"Hello? I'm talking to you."

"Oh, I know you are. I'm ignoring you."

"Look," Rebekah sighed as Lucy started on her cover-up, mascara, and tinted lip balm. "We're at a bit of a disadvantage in this whole race for the cure. Team Klaus has Jeremy the hunter, Team Shane has Bonnie the witch—"

"If you're here to remind us of our last place status, we're aware."

"Well, Luci and I developed a plan last night," Rebekah informed him. "The cure is buried with Silas, that ancient evil guy Kol is afraid of. Shane was so eager to prove his existence that he gave away that he has one of the keys to resurrecting him."

"His headstone," Lucy walked back into the bedroom.

Stefan slowly nodded his head, understanding what their plain was. "Okay, and you want to steal it."

"Yes," Rebekah nodded. "And then Team Shane will have to join Team Rebekah and Team Klaus will be left out in the cold where he belongs."

Two hours later, Lucy, Stefan, and Rebekah were at Whitmore College and snooping through Professor Shane's office. Shane was in Mystic Falls, currently speaking to the police after April Young went to Liz and the current mayor—Bonnie's dad—and told them that she knew who convinced her father to light his house on fire. It was quite convenient that Rebekah waited to tell April about Shane until they had to look for the headstone in his office, but Lucy was glad that April was getting justice for her dad's death, nevertheless.

Stefan's mood had turned sour within the last hour and Lucy was pretty sure it was because Rebekah was being purposefully annoying. Lucy had driven out to Whitmore and Rebekah had insisted on being in the passenger seat so Stefan's only choice was the backseat. Then, Rebekah had to talk about cute actors or boys they knew and when that led to Lucy saying that she adored Chris Evans, that made him pout. That wasn't even the end of the annoyance that was sent his way.

While Lucy was searching through Shane's things on his desk and Rebekah was searching one of his displays of artifacts, Stefan was ripping through the boxes on the couch, throwing papers all over the floor.

He made a frustrated noise as he threw a box on the ground and went over to the wall of filing cabinets. "Well, the headstone's not here."

Lucy huffed, getting a little frustrated herself; it wasn't that she was frustrated with Stefan but the fact that Shane had so much shit in the little office that it felt like she was in a hoarder's house. "Calm down, Broody. We'll find it."

"Don't ripper out on us," Rebekah added, smirking when Stefan growled at her. "Ooh, you're all bottled up. You need to relax; maybe we can find you a voodoo doll or something."

Lucy rolled her eyes at her sister and then looked over to Stefan, catching the severely annoyed look on his face. "I don't think we want to do that, Bekah," she walked over to the desk where Rebekah was rummaging through the drawers and winked at Stefan. "I'm pretty sure he'd use it on you."

Stefan snorted in amusement while Rebekah laughed dryly. "Very funny," she pulled open the bottle drawer and found a bottle of some herbs. "Ah, this should do the trick. It's exactly what you need—the professor's stash of herbs."

Stefan turned away from the Original to look through the filing cabinet in front of him. "Not interested."

While Lucy chuckled, Rebekah pouted. "What happened to you? You were so much fun in the twenties."

"Stefan is plenty of fun," Lucy defended him before either of them brought up their time in the twenties. She was uncomfortable with the fact that all three of her sisters were in a relationship with Stefan before her—and most of the time she kept it far, far away from her thoughts—and it caused her stomach to drop uneasily.

Rebekah raised an eyebrow at Lucy. "Yeah?"

"Yes," Lucy insisted. "Maybe his definition of fun isn't the same as yours."

From his place in front of the filing cabinet, his back turned to both girls, Stefan smirked. He didn't need anyone to defend him but he sure liked it when Lucy did. It was nice that she had his back just as much as he had hers.

"Fine," Rebekah gave in. "but we can still use the herbs, right?"

"You guys can but I'm not," Lucy wrinkled her nose, walking over to the large bookshelf on the other side of the office.

"Oh, come on, Luci…"

"I've been high once in my life and I was so paranoid," Lucy informed her sister; Stefan raised his eyebrows in surprise. "so, I'll pass on whatever herbs are in Shane's stash."

Rebekah turned to Stefan, giving him a challenging look.

"All right," he gave in. "Let's do it."

It had been an hour and they still had nothing to go on. While Stefan and Rebekah got high—Stefan had heavily denied that he was but he was much more mellow than he usually was—Lucy texted back and forth with Caroline, checking in on her and Tyler. She had given up on her search for the headstone after looking through the whole bookshelf and was seated on the couch in defeat.

She had hoped that they would find the headstone so they could get ahead on the race for the cure but it was looking like they weren't in luck.

Stefan wandered around the room, studying some of the artifacts that Shane had on display. He didn't really care what they were—they weren't the headstone so, to him, they were a waste of time.

"So much random shit in here," he sighed, picking up a painted piece of wood.

"Shit, maybe. Random, no," Rebekah corrected him. "Looks like Shane has a bit of an afterlife fetish. Hopi prayer feathers, a Han dynasty soul vase, and that—" she nodded at Stefan, who had picked up a knife made out of stone. "is a Polynesian sacrificial knife. Brutal way to die but at least you appease the gods."

"Really?" Lucy popped off the couch to walk over to the table Stefan was standing at, surveying the artifacts with interested eyes. Her love of history had skyrocketed ever since she learned she was a reincarnation and she had memories of centuries ago—there was also the fact that Alaric loved history as much as he did. "You studied all of this, Bekah?"

"I enjoy other cultures," Rebekah shrugged.

Lucy hummed and went to take the knife from Stefan to get a better look when her phone rang. She sighed heavily when she saw that it was Elena; despite the fact that they had a truce over Christmas, Lucy still needed space from her sister.

"Elena."

"_Thank God you answered_," Elena breathed in relief.

Lucy stiffened, not liking the desperation in her voice. What was going on now? "What's wrong? Is it Jeremy?"

Jeremy was supposed to be up at the cabin, training to be a hunter with Matt, Joel, and Damon. What trouble could he get into? Well…Damon _was_ there, after all.

"_Yes but no—it's complicated_," Elena said hurriedly. "_Kol showed up and attacked Jeremy and Damon and now Damon's compelled to kill Jeremy."_

Lucy bit her lip, her stomach dropping. "Okay, hold tight, all right? I can siphon the compulsion away—"

Stefan, having heard the whole conversation, nudged her. He mouthed some words and did a series of hand gestures that she immediately understood.

"Stefan's coming now," she informed Elena. "I'll be there soon after."

"_Okay_," Elena breathed. "_Just hurry."_

The call ended and Stefan was already gone, speeding back to Mystic Falls to keep Damon from killing Jeremy until Lucy could get there to siphon the Kol's compulsion.

Lucy sighed; pinching the bridge of her nose to try to keep the stinging in her eyes at bay. Here they went again, her siblings trying to kill each other. Would it ever end? God, she hoped so. She could hardly take it anymore.

"It's gonna be all right, Luci," Rebekah laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You'll siphon the compulsion, hopefully Nik will dagger Kol until we find the cure, and Jeremy will be all right."

Lucy gave her a grateful look, finding some comfort in Rebekah's words. "Thanks—"

She was cut off as the door to the office opened and Rebekah grabbed her arm, speeding them into a corner to hide before anyone even walked into the office. They quietly watched as a middle-aged man walked into the room and headed straight to the bookshelf that Lucy had searched earlier. He went through the shelves, knocking on the back of each one before he found a panel that slid open.

Lucy couldn't believe their luck; they had some random dude find the headstone for them.

When the man grabbed the headstone and turned around, Lucy and Rebekah were in front of them, both of their arms crossed over their chests.

"Good, you found it," Rebekah smirked at him and grabbed his throat. "Question is, who are you?"

Lucy closed her eyes and turned away from the man when he groaned in pain once again. Blood dripped down his forearms as Rebekah sliced through them. She had already done his other arm but the guy didn't say a single word about who sent him.

Was it Shane, making sure that no one found the headstone? Or was it Klaus, who wanted it for himself?

"All you have to do to make it stop is tell me who sent you," Rebekah told him; she popped a bloody finger into her mouth, eyebrows quirking. "You're full of vervain so I know you haven't been compelled."

Lucy hummed thoughtfully at her words, turning back to her sister and the man. "Maybe somebody compelled him before he ingested it?"

Rebekah cocked her head and nodded slightly. "Well, he was after the headstone, so we need to know who sent him."

"There's a simple solution to that," Lucy walked over to them and was just about to put her hand on the man's cheek to siphon away his compulsion when the man abruptly choked, blood starting to pour from his mouth. "What the actual hell?"

Rebekah pushed her away from the man before holding his face up so she could look into his mouth. "He just bit off his own tongue," she sighed and dropped the man's face. "So, you do know something."

The man looked between Lucy's horrified look to Rebekah's annoyed one before lunging forward. Breathing heavily, he grabbed the knife from Rebekah's hand and quickly stabbed himself in the neck. Lucy immediately turned away, listening with a queasy stomach as the man choked on his own blood.

Rebekah groaned in disappointment. "He _was_ compelled," she stated the obvious. "So, do you think it was Nik or Damon?"

"Maybe it wasn't either of them," Lucy suggested. "Maybe there's another team in the race."

By the time Lucy got back to the Boarding House after dropping Rebekah and the headstone off at her house, it was nighttime. Joel's truck was parked out in front, which meant that he—and possibly Elena—were already here. Stefan had already called her on the way back home, telling her that he had Damon contained in the cellar and was bleeding him dry so he wouldn't fight back until she could get there.

It was a lovely way to return home. And of course, it was even worse when she actually walked into the house. Elena and Stefan were arguing in the hallway that led to the cellar door, Joel hovering behind them with an exasperated look on his face.

"I need to see him!"

"And I'm telling you, you can't," Stefan's voice was stern and louder than usual. "He'll just ask you to let him out."

"I won't let him out," Elena argued.

Stefan rolled his eyes. "You won't have a choice," he crossed his arms over his chest. "You're sired. Is that all?"

Despite the fact that her siblings were warring once again and Damon had been compelled to kill Jeremy, she found this particular argument kind of amusing. Maybe she was a horrible or petty person but it was nice to see that Stefan was just as annoyed with Elena as she was.

And then that amusement was gone when Elena changed the subject. "What were you and Lucy even doing with Rebekah?" she asked Stefan sharply, as if she had any right to question where he was or who he was with. "She tried to kill me."

Lucy groaned in annoyance, announcing her presence to Elena and Stefan, who hadn't noticed her before then. "You use this argument all the time," she told Elena. "As if Damon didn't snap Jeremy's neck only a year ago."

Elena glared at her. "That's different."

"Not really," Lucy snapped back. "And once again, Rebekah is my _sister_."

"Go home, Elena," Stefan said firmly. "We'll let Damon out when Lucy's done with him."

Elena huffed and turned, storming out of the house. Lucy rolled her eyes when the door slammed shut and looked to her older brother for information on Jeremy.

"How's Jere?"

"Shaken up," Joel told her. "He's at home, though, and Kol can't get in without an invitation."

Lucy nodded, relieved that Jeremy was all right. She would have been absolutely destroyed if her baby brother was killed by Damon and Kol. "I'll call him after I'm done with Damon."

"I'll let him know. See you guys later."

Once Joel had left, Lucy turned to Stefan. "How is he?"

As they both started walking down the stairs that led to the cellar, Stefan shrugged. "Hungry but other than that, he's fine."

Lucy hummed and stood on her tiptoes when they came to the cell where Damon was being held, peeking through the bars. "Hey."

"I never thought that I would ever say this but I'm glad to hear your voice, Twitch," Damon groaned tiredly. "Can we get this over with?"

Lucy and Stefan exchanged an annoyed look before unlocking the cell and stepping inside. Lucy siphoned the compulsion from Damon, ignoring his complaining, and then Stefan tossed him a blood bag that he took from the fridge.

When Damon had some color to his pale cheeks, he actually smiled at Lucy—not a smirk, a smile. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Lucy tapped his shoulder. "You should go see Elena. She was pretty upset."

Damon nodded at her and clapped Stefan on the shoulder before speeding out of the cell. Lucy sighed and turned to Stefan, her lips curling into a smile that had him returning the gesture.

"Why are you looking so mischievous?" Stefan poked her left dimple.

"I was thinking we could have some fun."

"Like?"

"Let's watch _Seinfeld_," she suggested.

"You hate _Seinfeld_," Stefan pointed out.

"Well, you _love_ it," Lucy countered. "So…kettle corn?"

Stefan grinned at her and bowed his head, placing a happy kiss on her forehead. "Kettle corn."

"_Well, we have to do something. Kol is running around with the white oak stake and homicide on the brain."_

"I realize that, Nik," Lucy sighed into her phone, giving Joel and Stefan—who were setting up the deejay's booth on the other side of the gym—a tired look. "Rebekah told me all about it before I went to bed."

Everything was a mess. After a few episodes of _Seinfeld_ the night before, Rebekah had called her crying, informing her that Kol had almost killed her with the white oak stake and Klaus had nasty comment that her angry and upset at the same time. To be honest, it threw Lucy.

She had experienced family squabbles as a Mikaelson before but a thousand years ago, they weren't nearly as violent. As Lucy, she had only seen one-on-ones between her Original siblings. First it was Elijah and Klaus and then it's been Rebekah and Klaus. Other than the time Kol, Finn, and Rebekah were undaggered at dinner the night when Esther was resurrected—she had never seen more than two of her siblings fight at the same time. Kol verses Rebekah verses Klaus.

It was funny how Klaus was included in every single squabble. Must be his lovely personality.

And this time, the squabble included her, too. She wasn't all in like Klaus, Kol, and Rebekah but she did need to have a discussion with Kol about trying to kill Jeremy. Unfortunately, Kol was screening all of her calls. If only Elijah could see them all now.

"_Yes, well, unfortunately, Kol seems to have absconded with my set of daggers,"_ Klaus grumbled.

"You're joking," Lucy said flatly.

"_No, I'm not joking,"_ Klaus told her. "_Kol's irrational fear of Silas has pushed him off the edge. You, me, and Rebekah need to put him down before he does any more damage."_

Normally, Lucy would protest strongly if Klaus was thinking of daggering one of their siblings but this was different. Jeremy's life was on the line with Kol out and about, trying to stop them from getting the cure and it wasn't like Kol would be in a coffin for a century. She would personally make sure to undagger him the moment they found the cure and Silas was still safely hidden away and causing no trouble.

"But he took off with the daggers."

"_I happen to know that Rebekah has the one you took out of her_," Klaus stated matter-of-factly. "_and I also know she has some white ash. We just need her to hand it over."_

"Did you talk to Rebekah—"

Klaus cut her off. "_I already did. She seems to think I'll use the dagger on her."_

"Well, she's kind of got a point," Lucy shrugged to herself. "You dagger her all the time."

"_For valid reasons!"_

"Don't lie, Nik," Lucy rolled her eyes. "I'll talk to Rebekah, all right."

"_There's my girl_," she could practically hear his smug smile. "_Keep me updated_."

"I will."

Lucy ended the call and looked around, hoping that none of members of the dance committee had overheard her. Once she was satisfied, she crossed the gym and stopped in front of the deejay booth where Stefan and Joel were waiting for her.

"How are you gonna convince Rebekah to hand over the dagger?" Joel asked her right away, both of them having heard the whole conversation.

"I'm gonna talk to her," Lucy said simply. "Rebekah is much more reasonable with me than any of our brothers."

Stefan nodded. "That's true," he agreed. "So, what are you—"

"Lucy!" Bonnie, who had been helping some of the freshmen blow up balloons, ran over to her, looking fiercely annoyed. "My dad canceled all town events."

"What? Why?" Lucy whined, realizing what this meant. "We can't cancel the decade dance, it's our last one!"

Joel and Stefan exchanged a look, amused by how Lucy was immediately distracted from the situation with her Original siblings by the cancelation of the decade dance.

"My dad's not budging," Bonnie frowned, shaking her head. "He enforced a curfew and added vervain to the water system."

"He put vervain in the water?" Stefan spoke up worriedly; he and Damon were fine at the Boarding House but Caroline, Joel, Tyler, and Elena didn't have a filtered water system.

"Mmhm," Bonnie confirmed for him before looking back to Lucy. "Look, I have to get home. My dad wants to have a family meeting—whatever that's supposed to mean. I'll see you later."

She started walking away before Lucy could tell her to be safe with Kol running around town trying to kill anyone that was needed to find the cure. Bonnie was one of those people and Kol probably thought that she'd be easiest to take care of since Kol couldn't directly kill Jeremy without being infected with the hunter's curse.

"Bonnie, wait!" Lucy called after her, running out of the gym. She arrived, just in time to see Kol speed into view and slam Bonnie against the lockers. "What the hell, Kol!? Stop it!"

Kol ignored her, his teeth sharpening as he snarled at Bonnie, "No one can get to the cure if you're too dead to find it."

Before Kol could do any damage, he was flinching away from Bonnie and groaning in pain. Lucy watched, horrified and amazed at the same time—though she was mostly horrified—as Bonnie broke several of Kol's bones. It wasn't long until the balloons decorating the gym lobby started to pop and the lockers doors started swinging open.

"Bonnie, stop!" Lucy marched forward toward her friend, worried for her safety and Kol's. "Get out of here!"

By the time Stefan and Joel had rushed into the lobby, Bonnie was gone and Kol was recovering.

"Kol, you can't do this!" Lucy raised her voice at her brother as his bones started to heal. "You can't just go around and kill the people I love."

"Silas is Hell on Earth, sister," Kol panted as he stood to his feet, repeating what he had told her before. "I can't let you raise him."

"We're not going to," Lucy grabbed his arm and gave him a pleading look. "Please, Kol. Please stop this before you or anyone else gets hurt."

She couldn't explain it but she felt like she knew that something horrible was going to happen. Kol had compelled Damon to kill Jeremy and now he tried to kill Bonnie; someone would be looking to get revenge and if she knew Elena, that someone would be her.

"Something bad is gonna happen, Kol," she could feel her eyes fill with tears, taking Kol aback. "I can feel it. Please, just stop."

Kol paused and looked down at Lucy for a long moment, trying to decide what to do. Joel and Stefan stood back, watching as Kol finally made up his mind. He pressed a gentle kiss on Lucy's forehead.

"All will be fine, Ana," he whispered to her; Lucy relaxed, thinking he was going to stop the murder attempts. "but I can't let Silas be released."

Lucy stiffened as Kol let go of her arm. "Kol, no!" but he was already gone. "Damn it!"

She turned to Joel and Stefan with tears in her eyes. "I have to get to Rebekah's house."

Stefan paced on Rebekah's front porch, passing Joel every so often as he carefully listened to Lucy and Rebekah's conversation. Lucy was so close to having Rebekah hand the dagger over but Rebekah was hesitating, worried about what Klaus would do to her.

"Do you think Rebekah will give Lucy the dagger?" Joel asked him, picking at his jeans.

Neither of them went inside, knowing that if Lucy was the only one to talk to Rebekah, things would go easier.

"Yeah, I do," Stefan nodded, scratching his cheek. "She loves Lucy and she knows that it's the right thing for everyone right now."

Joel hummed in agreement. "Have you heard from Damon today?"

"No. What about Elena?"

"Nope," Joel sighed.

Speak of the devil and he shall appear…Stefan's phone rang and he quickly answered it when he saw that it was Elena, worried about what she had to be planning. Hopefully they'd get to the dagger before she and Damon could do any irreversible damage.

"Elena, where are you?"

"At my house. Damon's here, too," she told him quickly, like she was under pressure. "Look, I want to kill Kol—well, I want Jeremy to kill Kol."

Stefan spluttered, though he wasn't very shocked. "You can't kill Kol, Elena. What the fuck is wrong with you?" he snapped at her angrily; Joel stood up, alarmed. "And you can't drag Jeremy into this, either."

Elena continued on like she hadn't heard him. "I need you to find the dagger and use it on Rebekah."

"Are you even listening to a word I just said?" he gestured to Joel and then the house, silently telling him to get Lucy and Rebekah; Joel nodded and sped into the house. "We're gonna use the dagger on Kol until we find the cure."

"It's not enough, Stefan!" Elena cried. "If Jeremy kills Kol all the vampires in his sire line will die. It'll complete Jeremy's mark."

Stefan shook his head in disbelief; he couldn't believe that Elena had turned into this person. "Damon," he spoke into the phone, hoping that Damon was nearby and could hear him. "Don't do this. Don't be stupid like this. If you guys kill Kol, you'll have the whole Original family breathing down your—"

The call cut off; Elena had hung up on him. He hurriedly shoved the phone into his jeans as Lucy and Rebekah barreled out of the house. Lucy had tears in her eyes and her face was flushed with panic and anger, while Rebekah's face was paler than he'd ever seen it before.

"Let's go," he reached out to Lucy so he could put her on his back; they didn't have time for the car. "Come on, we gotta go."

Everything was a blur; Rebekah sped ahead of him and Joel, trying to get to the Gilbert house before Elena and Damon could do anything to Kol. Lucy had buried her head in his neck and was squeezing his shoulders tightly, her hands clenched so hard that she was actually hurting him.

Lucy couldn't settle on one emotion. There was panic and sadness because what if they couldn't help Kol in time? And there was anger, such a strong anger. Elena had set this up; she was going to kill without a thought to how many vampires would die with him and how anyone would feel if Kol died. She didn't care about the fact that Kol was Lucy's brother and she didn't care about Finn, either. It made her blood boil; she was so angry that her teeth hurt from how tense her jaw was.

What would she do if Kol was dead? What was she supposed to do?

She would have her answer; Rebekah was already waiting on the porch when they arrived at the Gilbert house, banging frantically on the door and shouting for Elena, Damon, and Jeremy to stop.

Her heart pounding, Lucy didn't have time to do anything but jump out of Stefan's arms and run into the house, Joel quickly speeding in after her. They arrived in the kitchen where Kol was screaming when Elena shouted, "Jeremy, now!"

"JEREMY, STOP!" Lucy screamed, lunging forward.

She didn't get very far. Damon had grabbed her, forcefully keeping her away as Elena threw the white oak stake at Jeremy, who caught it and shoved it into Kol's chest, right into his heart.

"_KOL_!"

Kol was screaming as he burst into flames, trying to stop the fire. His screams would haunt Lucy for the rest of her life. She sobbed, her heart breaking as Kol's body dropped to the floor and his screams stopped. She didn't fight against Damon's hold anymore; she concentrated on her brother's body and fought hard to breathe.

Without her noticing, Stefan fought Damon off of her and pulled her into his chest, trying to comfort her. She didn't even notice that Joel was passed out on the floor, his neck snapped so he couldn't get in the way of killing Kol.

_Kol was dead. Kol was dead. Kol was dead. Her big brother was dead. _

All at once, her anger returned and grew into fury—it was anger that she had never felt before.

"You killed him," she turned her deadly gaze to her sister—no, to Elena; she wasn't her sister anymore. "YOU KILLED MY BROTHER!"

"It was—"

Elena's voice, which had once been so calming to her, enraged her. "I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" she screamed, fighting against Stefan's hold. "I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU."

"Lucy—"

"DON'T TALK TO ME! DON'T YOU EVER SAY A WORD TO ME AGAIN!"

"Oh, calm down, Twitch—"

"Shut the fuck up, Damon," Stefan snapped at his brother, his eyes throwing daggers at him and Elena.

Through Lucy's rage, she somehow noticed that Stefan was distracted. She siphoned magic from her necklace and smirked in satisfaction when the bones in Elena's legs snapped. It was wrong but she didn't care, she enjoyed the fact that Elena was in horrible pain.  
Maybe it'd compare to how Kol felt when he was staked.

And then there was chaos.

Damon immediately lunged at Lucy to stop her from hurting Elena further and Stefan let go of Lucy, tackling his older brother to the ground so he couldn't lay a finger on his girlfriend. Elena was still screaming as Lucy was free to do whatever she wanted to her—and she wasn't satisfied with just the bones in Elena's leg breaking.

Lucy could feel that this wasn't her. She wasn't a violent person, not really. But she didn't care. All she could focus on was her anger and grief and Elena. She might not have been the one to shove that stake into Kol's heart but she orchestrated it all. Elena clued Damon into her plan, she manipulated Jeremy into thinking that killing Kol was a good idea, and she had trapped Kol.

Angry tears blurred her eyesight as she sent a pain-inflicting spell at Elena. She didn't even get to enjoy her pain as Jeremy wrapped an arm around her waist and forcefully picked her up, dragging her out of the house and into Rebekah's arms.

Rebekah sobbed into her younger sister's hair as she screamed angrily, like she had to get to Elena or she would die, too. She couldn't help but feel relieved when Klaus appeared, his eyes wide and filled with grief and shock about what was happening.

"Nik…" Rebekah sniffed as Lucy's screams came to a halt. "Kol, he's in there."

Klaus stopped at the door, unable to get in. His eyes immediately fell onto Kol's burnt body, just behind where Elena and Jeremy were pulling Stefan and Damon apart. As if Klaus brought his own aura of danger into the situation, the four of them turned to look at him.

"What did you do?" Klaus asked, his voice calm and deadly but loud enough that they could hear him over Lucy and Rebekah's crying.

"We didn't have a choice," Elena whined, acting like she was the victim. "He was trying to cut off Jeremy's arm."

"Lies!" Klaus growled. "He never would've gotten inside if you hadn't have set a trap for him."

"You said you were gonna put him down, too," Damon smirked at Klaus, as if all of this was okay.

"I was going to dagger him!" Klaus shouted.

Lucy couldn't just sit back and do nothing while they lied about Kol. She used the magic still in her body; Damon screamed in pain, falling to his knees, and with a simple whisper in her head, his neck was snapped and his body was on the floor.

Everyone turned to Lucy but all she could focus on was Elena's furious face. She couldn't believe that she even had the gall to be angry at Lucy—Damon and Elena, for that matter, deserved far worse than a snapped neck.

"I'm gonna burn this house to the ground," Klaus snarled, turning back to Elena. "and then when you try to flee for your lives, I'll kill you both without blinking."

"If you kill us, you'll never find the cure," Jeremy snapped at him. "You'll never be able to make any more hybrids."

"You really think I care for an instant about my bloody hybrids?" Klaus scoffed, his wet eyes darting to Kol's body for a split second. "I want the cure so I can destroy it. I would've killed most of you the second we dug it up, but now I'm just gonna watch you burn instead."

"I'll be happy to join," Rebekah sneered, glowering at the two Gilbert siblings.

"ARGH!"

Both Rebekah and Klaus fell to the ground as Bonnie stomped up the porch, her eyes narrowed on both of them. Lucy, herself, was planted against the porch railing, unable to move as Bonnie stormed into the house and planted herself next to Elena and Jeremy.

"Invite him in!" Bonnie demanded Jeremy. "Do it."

"Bonnie, if you do anything to hurt him, I'll kill you," Lucy shouted. "I swear I will."

"You're not strong enough!" Bonnie sneered at her and turned back to Jeremy. "Let him in."

Stefan went to move, to try to help Lucy and her original siblings, but suddenly he was on his knees, too, crying out from the intense pain Bonnie was inflicting on him.

"BONNIE!"

Jeremy turned to Klaus, a nasty look in his eyes. "Come in."

"BONNIE, I SWEAR TO GOD!"

Klaus was dragged into the house with Bonnie's magic; he scrambled to his feet and went after Elena and Jeremy, both of them running into the living room and then the kitchen. Klaus tried to head into the kitchen after him but he was stopped, encased in a seal that Bonnie had put up.

Thankfully, when Bonnie was so focused on making the seal on the living room, Lucy was let go of the magic that was holding her.

"Witch, you can't do this to me!"

Lucy stormed into the house, passing Rebekah, who was recovering from the many aneurysms.

"You have no idea what I can do now."

Lucy entered the living room and glared defiantly at Bonnie, placing her hand right against the seal in question. As she started siphoning the magic away, she felt a horrible pain in her head. She pushed her other hand toward Bonnie and used the magic from the seal to counteract the magic she was attacked with.

She gritted her teeth; it was one of the hardest things she had ever had to do, including trying to lift the seal from the tomb. But she had to do something. _She had to do something_.

"Elena! Jeremy!"

"Stefan! Rebekah!"

Both Bonnie and Lucy called in for their support; Elena and Stefan clashed together when Elena tried to get to Lucy and Rebekah was ready to go to Jeremy but Jeremy stood still. He was unwilling to hurt his sister anymore. He was, however, willing to defend himself against Rebekah.

None of them noticed that Joel and Damon were duking it out, trying to help Lucy and Bonnie, respectively. Considering that Damon was much older than Joel, it was easy to snap his neck again. Damon took his chance since everyone was distracted and sped to Lucy, wrapping his arm around her neck.

Lucy stiffened when she felt the pressure against his vocal chords and immediately dropped her hands. She couldn't even do anything; she was paralyzed with fear as Damon dragged his fangs over her delicate skin and ripped into her jugular.

"DAMON, NO!"

Caroline sat on the edge of Stefan's bed, staring sadly down at Lucy, who was still asleep. She was still healing from the blood Stefan shoved down her unconscious throat; Caroline could practically see her skin of her neck knitting back together, leaving behind no evidence of Damon's almost-fatal bite.

Her heart broke for Lucy. The youngest Gilbert was her platonic soulmate and little sister rolled into one and she couldn't bear to see her in so much pain. Lucy had endured so much in all three of her lifetimes, but in Caroline's opinion, she didn't see how her lives as Luciana and Lucia came close to the pain she had been in in the last two years.

It had only been _two_ years and Lucy had already endured a lifetime of loss, pain, anger, and sadness.

Caroline wiped her tears from her eyes, knowing that she had to be strong for Lucy. Wanting to district herself for a few seconds, she focused her hearing on what was going on downstairs in the living room.

It'd only been five minutes after Damon had awoken from his neck being snapped. Stefan, Joel, and Rebekah had immediately gone on the offense when Damon bit Lucy. Honestly, Caroline didn't even know how Damon was alive; even with the force of Bonnie, Elena, and Jeremy, Stefan, Joel, and Rebekah easily overpowered them.

Damon had been beat black and blue by Stefan and Rebekah while Joel held back his siblings and Klaus kept Bonnie distracted. From what she heard, Stefan had gone so far to plunge his hand into Damon's chest and threaten to rip out his heart if he ever even looked at Lucy the wrong way again. It was what Damon deserved; Caroline just wished she had been there to see his ass getting beat.

Now, though, Damon was awake after his neck—which was so severely snapped by Rebekah that it was completely turned around—healed. Rebekah was still at the Gilbert house with Klaus, knowing that if she even went near Damon, she'd kill him and Stefan and Joel had calmed themselves down enough to keep from attacking Damon once again.

It was a horrible and selfish thought but Caroline was kind of glad she wasn't there when the Kol thing went down. She didn't want to see Kol's body, she didn't want to see Bonnie hurting Stefan and Lucy, she didn't want to see Joel's neck snapped twice by Damon, and she definitely didn't want to see Lucy lose it like that.

It wasn't in the way that she was afraid of Lucy but she was afraid _for_ her. She'd read the book that Grams had given Lucy about siphoners and she was pretty sure there was a chapter where the authors said something about how siphoners were more prone to lose their temper when using their borrowed magic. It was believed that siphoners would turn into monsters, no matter who they were. She didn't want to see Lucy head down that road and she knew that Lucy didn't want to go down it, herself.

Damn, she had been distracted again. She quickly focused back on her friends in the living room.

"_It didn't work_," Jeremy told the others.

"_It took time for Finn's line to die off, remember?"_ Bonnie soothed him. "_It'll work."_

For the first time in her whole life, Caroline didn't want to hear Bonnie's voice. She couldn't believe what Bonnie had done to Lucy. They were best friends; they had known each other since Kindergarten, and she still hurt Lucy like she was some random vampire.

"_What if it doesn't?"_

"_Where's that Gilbert optimism?"_ Damon spoke next, causing Caroline's blood to boil. She couldn't even imagine how Joel and Stefan could sit down there with him and not kill him. She couldn't relate.

"_Okay_," Elena sighed, her tone thoughtful. "_When Jeremy's mark grows, we'll need to get Silas' headstone."_

"_We already have the headstone."_

"_We have to do this fast. The seal around Klaus will only last temporarily_," Bonnie added on. "_I drew from the new moon to bind the spell. We have three days to find that cure, four max."_

"_If you don't, I guess you guys are gonna have to hit the road_," Stefan's voice was flat, showing no emotion. "_Klaus will come after you."_

Caroline smirked to herself. Stefan had always been the person you could count on in this little group or theirs. He was the heart, the one to say what was right and what was wrong. He defended anyone—especially Damon—but it was all gone now that Lucy had been hurt. She could hear it in his voice; he didn't give a damn if Damon, Elena, or Bonnie had to run from Klaus for the rest of their lives.

Frankly, Caroline was inclined to agree with him.

"_We won't have to_," Elena said sharply and Caroline could just picture the victimized look on her face as she spoke to Stefan. "_We'll find the cure."_

Because the universe wasn't fair, Jeremy started screaming in pain as soon as she was done speaking. "_It's happening."_

"_Oh, my God."_

"_What? You can see it?"_

Caroline pressed her lips together, assuming that all of the vampires in Kol's line were dead and Jeremy's mark was complete. She took Lucy's hand and squeezed it, hoping that if she could hear her, she'd be comforted by the fact that they were closer to the cure.

"You're gonna get that cure, Luce," she whispered. "and Stefan's gonna take it and you'll get married and pop out a bunch of kiddos. You're gonna live happily ever after."

Caroline wished with all of her heart that she was right.

**Author's Note****: I was sad that I had to kill off Kol but I have plans for him and Lucy later. I just wanted to let you guys know that this chapter was action heavy for the sole purpose of focusing on Lucy's emotions in the following chapters. **


	69. Think to Yourself

**[4x13; Into the Wild]**

Lucy sat quietly in the middle seat of the boat, letting the rocking of the soothing waves calm her down. Rebekah was in the front seat, staring at the small, desolate island they were approaching, Jeremy was on the seat in between Rebekah and Lucy, his head bowed and his hands clenched together, and Stefan was in the seat behind Lucy, steering the boat so they went in the same direction as Professor Shane, Bonnie, Damon, and Elena.

It was quiet; no one on the boat was talking and Lucy liked that.

She didn't even know what to say to Jeremy; he had approached her when they got off the plane in Nova Scotia to attempt an apology but he just gave her a sad look and backed away. She didn't know if he wanted her to talk to him or he was actually sorry about killing Kol. To be honest, she didn't want to know at the moment. Rebekah was just as peaceful with the silence as Lucy, which was relieving. Neither of them wanted to talk, both of them grieving Kol, and that was all right. Usually Rebekah was a chatter box—and so was Lucy, for that matter—but they didn't have words to comfort each other right now. They would talk later, Lucy was sure of it.

And, Stefan…he was trying and Lucy loved him for it. She loved that he tried his best to help her with Kol and that he defended her—and even Rebekah and Klaus—so fiercely. He had held her hand tightly the whole plane ride—who knew that Lucy would be afraid to fly—and he would talk to her and read the novel he was currently reading, _Water for Elephants_, to her. His voice was soothing and it relaxed her enough to talk back to him, even just for a little bit.

She couldn't push her grief away like she did for Finn and Alaric because that had wrecked her. But this? This was hard to deal with, too. She was drowning in her own mind; she went through the thirteen years of memories that she had with Kol, studying them like they were being played on a television screen in front of her.

She went over them again, memorizing how his smile was always mischievous even when he was being sweet and honest. She thought about his laugh and the way he used to vent to her, disappointed because he felt left out of Klaus, Elijah, and Rebekah's close circle. She remembered the phone calls they shared when he was undaggered; he would talk about magic, telling her about the things he learned on his adventures throughout the thousand years. He spoke about how much he had missed her and the way he would see things during his travels that reminded him of her. She and Kol had bonded more than anyone knew. They spoke every week that he was gone, talking about what he had done that week or what trials and tribulations Lucy was going through.

There were now three missing holes in the section of her heart that her first set of siblings filled up. Henrik, Finn, and Kol—three of her brothers dead.

Their boat docked at the rocky beach. Jeremy, Rebekah, Lucy, and Stefan carefully got out and worked together to tug the boat further in so it wouldn't go drifting out deeper into the water. Once the boat was secured on the beach, each of them got their packs out.

Lucy sat quietly on a large piece of driftwood, triple-checking to see if she had everything. She knew she did since she double checked back in Mystic Falls, but it was comforting to make sure, anyway. Her pack was full of her clothes, her cellphone and some charging banks she and Stefan bought at the airport, two flashlights, numerous bottles of water, and a couple of blood bags for Stefan and Rebekah. Stefan was charged with carrying their tent and sleeping bags, along with an extra gallon of water that he insisted on bringing just in case.

Stefan plopped down next to her, dropping his pack and pulling out a scarf from one of the pockets. Without saying anything, he kissed Lucy's pink nose and wrapped the scarf around her neck to keep her warm.

"Thanks, Stefan," she gave him an appreciative smile.

"No problem, pretty girl."

Lucy's heart fluttered happily, just like it always did when he called her one of the pet names from his vast collection for her. She quickly grabbed his cold hand and pressed a kiss on his palm before wrapping his arm around her shoulders and snuggling into his side.

And then she saw Elena walking by and her mood dropped once again. Rebekah, who had stood in front of Lucy and Stefan, felt the same way, glowering at the doppelganger as she passed.

"Rebekah," Stefan sighed like he was scolding a child; it wasn't that he didn't think Rebekah and Lucy had a good reason to be furious, because they had every right to be. It was just that he didn't want another fight to break out and he didn't want anyone to get hurt. "It's not gonna help the situation with you giving Elena the evil eye."

"She killed our brother," Rebekah stated tensely, eyes still on Elena. "She's lucky all she's getting is the evil eye."

Elena stop walking and turned back to them, giving them a glare of her own. "You know I can hear you, right?"

"You know I don't care, right?"

Elena dropped her pack on the ground and sped over to Rebekah, gripping her throat tightly and pushing the tip of the white oak stake into her stomach threateningly. Rebekah easily overpowered her, roughly throwing her on her back in the rocky sand.

"Go ahead, kill me," Rebekah taunted her. "But then you'd have face your real problems, like how you turned into a monster."

"Rebekah, stop," Lucy sighed and stood up, grabbing her oldest sister's hand. "She's not worth your time."

"You're right," Rebekah agreed.

The two of them walked twenty feet away from the driftwood they had taken a rest at. Lucy watched with careful eyes as Stefan stared down at Elena on the sand and said something.

"What's he saying?" she murmured to Rebekah.

"He told her to leave us alone," Rebekah informed her, a smile forming on her face as Stefan turned away from Elena and started making his way toward them.

Lucy smiled gratefully. "I love that man."

Rebekah laughed and patted her dimpled cheek. "I know you do."

Their hike started at the beach and led them through the woods for a while. It was dark under the cover of the pine needles that were made to survive the harsh winter and it made the cold air even harsher. The gloves on Lucy's hands, the knitted beanie on her head, and her heavy jacket and boots did nothing to sooth the icy sting when the air hit her body. Sure, she was warm enough not to die of hypothermia but she wasn't anywhere near comfortable.

The cold made her focus, though. At the moment, she wasn't thinking about how Kol had died and how Damon and Elena were the ones to kill him. She was thinking about the cure and how much Stefan had wanted it—how much he deserved it.

Stefan had never wanted to be a vampire. He was compelled into drinking vampire blood by Katherine and killed because she was captured by the Founding Families. His transition was never supposed to be; he had been ready to die by Damon's side but then he was caught off guard by his father's blood and controlled by his unsatiated thirst. He was a ripper and had taken many, many lives but he made up for it.

He had taken time to learn control and followed his diet of animal blood as best as he could. He helped people. He held down many jobs, some of them first responders. He went to war to help wounded soldiers on the battlefield. He held so much love and compassion in his heart and he treated most people fairly—until they gave him a reason not to. He was such a great man and he probably had the unluckiest life ever.

But now, with this cure, he could have the human life he wanted. He could graduate high school and experience life as a human college student. He'd get a degree and a job, marry a girl, and have babies. He'd get sick, he'd see his grandchildren born, he'd grow old with the girl he loved, and he would be buried with her. It was everything Lucy wanted for Stefan.

And if she wasn't the woman Stefan wanted by his side, she'd accept that. She loved him so much that she would let him go to live his human life away from her if he wanted to do that. She knew that Stefan, though; he wouldn't leave her. She believed in his love for her and when he said he wanted to experience a human life with her.

She could already imagine it. They'd go to Duke together; Stefan would be a biology major and apply to medical school while Lucy would figure out what actually she wanted to do for the rest of her life. They'd get married in December, after Stefan was officially a doctor, because she had always wanted a winter wedding. And after a year or two, they'd have kids; three boys and two girls because Lucy loved how close knit she was with Elijah, Klaus, Kol, Rebekah, Henrik, Jeremy, Joel, and Caroline. They would live in Mystic Falls where Stefan owned his practice and Caroline and the rest of her siblings would visit every once in a while.

It was a beautiful dream; she was just wishing with all of her heart that it would come true.

Lucy pulled her hand out of her jacket pocket and slipped it into Stefan's, squeezing it tightly. Stefan squeezed her back and smiled down at her, pausing for a brief second to place a loving kiss on her cheek.

They journey in the woods was done for the moment. The trail they were following led them out onto the edge of a cliff hanging over the beautiful water. The sun shined a little brighter, which was nice, but with the water came a numbing breeze.

Shane, who was just behind Damon, who was leading the group, sighed as his satellite phone beeped noisily. "Satellite phone lost its signal," he pushed the useless thing into his cargo pants.

"That's a good sign," Damon uttered sarcastically.

"Is anyone else a little creeped out?" Elena spoke up, looking around at the trees on one side of them and then the cliff on the other.

"So, then leave," Rebekah commented tartly. "Out of everyone, your presence is the least necessary."

"Ugh," Damon groaned in annoyance. "Please don't start this again."

"I'm merely stating the facts," Rebekah shrugged from in front of Lucy, keeping her pace steady. "Jeremy has the spell on his body, Bonnie's the witch that unseals the curse, Shane is the human compass, and Lucy, Stefan, and I have the tombstone, which does God knows what. Elena has no point."

Damon looked back at her, almost offended. "What about me?"

"You have a nice behind."

Lucy rolled her eyes and shared a smile with Stefan. Despite all that she was feeling and what they were currently doing, she was glad Rebekah was there. Her oldest sister cheered her up and made her feel comfortable and safe.

They continued hiking, moving away from the cliff and going into the woods once again. Once the sun set and the darkness flooded in, Lucy had taken her place on Stefan's back—his pack going to Rebekah, who had packed very little—with her flashlight out to add to the light guiding them through the woods.

"Some of you may know the story of Qetsiyah and Silas but I figured all of you might want to know," Shane spoke up as they continued walking, his voice lowering. "Silas and Qetsiyah, both very powerful witches, were set to get married over two thousand years ago. Now, Silas went to Qetsiyah for help to make a spell for immortality. Qetsiyah figured it out and made him immortal, only to learn that Silas intended to use the spell on two other women, not her."

"When she found out, she was angry—like any woman would be," he continued with a short laugh. "She killed the other women. Silas was immortal; she couldn't kill him. So, she trapped him in a cave and buried him alive. Qetsiyah then created a cure for immortality and buried it with Silas, hoping that he would take it and die. That he would end up on the Other Side with her all eternity. But he wouldn't give her the satisfaction. So, many centuries later, her descendants created the hunters to find him, cure him, and kill him."

There was something about the first half of Silas' story that tugged on something in her brain. Like a memory she had forgotten but couldn't figure out.

"Centuries after Qetsiyah died, there were these miners who were excavating a well on the island," he told them. "They suddenly went mad and bled themselves dry for no apparent reason. So, the legend spread that these miners, in exchange for a drop of their blood, saw visions of their lost loved ones in the well they were digging. The word traveled and explorers sought out the well to see if the legend was true."

"So, the well was magic?" Bonnie wondered.

"Oh, yeah," Shane confirmed. "Some people believe the voices of lost souls were just a wind vortex whipping through the caves and the visions were caused by inhaling the island's poisonous plant life."

"And what do you believe?" Elena asked him.

"I believe in magic," Shane said firmly, coming to a stop in between two large trees. "My wife and son died within months of each other. So, I decided to try the well out for myself. I offered up my blood and waited. I saw my wife; I saw her eyes, her smile…My blood let me see her again."

"Yeah, I got it," Damon snarked. "Don't eat the poisonous flowers."

The group began to walk again, only getting a few feet until Shane stopped them.

"Stop!" he pushed past Rebekah, Elena, and Damon to crouch down next to a pile of dead leaves. "Is everybody paying attention?" he picked up a nearby stick and threw it into the pile of leaves; a net quickly snapped up, flying many feet above their heads. "Our first lesson in survival. Stay together and keep your eyes open."

They started walking once again, arriving in a large clearing next to an old cabin only twenty minutes later—after Jeremy and Elena were almost attacked by a local and simultaneously saved by someone wielding a hatchet.

"What is this place?" Stefan asked, bending his knees slightly so Lucy could get off of his back.

"According to island lore, a group of college kids came here for spring break," Shane explained. "A few weeks later, they were all found dead, completely drained of blood."

Of course, Rebekah wasn't fazed by anything Shane said. "Well, tragic for them, brilliant for us. Who sleeps where?"

No one was able to answer her because Damon started to complain. "Well, this is lovely. There's a mystery man with a hatchet lurking in the woods and we're just gonna camp?"

"We're safer here than we are hiking in the dark," Shane tried to placate him as everyone else started to claim their space.

"Where shall we put our tent?" Rebekah walked over to Lucy and Stefan, her hands stuffed in her vest pockets.

"Hopefully close to the fire," Lucy mumbled, waving her flashlight around until she found a firepit in the middle of the clearing.

"Here's good, then," Stefan dropped the tent and their sleeping bags on the ground near the pit. While Stefan and Rebekah started to get their tent up, Lucy started on the fire. The wood in the pit was, thankfully, dry, so she gathered up some dead leaves and added them before taking out the set of matches she packed.

She was never a girl scout and she wouldn't ever be able to make a fire without matches but Alaric had taught her that a fire was easy to make if you had the right ingredients. She was just glad that the wood was dry and the dead leaves caught fire quickly.

She smiled slightly as she looked into the fire, thinking about Alaric. If he was here with them, he'd would have been so involved. He wouldn't have let Shane around any of them, because he was pretty creepy, he would have helped Jeremy with the hunter's mark, instead of Damon—which turned out _so_ well—and he maybe he would have stopped Elena, Damon, and Jeremy from killing Kol.

Before her grief could overwhelm her once again, she quickly thought of something else. Her stomach growled, so that caught her attention; she dug into her pack and pulled out one of the chocolate chip granola bars Stefan had insisted she bring.

The granola bar tasted fine but with the fire in front of her, all she wanted was roasted marshmallows. She looked up as Stefan approached her, Silas' tombstone in hand, and smiled as he sat next to her.

"I can't believe you didn't bring marshmallows, Goofy," he grinned at her. "It's just not like you."

"I was just thinking about that," Lucy laughed lightly, loving how much he knew her. She nodded at the tombstone. "Whatcha doing with that?"

"We're a day away from finding the cure. I'm not letting it out of my sight," he set the stone in between his feet and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, offering her more warmth.

Lucy studied the small but wistful smile on his lips. "You must be excited," she mused, snuggling further into the warm fabric of his jacket. "I'm so happy for you."

"I'm happy, too," Stefan agreed quietly, his eyes on the orange flames in front of them. "I thought that being human again was just a fantasy but we're here right now, about to find it."

"Will you miss anything about being a vampire?"

"There are some things," Stefan nodded against the side of her head. "I'm strong enough to protect myself and you but I might not be when I'm human. I'll miss the places I get to travel and things I get to do that humans aren't able."

"Like swimming naked in the Trevi fountain?" Lucy slyly smiled.

"Ah, of course," Stefan chuckled, knowing that was one of Lucy's favorite things that Lexi told her about him; it was one of his fondest memories, too. "And there's seeing how the world changes, how people evolve mentally and physically…But it's worth losing all of that to be human."

"Yeah?" Lucy lifted her head from his shoulder and looked him in the eyes.

He stared back at her with strong emotion in his eyes; passion, happiness, hope, love—there was so much love. "Yeah," he confirmed, his lips curling softly. "There'll be no more bloodlust, no more fighting that part of myself…and I'll be with you, Luce."

"You still want that?" Lucy asked hesitantly. "You'd want to spend the rest of your life with me by your side?"

Stefan lovingly cupped her jaw. "Of course, I would," he placed a soft kiss on her lips before pulling back. "I love you so much, Lucy Gilbert."

"I love you, too, Stefan Salvatore."

Lucy hit the uneven ground roughly, her stomach in so much pain that she could barely breathe. She should have listened to Shane's advice about keeping her eyes peeled for any traps. Of course. she was the one to fall into one, one step and an arrowed was flying into her stomach, right above her belly button.

"Lucy!" Stefan called worriedly as he and Rebekah blurred over to her, kneeling down on either side of her. His already pale cheeks whitened further when he saw the tail end of the arrow sticking out of her body. "Fuck."

For some reason, the arrow didn't hurt as much as when she was shot by Connor. She didn't know if it was because the arrow might be keeping her blood inside of her body or if she was just used to pain now from all the accidents she had been having lately.

"Why am I always the one to get hurt?" she moaned, more embarrassed than worried about her injury.

"Shush, now," Rebekah clicked her tongue, wrapping her hands around the arrow tail. "I'm going to pull this out you now, Luci."

"Wait, maybe you shouldn't—"

"One—"

"No, Bekah, seriously—"

"Two—"

"Bekah—OWWW!" Lucy howled as Rebekah quickly pulled the arrow out of her. Blood spilled down her stomach, staining the sweatshirt she had slipped into earlier that morning. "What the fuck, Bekah?"

"Oh, you're gonna be fine," Rebekah waved her off, relieved, and looked toward Stefan. "Give her your blood."

"Seriously, more blood?" Lucy whined as Stefan nipped his wrist and held it out to her. "Honestly, I don't think it's necessary—"

Stefan cut her off, shoving his wrist to her lips. Grimacing, Lucy swallowed a couple of sips and then pulled back, her sore stomach already finding some relief. As much as she didn't like drinking the vampire blood, she appreciated the fact that it did heal her. She couldn't find Jeremy if she couldn't even walk.

They had woken up when the sun rose, only to find Jeremy gone and his tent empty. They immediately split up to look for him; Stefan, Lucy, and Rebekah in one direction, Elena and Damon in one, and Bonnie and Shane in the other.

Lucy was worried about Jeremy. Despite everything that had happened with him going along with Elena and Damon's plan to kill Kol, she couldn't help but care about him. This was Jeremy, her little brother who had told her only weeks before that he would never try to kill any of her siblings. That he understood why Lucy loved them the way she loved Jeremy, Elena, and Joel. It was that conversation that made Lucy think that the persuasion of the hunter's mark and Elena's plan had convinced him that killing Kol was the only way to finish everything.

And maybe she was in denial, maybe he knew exactly what he was doing, but right now, she didn't care. She already lost Elena, she couldn't lose Jeremy, too.

"Are you okay?" Stefan asked her worriedly, picking up the bottom of her bloody crewneck and long-sleeved shirt to see that that her smooth and soft stomach had completely healed.

"As you can see, I'm fine," Lucy rolled her eyes, hopping up to her feet. "We need to find Jeremy."

"Well, we didn't have any luck at the quarry and we were supposed to meet back up at the campsite at two," Rebekah checked the waterproof watch on her wrist. "We have to head back."

Lucy was about to protest but Stefan soothed her worries. "We're just checking in," he reminded her. "Then we'll be able to look again."

Lucy sighed and nodded. "All right, fine."

The three of them were the last to arrive back at the campsite; Bonnie, Shane, Damon, and Elena were already waiting for them.

"Did you guys find anything?" Elena asked as soon as Lucy, Stefan, and Rebekah joined their circle.

Bonnie shook her head. "He's not on the trail."

"His gear's still in his tent," Shane reported.

"He's not at the quarry, either," Stefan finished.

Damon pressed his lips together, annoyed. "Split up."

"I'm gonna stay and try a locator spell," Bonnie told everyone.

"I'll join you," Lucy spoke up, crossing her arms over her chest. "Two people trying to locate him is better than one."

Bonnie nodded at her, completely surprised that Lucy would want to be anywhere near her.

"Okay, I'll stay here, too," Shane nodded. "I'll make sure they're safe."

"And I'll stay here and make sure you're not lying," Damon glared at Shane.

Lucy rolled her eyes at Damon and Elena, who was eyeing Rebekah and Stefan with a hard look.

"Fine," she grunted. "We'll keep searching the island."

Lucy smiled at Stefan and squeezed his hand. "Be careful," she told him, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. "Love you."

"I love you," Stefan countered happily, kissing her once more. "And you be careful, too. I'm sure Damon won't do anything, but…"

"I won't let him touch her," Bonnie spoke up, surprising both Lucy and Stefan.

Wasn't Bonnie one of the people who had hurt her less than forty-eight hours ago? Nevertheless, Lucy believed her. It was hard to see the fierce promise in Bonnie's eyes and not believe that she'd keep Damon away from Lucy.

Lucy slowly nodded at her and then turned back to Stefan. "I'll be fine. Try to keep Elena and Rebekah from killing each other."

"That will be tough," Stefan mused.

"Hey!" Rebekah scoffed in offense. "I'm perfectly pleasant."

They spent four more hours walking around the island, searching for Jeremy, and they had found no tracks or clues to where he might have been. The air was tense between Rebekah and Elena the whole time, much to Stefan's irritation, but things eased when Elena went back to the campsite just around sunset. Stefan and Rebekah kept searching, both of them knowing that they couldn't return without Jeremy.

"Haven't we been through here before?" Stefan wondered, grateful that he could see well in the dark.

"It all looks the same to me," Rebekah sighed from beside him.

Making the same mistake that Lucy had hours before, Stefan stepped right into a hidden trap. What would look like a blur to a human was not to him; he grabbed Rebekah out of the line of fire and pulled both of them back so the spear shot into a tree a few yards away.

"Thanks, but that wouldn't have killed me," Rebekah said gratefully, shaking off the grip he had on her hand.

"Sorry, it's a force of habit," Stefan apologized.

"Yeah, I guess you would be used to it," Rebekah smiled. "Luci's always been a little clumsy. One time she almost fell into the fire we built for the night."

Stefan blew a breath out of his nose, amused. "Of course, she did," he nodded, his amusement fading. "Did you mean what you said to Elena? The cease-fire?"

He, of course, was referring to what happened just before Elena took off. She had set off a trap and a long stick with numerous stakes slung forward, almost piercing her body. She would have been killed if Rebekah hadn't saved her.

"Why do you all assume that I hate Elena so much?"

"Well, you _did_ run her off a bridge."

"Elena's death was the only way to save my family," Rebekah defended herself, growing upset. "I did the same thing that every one of you would've done to protect the people that you love. And before you cast me as the bad guy, maybe you should remember that Elena's helped to kill not one but _two_ of my brothers."

"I remember and I don't blame you for hating her," Stefan stated firmly. "And you're right."

Rebekah raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm right?"

"Yeah, you are," Stefan nodded. "I've killed for Damon, Lucy, Caroline, and even Elena. And I'd do it again. So, you're right, we're the same. We're no better than the people who come for us."

Stefan believed every word he said to her. He'd been thinking it for a while but it was the first time he spoke about it out loud. What made him, Damon, and the rest of their friends better than these so-called monsters they take down? They threatened Anna, who only wanted to get her mother out of the tomb; he allowed Damon to kill Mason Lockwood for no reason…Stefan couldn't even remember every single time they killed just because someone was an inconvenience to them because there were too many.

When he thought about it, Rebekah, Klaus, Elijah, and Kol were the same way. Kol was scared about Silas, and what did Elena and Damon do? They killed him. Finn was trying to die as a human being and he was killed, too. Rebekah wanted a human life, Klaus wanted to be a hybrid…Klaus might have been an enemy to them but in his story, they were his.

It was all about prospective, really, and what you were willing to do for your loved ones.

Rebekah was surprised by Stefan's admission but not shocked. Even when his humanity was off in the twenties, he had been thoughtful about things other people wouldn't even think about. She liked that about him and she knew that Lucy did too; her sister wouldn't have fallen in love with the vampire if he only thought about himself.

"You know what, Stefan?"

"Hmm?" Stefan gave her a curious look.

"You fit right in with the Mikaelsons," Rebekah grinned, laughing when Stefan's mouth gaped open in shock. "You do! Your calm to all of our chaos will be good for us. Maybe our family won't tear each other apart if you're there to stop it."

"_Our_ family?"

Rebekah blinked at him. "You'll be marrying Lucy eventually, yes?"

"Yeah, of course," Stefan nodded seriously; it was one of the things that he was most serious about. One day Lucy would be his wife and he'd be her husband; there was no doubt in his mind about it.

"Well, then, you're part of the family," Rebekah swooped her arm into his elbow and pulled him the opposite direction. "Come on, Jeremy's not here. We should head back."

They arrived back to the campsite within the hour, only to find it completely empty except for their tents, packs, and Elena.

Elena stormed out of Bonnie's tent, looking panicked. "Where is everyone?"

Stefan stiffened. "What are you talking about?"

"Bonnie and Lucy aren't here and Shane's stuff is all gone."

A spike of fear rolled up Stefan's back as he sped over to the tent he shared with Lucy and Rebekah. She wasn't there and he couldn't hear her heartbeat anywhere around him.

"Fuck," he cursed under his breath, palming his chest right above his heart. "God damn it."

This couldn't be happening. Lucy couldn't be gone.


	70. We'll Be Together

**[4x14; Down the Rabbit Hole]**

"_Tell me you're not serious."_

"I wish I wasn't," Stefan grumbled into the phone. "When we got back from looking for Jeremy, Shane, Bonnie, and Lucy were gone, too. Shane needs Bonnie to cast a spell on Jeremy's tattoo in order to find the cure and he managed to sneak both of them our from under our noses."

"_Well, where does Lucy fit into that?"_ Caroline asked shakily. "_I mean, Shane never mentioned that Lucy had any part in that spell."_

"I honestly don't know," Stefan pinched the bridge of his nose. "But we have to find her."

"_You will, Stefan_," Caroline said soothingly. "_You will…Where's Damon in all this?"_

"He and Elena had an argument and he stormed away," Stefan glanced at Elena, who was standing with Rebekah a few feet away from him. "We went back to the beach and there were signs of a struggle."

"_Do you think Shane took him, too?"_

"I doubt it. Damon's too strong for Shane to take down…unless he had someone helping him."

"_Or more than one someone_," Caroline scoffed in annoyance. "_I'm sorry, Stefan. I wish I was there to help."_

"It's fine, Care," Stefan assured her. "You and Joel were taking care of Kol's body."

"_Yeah, and I got bit by Klaus in the process,"_ she grumbled before changing the subject. "_Is there anything Joel and I can do from here?"_

Stefan hummed thoughtfully. "Maybe…Shane's looking for the cure and we think we can find him. We have pictures of Jeremy's tattoo but we can't translate anything on the map…"

"_Unless you get the hunter's sword from Klaus_," Caroline finished knowingly.

"_Exactly_," Stefan nodded. "_Tell Klaus that Shane took Lucy and I can guarantee that he'll tell you where the sword it."_

"And if he doesn't?"

"_There's not many places you can hide a three-foot piece of metal."_

"_All right, we'll find it_," Caroline agreed. "_Just email me the pictures of Jeremy's tattoo. I'll find the sword and I'll call you back."_

"Thanks, Caroline," Stefan sighed in relief. "Bye."

Once his phone was tucked safely away in his jacket, he turned to Elena and Rebekah. "Caroline and Joel are getting the sword."

Both of the girls nodded, their expressions serious.

"I don't even get why I'm here," Lucy whined, repeating the question she had asked about five times. "I have nothing to do with this."

A local witch that Shane had hired, a huge man named Massak, tugged on her arm, forcing her to walk. She glared at him and sped up so she was in between Jeremy and Bonnie, not wanting to be anywhere near the strange man or Shane.

She didn't even remember all of the night before. One minute she was doing a location spell on Jeremy and the next, she blinked and she was in a whole different part of the island with Bonnie by her side. She didn't remember how she got there and she sure didn't remember where she had been the whole night.

Bonnie had no idea, either, but she told Lucy that her location spell started a fire trail leading them to Jeremy. To both of their shock, the trail of fire actually did as they thought it would; they caught up with Jeremy, who was gagged with a dark cloth, and Massak and that asshole, Shane, were there waiting for them.

It turned out that Massak was a witch that Shane hired to kidnap Jeremy and use magic to lead Bonnie—and Lucy, surprisingly—away from the others. All three of them had been furious—especially Bonnie, who felt so betrayed by her so-called mentor—but were forced to follow Shane and Massak to the magical well that Shane had spoken about on the first day on the island.

"You don't," Shane finally answered as they approached a large mountain covered in boulders. "but I couldn't have you doing magic and locating Bonnie and Jeremy with a spell."

Lucy grunted in frustration. "Oh, my God, why do you think of everything?"

"Because he's a fucking creep," Jeremy grumbled under his breath, both Lucy and Bonnie hearing him perfectly. Both girls nodded in agreement, much to Shane's chagrin.

"Just keep walking," Shane ordered, leading them and Massak into a cave opening at the bottom of the mountain.

It was pitch black—as one would expect a cave to be—when they entered, the only thing providing them light was the small LED light on Shane's headband. While Lucy, Bonnie, and Jeremy looked around curiously, Massak stopped just inside the entrance.

"This is as far as I go."

Shane looked at him in disbelief. "We're on the brink of a monumental event in human history," he pointed out incredulously. "We're gonna raise the most powerful immortal creature that ever was. Come on, our work's not done yet."

"Mine is," Massak insisted. "You said get the kid, the siphoner, and the witch. I did. I want to get paid now."

Shane pressed his lips together in annoyance and grabbed his backpack, digging Silas' tombstone from within. He carefully passed it over to Massak, who held it protectively to his chest.

Before he left, Massak looked at Lucy, Jeremy, and Bonnie. "I'll say a prayer for your souls."

Was Lucy supposed to say thank you?

Once Massak was gone, she rapidly turned to Shane. "That's what the stupid tombstone is for? To pay off some witch-slash-mercenary? What the hell?"

"The core of that tombstone is made up of Qetsiyah's calcified blood," Shane answered her like it was no big deal that she spent a whole day and witnessed a man chew off his own tongue and kill himself for nothing. What a waste. "In some witch circles, that stone's more valuable than the Hope diamond. So…" he looked between the three of them. "who wants to go down first?"

God, could he get any creepier?

Stefan stared at the water, seeing Rebekah pace back and forth with her phone held in the air out of the corner of his eye. They were still waiting for Caroline or Joel to call them back. It was Rebekah's turn to look for any sign of cell service, which left him alone with Elena.

To say that they were awkward was an understatement. Stefan had no idea how to act around Elena anymore; he wasn't in love with her and they were hardly friends because of how she had been acting lately. She had been treating Lucy like actual shit for so long it was hard to remember when it all first started, and she only thought about herself and Damon.

And she had told him that she still had feelings for him, even after she said she loved Damon. How the hell was he supposed to react to that?

Elena was the one who broke the silence. "And, once again, everyone's life is in danger looking for this cure because poor Elena can't deal with being a vampire."

What did he say? She has a two-track mind and the biggest track is herself.

"Everyone's here because they want to be," Stefan rolled his eyes covertly so she couldn't see him. "Not for you, but for themselves."

Elena hummed and turned her body toward him. "Stefan, why didn't you tell me you wanted the cure for yourself?"

"It wasn't about you," Stefan answered simply, ignoring the hurt look on her face.

"Was it about Lucy?" Elena prodded.

"I've wanted to be human long before Lucy became part of my life," Stefan's voice hardened a little, not liking the fact that Elena was asking him about Lucy. "But, yes, Lucy's a large part of it. I want to be human for her."

"You really love her that much?"

"I do."

It was one of the most basic things about Stefan, like it was part of his DNA. He loved Lucy and he would always love Lucy. Even if their relationship started off as just-friends, they'd been heading this way the whole time. If he thought about it, he couldn't even remember what his life was like before Lucy and he didn't want to imagine what it would be like without her.

His heart started to race again, thinking about the danger she could be in. He abruptly stood from the piece of driftwood he and Elena were sitting on and joined Rebekah by the water, holding his own cellphone into the air. He wandered away from her, though, a hundred feet down the shoreline in order to find service.

It was then when Rebekah's phone rang. "Hello?"

"_Hey, it's Joel,_" her sister's brother—well, that was confusing—greeted her. "_We have the translation of the tattoo. We're emailing you pictures of the map and instructions right now."_

Her phone beeped; she pulled it away from her ear in order to confirm it was the pictures.

"Got it, thanks."

"_Actually, it was me_," she heard Klaus' voice on the other line.

Rebekah raised her eyebrows in surprise. "_Nik, you helped?"_

"_You sound so surprised, little sister."_

"Shouldn't I be?" she retorted. "I mean, you don't want me to be human. You don't want any of us to be human. Why would you help us find the cure?"

"_Maybe I finally realized the longer I stand in the way of what you want, the longer you'll continue to hate me,"_ Klaus confessed. "_Perhaps I want my sister to finally know happiness_."

Rebekah wasn't going to fall for another one of Klaus' tricks, though. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me a hundred times…"

"_No more fooling, no more games. I hope you get to live and die as you wish."_

Rebekah pursed her lips, her eyes starting to sting. "So do I."

"_Find our sister, Rebekah."_

"I will," she promised.

"_And one more thing,"_ Klaus added quickly. "_There is only one dose of the cure. You need to find it fast and take it. It's the only way you'll—_"

The call cut off before Klaus could finish speaking.

"Nik? Nik!"

If what her brother said was true, she had to get to the cure before anyone else did.

Lucy slowly hovered down the rope that led into the cave, her eyes shut the whole time. It was only when she felt her feet like solid rock that she opened them, relieved to see Jeremy and Bonnie in front of her. She quickly unraveled the rope from around her harness and let it fall to the ground so Shane could bring it back up for himself.

Once she was settled and her harness was off, she saw the grimace on Bonnie's face as she held her hand against her chest protectively. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I slipped," Bonnie told her. "Jeremy wrapped it up."

Lucy nodded. "Good."

As Shane called down to them that he was starting to come down, both Jeremy and Lucy turned to Bonnie, serious looks on their faces.

"What do you think's gonna happen once you cast a spell on my tattoo and there's nothing in between Shane and Silas?" Jeremy asked her quickly and quietly so Shane wouldn't overhear.

"Do you think he's gonna kill us?" Lucy added on anxiously, biting her lip.

Bonnie paused thoughtfully for only a second before she was turning to Jeremy. "Do you trust me?"

Jeremy nodded. "Yeah, of course."

Bonnie smiled at him before turning to Lucy. "I know I hurt you the other day, Lucy, and I feel terrible about it, but I need you to trust me. Just for today."

It was a no-brainer for Lucy. If they wanted to survive, she had to trust that Bonnie would be able to keep Shane away from her and Jeremy. "We're in the middle of some random cave two hundred miles away from Nova Scotia. I want to survive and if trusting you is the way to do it, I have no choice."

"Okay," Bonnie nodded sharply. "Then you both have to trust me when I promise I won't let Shane raise Silas."

Jeremy glanced above them, where Shane was close to landing. "Just don't do anything stupid. If your expression gets out of hand, Shane is the only one that could help you keep it in control."

"Don't worry about me, I'm fine," Bonnie said seriously. "But if Shane tries to lift a finger on his hand to hurt any one of us, I'll kill him myself."

Lucy snorted in agreement. "I'll join you."

Once Shane was finally on their level, he set to looking around the large cavern of stone they were practically trapped in. It was like he had never been there before—even though they all knew he had been—looking around with wide, amazed eyes.

"It's just amazing, isn't it?" Shane walked back over to Lucy, Bonnie, and Jeremy, a grin on his face. "Once we raise Silas, all of our sacrifices will have been worthwhile—we'll all have what we want."

"Or he'll kill us," Bonnie objected bitterly.

Shane sighed at her, aggravated. "Listen, you're gonna see that I'm right. And, just so you don't get any ideas, remember, if anything happens to me, something a lot worse will happen to Jeremy."

"All right," Jeremy snapped, glaring at Shane. "Where's this stupid magic passage she needs to open?"

"Just look for anything that looks out of place, all right? Anything not occurring in nature, like a drawing or an inscription, or…" Shane paused as he turned, his eyes stuck to a perfect circle carved into the stone floor. "a geometrically perfect circle," he crouched down, pushing away the rocks that had fallen into the circle when they repelled down. "This is it. This is the spot."

Only a minute later, Bonnie and Jeremy were standing together in the circle. Jeremy's shirt was off and Bonnie had to press her hands against the part of his tattoo right over his heart, but neither of them seemed uncomfortable. Bonnie's eyes were closed as she focused on the spell.

"Now you're doing it," Shane encouraged her. "Just breathe, all right? Focus on what you can do. Don't be afraid of what you can't."

Bonnie opened her eyes, glancing unsurely between Shane and Jeremy.

"You can do this," Jeremy stated sincerely. "Remember, just like you taught me. You're in control."

Bonnie nodded slowly and inhaled deeply, closing her eyes once again. She breathed deeply and Lucy felt goosebumps raise all over her body. She could feel the magic in the air.

"That's it," Shane whispered. "It's just like drawing breath. Now, just pull the power into you."

Slowly, the tattoo covering Jeremy's chest started to disappear, the ink slowly disappearing into Bonnie's hand. Jeremy stiffened and the rocks around them started to shift. Lucy shifted nervously on her feet, unsure of what to do. What if they were killed by falling boulders?

The rocks started falling, making the stone ground beneath them shake. Lucy hurriedly wobbled over to Jeremy, hardly able to see through the dust and debris that was coming from the destroyed rocks. There wasn't much she could do with thousands of pounds of rock falling at them but she could be by his side. If they were going to die, it was enough that they'd die side-by-side.

A large boulder fell just to the right of them, sending the three of them flying away from each other. Surprisingly, Lucy went unscathed, only feeling the pain of bumping her knees and elbows into the rocks she landed on. The rock avalanche didn't last for long, either. It was over only a minute or so after it began.

"Bonnie?" Jeremy yelled, coughing slightly. "Lucy?"

"I'm okay," Lucy groaned as she sat up, guessing that her back was probably bruised, too. "Bonnie?"

"I'm fine," Bonnie's voice came from a few inches away from her.

Instead of Lucy ending up by Jeremy, she was practically on top of Bonnie. Go figure. But, at least they were all okay; Jeremy went to them and helped Bonnie to her feet since Lucy had fared a little better than the witch.

"Look," Bonnie nodded to a cavern that opened up. "It worked."

Jeremy grinned at her. "You did it."

"_We_ did it," she corrected him. "Come on."

Jeremy shrugged on his shirt and the three of them started walking, heading straight to the cavern.

And then they heard Shane. "Hey, guys, I need a hand!" he called to them. "My leg's broken."

Bonnie paused and glared over at him. "Best to stay off it, then," she looked back at Lucy and Jeremy. "Let's go."

And, yeah, Lucy was mad at Bonnie, but that was such a badass thing to say.

Lucy was very grateful that Jeremy had a flashlight in his jacket when he was snatched by Massak. She and Bonnie didn't have the same privilege and without the light, they would be walking around numerous tunnels in the pitch dark. Despite the darkness, it wasn't too bad. There were no bats and she hadn't seen any rats or anything creepy like that. It was pretty tame for a remote island.

"Look at us," Bonnie scoffed lightly. "A newbie hunter, a siphoner, and a witch who needs adult supervision."

"Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke," Lucy snickered. "How were we the ones that made it this far?"

Jeremy stopped walking, causing both Lucy and Bonnie to stop too, and looking at Bonnie earnestly. "I'm glad we're here together."

Feeling like a third wheel, Lucy wandered around the little cavern they stopped in, looking through the start of the tunnels that would lead them into a different part of the cave. There were two tunnels to choose from, left or right. Her head felt foggy when she spotted someone in the right tunnel. He was tall and looked the same as the night she said goodbye to him.

"Dad," she breathed, stepping toward Alaric while eagerly soaking in his smile. "What are you doing here?"

"I guess this place lets dead people talk to people who are, you know, alive," Alaric smiled, shrugging casually.

Lucy smiled, tears stinging her eyes. "You're there, aren't you? On the Other Side?"

"Yeah," Alaric nodded. "but listen, Luce. You can bring me back."

"_Lucy, what's going on?"_

"_Lucy?"_

"I can?" Lucy persisted, hardly registering the fact that Jeremy and Bonnie were utterly confused about what was going on with her. "How? How do I bring you back?"

"Silas can do it," Alaric informed her. "All you have to do is get to him and give him blood. Everything will go back to the way it was."

That'd be nice. She didn't really have a normal life by the time she met Alaric but if they did raise Silas, maybe she could experience that. He'd be there for her graduation, he'd be able to walk her down the aisle when she got married.

There was pressure on her shoulder, casting her out of her fantasy.

"Lucy, stop," Jeremy urged, eyes wide with fright.

"But, Ric—"

"You're not seeing Alaric," Jeremy insisted. "If she were here, I'd be able to see him and I can't. It's not him. It's a hallucination."

Lucy's lips wobbled as she looked back at Alaric; he seemed real to her.

"It's not real, Lucy. But I'm real and I'm here, see?" he grabbed her shoulders, turning her back to him with a sad smile. "Come on, Luce."

Her head cleared and she inhaled deeply, shaking it slightly. "Jere," she looked back where Alaric had been standing to find no one there. "What just happened?"

"Silas was in your head," Bonnie explained, giving her a sympathetic smile. "He was trying to control you. I think the same thing happened with Shane—he had illusions of his wife, remember?"

"So, that's how Silas controls him," Lucy assumed, mentally scolding herself. She couldn't believe that she wasn't strong enough to keep Silas out of her head.

Jeremy nodded. "You need to block him out of your mind," he took his hands off of her shoulder and held out one, offering to hold her hand. "Close your eyes and Bonnie and I will get us there."

Lucy nodded and took his hand, squeezing it tightly. "Thanks, Jerebear."

Jeremy grinned. "You haven't called me that in a long time."

Lucy exhaled out of her nose, feeling amused and nostalgic. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

The two of them shared a genuine smile together before they had to start walking again. Lucy closed her eyes and allowed Jeremy and Bonnie to guide her, trying her hardest to keep her mind focused so Silas couldn't manipulate her.

Eventually the tunnel they were walking through widened, turning into a larger room, if you could call it that. Lucy opened her eyes and took everything in. There wasn't much to see; just a few boulders scattered around and then, by the far wall, was a tomb. Silas was frozen solid from years without blood, covered in a stone mask dating back to ancient times, and wrapped in vines that grew through the years.

Clenched in his hands was a small wooden box. The cure.

Lucy's heard dropped when she saw the size of the box that held the cure. There was no way there was enough to cure all vampires, let alone more than one of their friends. Knowing Elena, she'd be the one who would get it. Not Rebekah and certainly not Stefan. The thought made her heart ache. Stefan had that human life so much and now his hopes were going to be crushed.

"Is this it? This is the cure?" Jeremy asked, not catching up to the fact that there was only one dose of the cure. "How the hell is that supposed to cure every vampire in the world?"

Bonnie shook her head slightly, knowing the same as Lucy did. "I don't think it is, Jere."

Lucy crossed her arms over her uneasy stomach as Jeremy reached for the cure. Since it had been long since Silas had probably moved a single inch, he was having trouble prying the cure from his stone-like hands. For what it was worth, though, Jeremy tried his best.

"It's stuck," he grunted, finally giving into the fact that he couldn't move it. "Help me move it."

Lucy and Bonnie moved in sync, coming up on both sides of Jeremy. All three of them grabbed the box and pulled with all of their strength but it still wouldn't budge."

"It's like fossilized in place," Bonnie gasped, letting go of the box. "It's like trying to bend stone."

Lucy twisted her lips, thinking back to what popped in her mind when she saw Silas at first. "He's desiccated for two thousand years," she told them quietly, her stomach twisting nervously. "There's only one way we're going to be able to get the cure."

Bonnie's face dropped in realization while Jeremy looked at her, confused. "How's that?"

"Jeremy," Bonnie spoke up, taking over for Lucy. "we have to feed him our blood. We have to wake him up."

Despite being the one to think of it, Lucy immediately protested. "Forget about the cure, then," she shook her head vehemently. "We can't raise Silas."

Bonnie seemed to agree with her but Jeremy was pretty insistent. "We need the cure, Lucy. Come on."

"There's only one dose anyway," Lucy reminded him. "Silas is supposed to be powerful. More powerful than any of us can imagine. Kol—"

"Kol was scared."

"Yeah, he was scared!" Lucy exclaimed, her eyes stinging. "And he was killed because of it, Jeremy!"

Jeremy's indigence disappeared, his body deflating. "You're right," he admitted. "And you know what? Kol was probably right, too."

If that was the closest she'd get to an apology for killing her brother, she'd take it for now. Once they were off the island, however, he'd have to give her a better one.

"Yeah," her voice trembled as she turned to Bonnie. "Maybe there's a way to get the cure without raising him."

"Maybe," Bonnie nodded in agreement. "We can—"

Bonnie spluttered, gasping loudly as a man appeared behind her, piercing her back with a sharp knife. Jeremy and Lucy screamed and gasped, respectively, both of them shocked by the man and the way he brutally injured Bonnie.

"Bonnie!" Jeremy stared desperately as her as she fell limply to the ground.

Lucy siphoned from her necklace but it was no use; the man lunged at her, easily throwing off Jeremy in order to throw her into the stone wall. Her head flared with pain at the impact and as she fell to the floor, her eyesight went blurry. She could hear a struggle, Jeremy grunted with effort while the man—who had a Scottish accent—cheered each time he got a good hit in.

"What did you do?"

"What you should have done already," the man told Jeremy. "I'm gonna raise Silas and then I'm gonna kill him."

There was more fighting; Lucy blinked rapidly, trying to get her eyes to start working again.

"You're a bit confused, Mr. Gilbert—" how the hell did this random guy know Jeremy's name? "—we're on the same team here."

The man grunted in pain—Lucy hoped that Jeremy got a good hit in.

"You hurt my sister and stabbed my friend!"

"I don't mess around with witches, or siphons."

There was a crack and Jeremy screamed in pain. Lucy shouted for her brother as he hit the floor. She scrambled to her hands and knees and followed the sound of the man's boots against the stone floor. She concentrated as best as she could and when she heard him cry out in pain, she smirked.

The smirk didn't last very long; she wasn't able to hold the pain-inflicting spell for more than a couple of seconds. The man regained his footing and barreled over to her, forcefully kicking her in the ribs. Lucy wheezed and struggled with the pain coursing through her body, trying to crawl away but Mr. Scotland was still there, grabbing the back of her head and flinging her back at the wall.

"_Lucy_!"

Lucy couldn't have been unconscious for long. The thin blood running down the back of her neck told her that, since it hadn't started to clot yet. She blinked quickly, her eyes finally cooperating with her and when the blur cleared, she sighed in relief when she saw that Stefan was crouched in front of her.

"Stefan," she breathed. "Thank—"

"Shh," he cupped her cheeks, stroking his thumbs across her soft skin. "We'll be together soon, Lucilla."

Lucy blinked at him, confused, but before she had time to ask him what he was talking about, his hands sped to her neck and twisted sharply. She didn't feel any pain as her vision went black.


	71. There Wasn't a Choice

**[4x15; Stand by Me]**

The stone was cold under Stefan but he didn't care. He didn't care that Katherine had taken the cure, he didn't care about Silas disappearing, and he didn't care about the fact that he could smell three different scents of blood wafting up from Silas' chamber. He didn't care about anything. He couldn't.

He was past the point of tears. His eyes ached as they anchored onto Lucy's body, watching blankly as Rebekah hovered over her little sister, tears silently falling down her cheeks as she choked down her sobs and held Lucy's pale and limp hand in her own.

He could faintly hear Elena's own cries, devastated from the loss of both of her younger siblings. Damon was by her side, trying to comfort her, but he was striking out as Elena denied that Jeremy was actually dead. She thought that the ring would save him but he was supernatural when he died. Just like Lucy was.

_They had found their bodies only a few feet apart from one another, both sets of hazel eyes glazed over with death. Elena had sped off when he heard her brother's screams, not waiting for him. By the time he was in the chamber, Elena was on the stone floor, sobbing and cradling Jeremy's dead body to her chest. _

_He noticed that there were no other heartbeats in the room and that was when he saw Lucy. He almost collapsed when he saw her propped up against a wall, head bloody, body bruised, and neck twisted sharply. Her beautiful eyes were still open but there was none of her usual warmth in them. _

_His feet felt like lead as he walked over to her and gravity finally won when he fell to his knees only an inch away from her. Her body was still warm but the warmth would fade soon. She was gone. _

_Lucy was dead. _

"_Lucy," his voice came out as a rasp, his hand reaching to cup her lifeless cheek. His heart started to pound in his chest and he struggled to breathe, his stomach twisting violently. "No, Lucy, please."_

_Sobs erupted out of his chest as he leaned his forehead on her own, tears dripping down his face and landing on Lucy's. He closed his eyes, unable to look into her blank ones, and thought back to the last time he had seen her smiling face. She was telling him that she loved him and he had told her to be careful. _

"_I'm so sorry," he choked out, chest shuddering. "I'm so sorry, Goofy. I'm so sorry."_

_She would never reply, would never call him Broody again. The realization of what that meant made him want to throw up whatever little blood he had in his stomach. _

_He pulled his forehead away from hers and studied her face. Her dimples weren't visible other than the little lines where they usually appeared, her lips were turning slightly blue, and there was no flush to her cheeks. He couldn't stand the way her eyes stared blankly at him; it would haunt him for the rest of his damned life. He carefully shut them. _

_He had known grief; for so long it had been a major factor in his life, starting with the death of his mother. And that grief hurt, but this? This was the worse pain that Stefan had ever felt in his one hundred and sixty-three years. There wasn't an exact way to describe it but he knew he was lost, that he'd never find happiness again without Lucy by his side. _

_He didn't raise his head as more people sped into the room. He didn't raise his head as Rebekah broke out into sobs next to him, dropping next to Lucy's head. He didn't raise his head when Damon placed a solemn hand on his shoulder._

"_Stefan…"_

"Stefan, can you hear me?" he looked away from Lucy's body and met his brother's sharp-blue eyes, worry and sadness swimming in them. "Are you all right, little brother?"

If Stefan had the emotional strength, he'd give his brother an annoyed look. Damon seemed to get that without the gesture.

"Right, sorry," he sighed, squeezing Stefan's shoulder. "How did this happen?"

"I'd like to know as well," Rebekah's voice was hoarse as she walked over to Stefan and Damon.

Stefan cleared his throat weakly. "It was Katherine," he said quietly, drawing outraged looks from his brother and Rebekah. "She must have been following us this whole time. By the time we got there, they were already…"

He couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence. Both of the vampires before him knew exactly what he was talking about. Lucy and Jeremy's bodies were more than enough proof. Rebekah swallowed back her emotions loudly while Damon looked down for a few seconds.

"Listen," Damon continued the conversation, his hand leaving Stefan's shoulder as he stood to his normal height. "Elena's waiting for the Gilbert ring to bring Jeremy back to life. I'd figure that we'd just wait with her…"

"Jeremy was one of the Five," Rebekah shook her head, looking over to where Elena was sitting vigil at Jeremy's side. "The ring won't work anymore because he was supernatural…"

She trailed off, gasping in realization; thoughts about the Gilbert ring and it brings the human wearer back to life had veered back to her sister. She thought about one of the last moments they had together before she disappeared, when they were looking for Jeremy. She had been hit by that arrow; Rebekah was the one to take it out and Stefan…Stefan had been the one to give her his blood.

_His vampire blood. _

Damon looked over at his, quirking a curious eyebrow. "What?"

Rebekah didn't bother answering him; she immediately looked down at Stefan. "Stefan, Lucy was hit by that arrow, remember?" she reminded him. "And you gave her your blood."

It took a moment for Stefan to work through the haze of his grief to figure out what she was talking about.

"I gave her my blood," he repeated, his body stiffening and his heart racing. "She'll be a vampire."

For the second time in a week, Caroline sat at Lucy's bedside, waiting for her to wake up. Waiting for any sign that would tell her that Lucy would wake up and start her undead life. It had been only twenty minutes since Elena and Stefan got home with Lucy and Jeremy's bodies but it had been a four-hour flight…Caroline woke up less than two hours after Katherine killed her with Joel's blood in her system.

Down the hall, she could hear Joel and Elena whispering to each other. Despite the fact that Joel tried to convince Elena that Jeremy wouldn't wake up, she was still in deep denial, insisting that the Gilbert ring would bring him back to life. She was sure he was going to wake up like Lucy was.

When she got the call about Lucy and Jeremy, Klaus was still trapped in the house. Tyler had long since left to run from the Original hybrid, leaving her on the porch, and Joel and Klaus had been speaking about the Brotherhood of the Five since the younger vampire didn't hear the full story. She didn't have time to break down about the youngest Gilberts' deaths when she had Joel inside the house, about to hear the devastation of what went on during the others' trip to the island. Lucy had vampire blood in her system and she would come back but Jeremy…Jeremy wouldn't and Joel was going to be devastated.

And he was. It was the most emotional that she had ever seen Joel, even when his parents, Aunt Jenna, and Alaric died. He yelled at her, telling her that it wasn't funny to joke about Jeremy and Lucy like that. And when he realized that she wasn't joking, he had dropped to the floor, sobbing about how he had failed them. That he should have been there to protect his baby sister and brother. It was heartbreaking to see; even Klaus stared sadly at him, tears filling his own eyes.

Joel's breakdown didn't last long, though. When Caroline told him and Klaus about the vampire blood in Lucy's system Joel had paled dramatically and Klaus drew in a sharp breath, both of them relieved that she would come back, even if it was as a vampire. Joel's eyes were still flooded with tears but after she told him about Elena and how she thought Jeremy would wake up, he had become determined not to shed another tear.

In the four hours it to for Elena and Stefan to get back to Mystic Falls, he had pulled himself together in order to be there for Elena—when she realized that Jeremy wouldn't wake—and Lucy, who would wake up as a vampire.

A shaky breath reminded Caroline that Stefan was in the room with her. He sat stoically on the other side of Joel's bed, staring at Lucy and waiting for her to wake up, just like she was. For once in her life, Caroline didn't have anything to say and normally that would be a relief to some people, but in that moment, it looked like Stefan wanted anything but quiet.

"When I started kindergarten, I was so nervous," she started quietly, capturing his attention, nonetheless. "My parents were still together then and I was such a daddy's girl. I didn't want to them to leave me with a bunch of kids I hardly knew. I threw a fit, a full-blown tantrum, until they gave in and sat with the other parents who wouldn't leave until they were sure their child was okay," she smiled fondly. "The teacher gave us an alphabetical seating chart, two kids at one desk, and I remember that there was one boy between me and Elena, leaving her and Lucy to sit together."

"Just as everyone was in their assigned seats, Elena and Lucy started arguing and pushing each other. They were trying to both get their elbows spread out on the desk but there wasn't enough room for both of them. Elena was already pulling Lucy's hair by the time the teacher could separate them. Miranda was horrified but quickly conferred with the teacher so she would know that Elena and Lucy fought a lot and it was best to separate them."

"I was surprised when I heard that Lucy and Elena used to fight a lot," Stefan mused, tapping his fingers on his jean-clad knee. "They seemed to get along when I came to Mystic Falls."

"It was, like, the end of freshman year before they settled down," Caroline told him before going back to her story. "Anyway, the teacher switched Lucy with the boy that was sitting with me. She beamed at me and complimented the stupid bow in my hair and I told her that I loved her multicolored nail polish. We immediately clicked."

"And a lifelong friendship was born."

"Mmhm," she let out a fond laugh before sobering. "We've been through everything together. First boyfriends, first break-ups, our parents dying…When I woke up as a vampire, one of the first things I thought of was what Lucy would think of me. I didn't know that she already knew about all of this," she waved a hand between her and Stefan. "and what I was but I knew that Lucy would be by my side."

"You weren't wrong."

"No, I wasn't," Caroline agreed quietly, giving him a melancholy smile. "She helped me just as much as you, you know? I just…I never thought that I would have to help her with the same thing."

Stefan nodded, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed roughly. "Do you know if—do you know if she wanted to be a vampire? Did you guys ever talk about it?"

Caroline shook her head. "She never told me," she scoffed lightly. "We've talked about everything that's gone on in our lives but never about that. Do you know?"

"We never talked about it, either," Stefan sighed, looking over to Lucy's still form. "And when we got together, I found out about the cure right afterwards. We talked about what would happen if I was able to take the cure, but not if she became a vampire."

Caroline knew that; she remembered how excited Lucy had been when she told Caroline about what Stefan had said about the cure. There were happy tears in her eyes as she told her that Stefan wanted a human life with her. That he wanted to get married, having a family, and grow old with her by his side.

That human life was long gone now. And even though her heart ached for Lucy and Stefan and the life they could have had, she was happy that they'd still have each other. They wouldn't have to say goodbye to each other when Stefan stayed seventeen and Lucy aged. They wouldn't have to move on. They would have eternity with each other.

That is if Lucy woke up. God, Caroline hoped that she'd wake up.

"Why hasn't she woken up yet?" she asked Stefan. "I thought she'd wake up by the time you guys even came home."

"I thought so, too," Stefan sat forward, his fingertips brushing the back of Lucy's hand. "She could be siphoning the magic that's trying to turn her and that's why her transition is taking so long."

"So, she might not even wake up?" Caroline's heart jumped with panic as she turned her eyes back to her best friend.

"She will," Stefan said determinedly, his eyes boring into Lucy's face. "She has to."

"How long has she been like that?" Joel asked Stefan and Caroline as he walked into the kitchen. He looked as exhausted as a vampire could be, his eyebrows furrowed sadly and the corner of his lips turned down permanently.

Stefan assumed he was talking about Elena. "Ever since we found their bodies," he informed the oldest Gilbert. "She hasn't said anything except that she's waiting for Jeremy to wake up."

"But he's not going to wake up," Caroline pointed out needlessly, guilt bubbling in her chest when she saw Joel flinch. "Sorry…"

Joel inhaled deeply. "I think she knows deep down that Jeremy won't wake up," he stated quietly. "Elena…she's always felt grief stronger than any of us but…but she can't stay this way forever."

"Well, we can't break her out of it until Damon and Rebekah find Bonnie," Caroline twisted her lips.

"Or until Damon's here to calm her down," Stefan added. "He can use the sire bone to convince her that everything is okay."

Caroline and Joel nodded in agreement; none of them like the fact that Elena was sired to Damon, but maybe it would be an advantage in this situation.

"I'm not in denial," they all turned to Elena as she walked into the kitchen. "I know that he was supernatural, but his tattoo was gone. The tattoo had the spell that opened Silas' chamber so maybe it being gone means that he fulfilled his supernatural destiny. Maybe he's back to normal. I mean, it's—it's possible, right?"

Pushing aside her anger with Elena that had been present as of late, Caroline sighed in sympathy. "Elena…"

"It's possible, Caroline," Elena snapped at her firmly. "There's a chance. It may be miniscule but it's hope, just like Stefan's blood is hope for Lucy. So, I'm gonna hold onto that hope with everything that I've got because there's no way…" she faltered, a sob escaping her throat and causing her voice to tremble. "there's absolutely now way that my brother and sister are dead…"

She inhaled deeply and was quiet for a second before she finished, "I'm not in denial."

She walked out of the kitchen then, heading back up to sit outside of Jeremy's room. Joel gave Stefan and Caroline a sad, closed-lipped smile before he followed her so they could keep each other company while they waited.

"Hey," Caroline spoke into her phone, leaving a voicemail for Tyler. She hoped that he would answer but she knew in her heart that he wouldn't. Not after what they promised each other the night before. "I know I'm not supposed to be calling but something happened and I need to talk to you, Tyler. So, please call me."

Stefan stepped out onto the porch just as Caroline shoved her phone into her back pocket. "Do you know where he is?"

"As far away from Klaus as he can get," Caroline sighed, folding her arms over her chest. "Klaus said he wouldn't stop until he found him."

"Well, Katherine has been running from Klaus for five hundred years," Stefan reminded her, trying to keep her hopes up about seeing Tyler again. "It's not easy but it's possible. It's probably why she stole the cure. She wants to bargain for her freedom."

"Nothing she did was justified," Caroline shook her head angrily. "She killed Jeremy, Stefan. Lucy will be a vampire."

"I'm not saying that Katherine was justified," Stefan defended himself. "I was just saying that it's probably why she took the cure."

Caroline slumped and gave him an apologetic look. "Sorry," she sighed and changed the subject. "We need to start making plans."

Stefan raised an eyebrow at her. "Plans?"

"Yes," Caroline nodded. 'Plans, lists…we need a funeral or a cover story or a funeral and a cover story. I-I…" she paused for a second. "I should talk to my mom. I guess she'll know what to do."

"We should get Matt over here, too," Stefan suggested. "He'll want to know about Jeremy and Lucy."

"You're right," Caroline agreed, her mind racing. She was like Lucy in that way; whenever something tragic happened, they liked to plan. In this case, it was a funeral. "I will do that. I will call Matt and then I will go tell my mom and then I will make a list or a casserole or—I don't know. Whatever people are supposed to do or make in these situations—"

Stefan placed a calming hand on her shoulder, sensing that she was about to spiral. "Caroline…"

She shook her head, pulling herself together. "Sorry, I just—" she stiffened, her nose wrinkling. "What's that smell?"

They looked at each other with grave looks.

"It's Jeremy's body. He's started to decompose," Stefan stated solemnly. "Tell your mom to get Dr. Fell over here."

"I will," Caroline promised, already pulling her phone from her jeans. "Call me if Lucy wakes up, okay?

"I will."

Everything was bright—so, so bright.

Even with her eyes clenched shut, it did nothing to deter the light from flooding them and causing them to ache. She could see shadows behind her eyelids, a pink blob in the shape of a fan darker than the rest of the pink flesh except in the middle. It was a ceiling fan—it had to be.

She could hear the slightest sound and what she heard was dialed up to an eleven. What must have been a gentle breeze sounded like a wind tunnel. She could hear the fan's blade whirling around, the light's engine wheezing with age. She heard the slight breathing from the person sitting lightly to her right, with a thumping heartbeat to match.

Next came her sense of smell. The breeze carried that scent that made you know that rain was coming soon, maybe a day away. She smelt Joel's cologne—slightly sweet with a hint of coffee, cinnamon, and chocolate—and she smelt Stefan—musky bergamot, fresh laundry, and a hint of coconut.

Stefan.

Lucy opened her eyes, wincing from the light that was somehow even brighter than before. Without moving, she took in her surroundings; she was in Joel's room, on Joel's bed, and she was right about the ceiling fan hanging above her. That was all she could take in before Stefan's face was hovering above her.

"Lucy?" he breathed, a breathtaking smile crossing his lips. "You're awake."

"Yeah," she rasped. God, her throat was so dry. It was like she'd been in the desert for weeks without water. She hadn't been in the desert, though, she was on the island.

The island!

She sat up abruptly, moving so quickly that she almost catapulted herself off the bed and across the room. Luckily, Stefan was there to catch her, sending her a worried look when her eyes widened.

"Lucy…"

"What the hell is going on, Stefan?" she was panicked but it was more intense than her usual anxiety. She placed her hand over her heart. "My heart's racing. Stefan, what happened? Did you get the cure? There was only one dose and this hunter appeared. Is Jeremy all right? What's wrong with me? Oh, my chest hurts…"

Stefan sat on the edge of the bed next to her hips, grabbing her shoulders so she would quit rambling and focus on him. "Lucy, you need to calm down," he said soothingly. "Everything is going to be a bit heightened," she gave him a frightened look and grabbed his hands tightly, causing him to wince. "Just breathe. Breathe with me, pretty girl."

Lucy did as she was told, syncing her breaths to match his. Eventually her breathing calmed down but her brain didn't. There were so many unanswered questions and she didn't want to wait another second to know.

"Stefan, what happened?" her voice was still shaky with nerves.

Stefan's expression was too serious for anything good to have happened on that island. There was sadness in his eyes, along with relief. She just didn't know why. Finally, he inhaled deeply and told her exactly what was happening.

"Lucy, you're in transition."

Her first instinct was to laugh. "Nice joke, Broody," she scoffed. "There's no way I'm in transition. I didn't even die! That hunter hit my head and I blacked out or something."

"When we found you, your head was snapped," Stefan explained patiently. "your heart wasn't beating. And you have my blood in your system."

Lucy's stomach swooped and she felt like she was going to throw up. "Stefan," she barely whispered. "I-I can't be in transition. I can't."

"I'm sorry, Luce."

"No, I can't!" Lucy let go of his wrists and pushed at his chest, trying to get him away from her. Tears fell down her face as she fought against Stefan, though he held her tight and tried to tell her everything would be okay. "This isn't okay! I can't—Stefan, I can't—this isn't happening!"

Stefan cooed softly, trying to get her to stop fighting him so he could cradle her to his chest. "It's going to be okay, Luce."

"No, you were gonna be human!" she cried. "You were gonna be—and I—we were—it wasn't supposed to happen this way! This wasn't supposed to happen!"

"I know, baby, I know."

All their plans of being human together were gone. All her plans for her future were gone. She would never age past seventeen. She wouldn't be able to stay in a town for more than two years. She wouldn't be able to have babies. She wouldn't be able to grow old and watch as her kids and their kids grew up.

"No…" she sobbed, losing her fight against Stefan and falling into his chest; he immediately wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips to the crown of her head.

When she first met Stefan and became friends with him, she had been adamant about not being a vampire. Slowly, as their relationship started to change and they fell deeper and deeper in love, her perspective on that changed. It wasn't like she absolutely wanted to be a vampire but the thought of living without Stefan as a human and out aging her brothers and sisters had her thinking about what life as a vampire would be like. And those points were still appealing, but before she hadn't realized what she would be giving up. Now she did and it was devastating to know she'd never have a choice.

Eventually her cries turned into hiccups and her hiccups turned to gags as she started smelling the gross garbage scent again. "God," she pulled away from Stefan, her face still wet as she gagged. "What's that smell?"

"Lucy…"

Stefan's voice was low again. She had heard enough bad news from him to know that there was something more wrong than her being in transition. One look into his sad eyes had her scrambling off Joel's bed, wincing when she felt some of the sun's rays prickle at her skin.

"Lucy, wait," Stefan called as she opened the door and followed the scent to its source.

It was coming from Jeremy's room—what, did he forget to throw away his garbage again? Only five steps away from his room, she heard Elena, Joel, and Dr. Fell speaking.

"_Elena, it looks like Jeremy died of extreme blood loss_," Dr. Fell was telling Elena. "_His neck also appears to be broken..."_

Lucy reached out and grabbed the stair railing to her left to catch her balance, crushing the wood with how hard her grip was. Stefan immediately went to her side but she waved him away, not wanting anyone to touch her.

Jeremy was dead. Her baby brother, only ten months younger than herself, was gone. Jeremy, who went to art museums and took art classes with her. Jeremy, who had struggled and lost so much in his sixteen-year life. Jeremy, who was growing into a great man. Jeremy, who she loved so deeply.

He had been killed on that island just like she had, only she was the one who survived. She survived and he didn't. He was dead and his ring wouldn't bring him back. Jeremy wouldn't come back.

"…_The lack of blood explains why there's no lividity but his muscles have tightened past the point of Rigor Mortis."_

"_No."_

"_If he's left unattended to, soon he'll start to bloat. Within a few hours, his skin will discolor and—"_

"_No, stop, okay? Just stop! He's not dead!"_

"_I need you and your siblings to release his body to me. we'll get him to a funeral home and prepare him for a viewing where you and his friends can say goodbye to him—"_

Lucy didn't focus on the conversation going on between Meredith and Elena. She didn't hear Elena pushed Meredith against the wall and she didn't hear Joel restrain her. All she could think about was Jeremy.

Jeremy, Jeremy, Jeremy.

"_He's not dead, okay?"_

"_Elena, stop it."_

"_Now you're all about science? Where was your science when you used vampire blood to save my life, huh? There was no science here. It's just magic. We need magic. We have to find Bonnie. Bonnie can fix this. Somebody just get me Bonnie!"_

Lucy pushed into Jeremy's room, almost ripping the door off its hinges. Elena, Joel, and Meredith stopped to stare at her but she didn't spare them a glance. Her eyes were on Jeremy. Jeremy's body.

All of her breath left her at once and she fell to her knees on the floor, tears blurring her vision until she could no longer see her baby brother. She pressed her hand tightly against her chest, hoping that pressure would fix the aching in her heart. It didn't, though. Nothing was helping.

"No, no, Lucy, it's fine," Elena rushed over to her, kneeling down to wrap her arms around her. "It's okay. It's okay. Bonnie will be here soon and she'll fix everything and it'll all be fine."

Lucy shook her head, her chin resting on Elena's shoulder as she faced Jeremy's bed. "No…"

"It'll be fine," Elena insisted. "It's all gonna be fine. Everything will be fine."

When her parents, Jenna, and Alaric had died, and Lucy was drowning in grief, she didn't believe those words. She didn't now, either.

Lucy couldn't even think about blood at the moment, no matter how much her dry and scratchy throat told her to. Everything was overwhelming her; her death, the fact that she was in transition, Kol's death, Jeremy's death. Her emotions were stronger than ever before and usually she'd want someone by her side to draw comfort from but not today.

She didn't really know why she wanted to be alone but she did. Maybe it was because her senses were so sharp that she wouldn't be able to focus on her thoughts. Maybe it was because she didn't want anyone to hover over her while she tried to decide if she wanted to drink blood and finish her transition or not.

With the sun set, she could wander outside without feeling like a dozen little curling irons were poking at her skin. So she went out to the front porch and sat on the swing, lightly pushing herself back and forth while she tried to get used to her new senses.

She ignored the ache in her gums and the weakness that was starting to settle in her limbs in order to stare across the dark neighbor and think. She thought about what her parents would say if she knew she was in transition—she knew that they were part of the Founders Council and hated vampires. She thought about how Esther made the spell to create vampires and how she left Luciana as human because she didn't want her to be a vampire like her siblings. She thought about Katherine and how she had told her she wouldn't make it as a vampire. She thought about the rest of her siblings, all of them now vampires. She thought about Caroline and how devastated she was just thinking of leaving her best friend alone. And she thought about Stefan and how she could spend eternity with him now.

So many conflicting thoughts and they were all a jumble, fighting for control over her emotions and sharpened sense.

She smelt Caroline before she saw her—rose and vanilla—and she heard her confident gait as she got out of her car and walked up the sidewalk that led to the porch.

With her new and improved eyesight, she was able to see that Caroline was much more beautiful than Lucy ever thought—not that she, in any way, thought that her best friend was ugly. She had noticed that about Stefan, too; how he had barely noticeable freckles and gold and brown flecks in his forest green eyes.

"Thank God!" Caroline exclaimed, rushing over to Lucy, picking her up, and wrapping her into a tight hug. "Luce, I was so worried about you. I'm so glad you're okay—well, you're not really okay, I know that, but—"

"Caroline," Lucy hushed her, burying her head into the soft fabric of the blonde's cardigan.

"Yeah, sorry," Caroline kissed the top of her head. "How are you feeling?"

"Not the best," Lucy admitted as their hug ended. She sat back on the swing with Caroline taking the place beside her. "Everything is so overwhelming."

"I know," Caroline took her hand. "It gets worse when you finish the transition but after a while you get used to it."

Lucy nodded knowingly. "Kit told me I'd be a horrible vampire."

"Don't listen to anything Katherine says," Caroline said sharply, wondering if Stefan actually told Lucy who had killed her and Jeremy. "You'd be okay. You'd have me, Joel, and Stefan to help you."

"Yeah…"

"Besides, you're a control freak just like me," Caroline nudged her playfully, trying to get her to laugh; Lucy didn't but she did manage a small smile. "Yeah, you'll struggle just like anyone else but that need to control everything and that stubbornness inside you? That will heighten, too, and you'll learn to control yourself."

Lucy nodded thoughtfully. Caroline had a point and she _had_ seen for herself that Caroline got through the bloodlust just fine after Stefan gave her some pointers. But something still held her back from making a final decision.

Lucy and Joel stood side-by-side, staring at the family photo displayed on the fireplace mantel. It was only a couple years old, maybe three years before their parents had died. Lucy was twelve in the picture and the same height as Jeremy. They stood next to Elena and Joel, all four of them in a row in front of their mom and dad.

"It feels like a lifetime ago," Joel sighed, his eyes trailing over the faces of his family.

"Yeah," Lucy agreed sadly. Usually she could remember the memories behind family pictures but she couldn't this one. The Gilbert family had taken so many pictures together that it was hard to keep track. All she knew was that it was Christmas time because they were in front of the fireplace in their cabin instead of their house.

That family in the picture in front of her was torn apart. Death, arguments, violence, and the supernatural had torn it apart until there was hardly anything left. Jeremy was gone now, she didn't even want a relationship with Elena anymore, and Joel was stuck in the middle of everything, having to balance his grief while worrying about his sisters. She couldn't even recognize the happy smiles on their faces. They hadn't been the way siblings should be for a while. Lucy wished she could change that but there was no way to repair the damage. Not with what Elena had done to her. Not with Jeremy dead and on the Other Side.

The Other Side…Damon had finally made it back to Mystic Falls with Bonnie by his side but she had spit nonsense at them as soon as she entered the house. She claimed that she'd be able to bring Jeremy and all of their loved ones back if she was able to kill twelve people, complete an expression triangle, and cast a spell that would make the wall that kept the Other Side at bay fall down.

They were all in agreement that they couldn't let Bonnie do that. Even Elena, who had insisted that the Gilbert ring was going to bring Jeremy back, and taken a stance against her. None of them could let every single supernatural creature that had died come back to life just because they lost loved ones. The needs of many outweigh the needs of one, or something like that.

Lucy was broken out of her thoughts when Elena came storming down the stairs. She had gone upstairs to say goodbye to Jeremy with Damon by her side and she had been upset but now she was frantic—it scared Lucy a little.

"Where's Bonnie?" she barked at Lucy, Stefan, Joel, and Caroline.

"We told Matt to take her home," Stefan told her. "We thought it'd be best."

Elena nodded slowly, tears falling down her cheeks, as Damon descended the stairs with Jeremy's covered body in his arms. Lucy was so focused on her brother being laid on the couch that she was surprised when she saw Elena started to drench everything in lighter fluid.

"Elena, what are you doing?" she asked her loudly, alarmed.

"We need a cover story, right?" Elena left the dining room and headed into the kitchen, bottle of lighter fluid faced down so it continued to pour over the floor. "You think I didn't hear everyone talking earlier? What are we gonna say? An animal attack, a tumble down the stairs?" she shook her head, squirting the accelerant all over Jeremy's bottle. "No. We burn the house down with him inside of it."

"Elena, stop it!" Joel raised his voice, eyes widening in panic as the lighter fluid ran out and she picked up a bottle of vodka.

"Why, because you want me to not be in denial?" she shot back at him as Lucy cowered into Stefan's side, eyes glassy with tears. "You want me to face the truth? This is the truth, Joel. I don't want to live here anymore. I don't want these sketches—"

"Elena!" Lucy objected, horrified as the alcohol soaked through Jeremy's drawings.

"I don't want this Xbox!" Elena continued as the vodka ran out; she grabbed a bottle of bourbon from Alaric's old hiding spot in the entertainment center. "Not gonna need this bourbon anymore. Alaric's not here to drink it. I mean, unless you guys are willing to bring back every supernatural creature on the Other Side to get him back?" she turned, staring at everyone straight on. "Would you? Because I wouldn't. I don't know, I mean, does that make me a bad person? I have no idea."

She removed the Gilbert ring from Jeremy's finger and tossed it to Joel, who caught it even though his eyes were quickly roaming around the room, trying to figure out what to do to stop Elena. "He's not gonna need that anymore."

"Elena, stop!" Lucy protested, gripping onto Stefan's waist tightly.

"What else are we supposed to do with the body, Lucy?" Elena roared at her, causing her to flinch back. "I mean, there's no room in the Gilbert family plot. Alaric took the last spot."

"We can figure that out—" Joel tried.

"There's nothing here for me anymore!" Elena cut him off. "Every inch of this house is fill with memories of the people that I loved that have died. My mom, my dad, Jeremy and Jenna and Alaric. They're all dead, everyone is dead. There's nothing left for me!"

"Do we look dead to you?" Joel demanded, stomping over to Elena and ripping the bottle of bourbon from her hand. He pointed at Lucy and then himself. "We are right here, Elena. Not everyone is dead and you're not alone. You have me and you have Lucy, you hear me?"

"No, no, stop," Elena shook her head, so inconsolable that none of them thought she even heard what Joel had said. She fell to her knees, breaking down in sobs while clutching her head so tightly it was a surprise that she didn't rip her hair out. "I can't, I can't, I can't. It hurts, it hurts. Just make it stop!"

Sobs erupted from Lucy's throat, choking her, as she watched Elena break down. It was one of the most heartbreaking sights she had ever seen in her life and that added onto her own grief over Jeremy and the fear she had of losing the memories of her family forever.

"Joel, help her," she pleaded, looking at her big brother through glassy eyes.

Joel couldn't help her, though. Elena wouldn't listen to him.

"Damon," Stefan spoke up quietly, looking over to his brother. "Help her."

Damon nodded and knelt down in front of Elena so they were face-to-face. "I can help you," he said soothingly. "I want you to let me help you. I can help you."

Elena looked at him with wet eyes, looking desperate. "How?"

"Turn it off," Damon ordered, brushing her hair back from her face.

"What?" Joel asked, alarmed. "No!"

"Just turn it off," Damon advised Elena, ignoring Joel's protests. "Turn it off and everything will go away. That's what you have to do. It's what I want you to do. Just turn it off!"

"Are you out of your mind, Damon?" Stefan gave his brother an incredulous look.

It was too late; Elena's blank eyes told them that her emotions had been turned off.

The air was still smoky when Lucy and Joel returned to where their home should have been. There was nothing left. No walls, floorboards, furniture, or porch. No family photos, history files, clothes, knick-knacks. All of the things that once belonged Miranda, Grayson, and Jenna that they stored in the attic were destroyed. Jeremy's sketches, home videos, mementoes from their lives. Lucy's old bedroom was gone and so was Joel's. Jeremy's body was unidentifiable…

A lifetime of memories gone because of one match.

Lucy's heart hurt as she stared at the wreckage of her childhood home. It had taken two hours for the firefighters to put out the fire, the coroners to collect Jeremy's body, and the police to conduct interviews about what had happened. Elena was nowhere in sight for any of the mess she caused, leaving a devastated Joel and a weak Lucy to take care of everything. It was one of the hardest things Lucy had ever had to do, including getting through all of the funerals for her dead family members.

Besides the few wisps of smoke and the crackling of the last embers of the fire, the street was somewhat peaceful. The neighbors had gone to bed after all the commotion, which left her and Joel the only ones awake on the block. She sat at the edge of the front lawn that managed to go unscathed and just watched the burnt rubble in front of her. Joel hovered behind her, pacing back and forth nervously.

Everyone was nervous at the moment; Elena had turned off her emotions and Lucy had only an hour or so before she had to decide if she was going to drink blood and finish her transition or let herself go and die like she should have on that island. In all honestly, Lucy was pretty much decided but she still wanted to make absolute sure. She would have gone to the area just outside of Steven's Quarry to make her decision under the stars but she was led here for whatever reason. It was like she needed the strength of Miranda, Grayson, Jenna, Alaric, Jeremy, and Joel to help her decide.

She'd go to the Other Side if she died and she'd be with Jeremy, Alaric, Kol, Henrik, and Finn. She missed all of them so much but when she thought of what she'd be leaving behind if she decided not to go through the transition, it hurt even more. She had Elijah, Klaus, and Rebekah. She had Katherine and Joel. She had Matt and Caroline. She had Stefan. She'd get to have an eternity with Joel and Caroline and Stefan.

A strong scent invaded her senses all at once, smelling delicious, mouth-watering, and addicting all at once. Her gums ached and her mouth filled with saliva as she turned, following the scent so she could get to whatever it was.

"Lucy," Joel warned her as she stood up to face the bloody human that Elena had brought to them. "Don't. You haven't decided yet."

"What's there to decide?" Elena spoke up sharply, dragging the barely-alive man with her as she approached her siblings. She wiped her bare hand against the man's slit neck, covering her skin with blood, and reached for Lucy, smudging it down her face.

Lucy growled at her, desperate for the blood in front of her. She didn't see a human being clinging to life. She didn't see a son, husband, father, or friend. She saw a five-star meal waiting to be eaten.

"Lucy."

"Go ahead, Lucy," Elena encouraged her with a smirk. "You know you want to."

Lucy couldn't resist; she lunged forward, ripping the man from Elena's hands and sinking her teeth into the other side of his neck. She moaned in ecstasy as the delicious blood flowed down her throat, soothing the irritation her throat had been in since she woke up in transition. The aching in her gums left and she could feel dark veins fluttering under her eyes as she let go of the man and allowed his dead body to drop to the sidewalk.

She wiped her mouth and looked up at her siblings. Joel looked horrified, knowing that her choice to transition was taken away from her and knowing that the guilt of killing someone would never leave her.

Elena smirked triumphantly. "My work here is done."


	72. Out of Control

**[4x16; Bring it On]**

All of the curtains were drawn in the library, keeping the room dark and safe for Lucy. Without a daylight ring, it was impossible for her to go out during the day and since she couldn't siphon magic anymore and Bonnie was out of sorts, she was stuck in the Boarding House while everyone else had plans.

Today, Stefan would be staying at home with Lucy, helping her adjust to her new life as a vampire, and when the sun set, he was going to teach her to use her new abilities to hunt, defend herself, and use her speed, vision, and hearing to her advantage. Meanwhile, Damon was going to look for Katherine and Caroline and Joel were going to take Elena to school in an attempt to get her humanity back on.

Damon scoffed from his place next to Caroline. "That's the plan?" he asked incredulously, eyes darting between Caroline and Joel. "You're gonna take her back to school?"

"You tried the so-called fun route," Joel spoke, annoyed. "and it didn't exactly work, did it?"

Damon shrugged. "She got a free meal of it."

Lucy shook her head, her mouth starting to water as she remembered the night before when Elena and Damon came home covered in fresh blood. She had to be carried away by Stefan as she started to lose control and when she calmed down, she was able to sip away at a blood bag he retrieved for her. It definitely wasn't the best time for Elena to not have her humanity on; the gang had their hands full with Lucy only days old and Elena going around killing people.

Honestly, Lucy didn't even know why she was sitting in on this little meeting. She didn't give a flying fuck what Elena did as long as she stayed far away from Lucy. Her blood boiled every time she even thought of Elena. The doppelganger couldn't go one day without everything being about herself and Lucy was not in the mood to deal with that when she was adjusting to her new life as a vampire, dealing with her bloodlust, and grieving for Kol and Jeremy. She just wanted one day without Elena but that was never going to happen—this was Elena's world and everyone existed to fulfill her needs.

"Look, do you think I want to play Elena's chaperone?" Joel pressed his lips together and gave Damon a defiant glare. "No, but you're not a student, nor do you work at the school, so I guess it's gonna be me and Caroline. Besides, you have to look for Katherine. Elena needs the cure now more than ever."

God, Lucy was sick of hearing about the cure and how much Elena needed it. Elena didn't deserve the cure more than any other vampire in the world. What was it that made her so special? Was it the constant complaining about being a vampire or was it because she couldn't except the fact that she'd never be human again? Elena had been a vampire for months now and she still needed someone to hold her hand.

Lucy must have been holding onto Stefan's hand too tightly in her anger because he pried her fingers from him and wrapped a supporting arm around her shoulders. She started to calm down as his thumb rubbed circles on the back of her neck. She focused on something else, like the fact that her body lit up like a Christmas tree whenever Stefan touched her.

"Look, I think she'll be fine at school," Caroline sighed, obviously not happy about having to babysit Elena.

"The cheerleading competition is today, though," Stefan spoke up, remembering the bright blue exclamation marks on Lucy's calendar. "There's gonna be a lot of people around."

"And if she messes up our chances for the championship, I'm gonna lose it," Lucy added grumpily.

The hard work she had put into the team's cheer routines all year was gone. She was unable to attend the regional cheer competition because she had close to no experience around humans as of yet. What would usually be disappointment was dialed up to an eleven, which wound up ending with crying in the shower.

"She won't," Caroline assured her.

"Well, school sounds like fun," Elena walked into the library, having overheard their whole conversation. "I've got nothing better to do. In fact, I have an idea…" she turned to Caroline. "Can you get me my old spot back on the cheerleading squad?"

Oh, for crying out loud! Lucy couldn't be at the cheer competition but Elena could? Did whatever God that created her hate her guts or something?

"I mean, technically, yeah, I'm captain," Caroline looked taken aback by the odd request. "but you said you hated cheerleading."

"I did and now I think it would be really fun to jump around and toss people up in the air," Elena said dryly. "It's not like the routines are that hard."

"Did you seriously just say—"

"All right," Damon quickly grabbed Elena's arm before a fight could break out between the Gilbert siblings. "Elena, it would make me very happy if you went to school today. Just, please, for me, no matter what, don't eat anyone. Okay?"

Elena nodded blankly and turned to leave the library. "I'll go get ready."

"I have to, too," Caroline patted Lucy's shoulder and gave her an empathetic smile before turning to Stefan. "Is the guest shower okay?"

Stefan nodded. "All yours."

"Wait," Damon shook his head, confused. "You're here because you need to take a shower?"

"Your house has the only vervain-free showers in town," Joel reminded him.

"Oh, yeah," Damon hummed in realization. "The mayor put vervain in the water supply. So many people to kill…"

"Yeah, and my mom says it's about to get worse," Caroline sighed, giving Damon a pointed look. "So, she could use a little help."

Damon scoffed lightly, annoyed with the huge list of things that needed to be done. "Fine," he agreed sourly. "I'll go after the psychotic doppelganger. JoJo and Blondie, you'll take Elena to school, Stefan can talk to Liz, and Twitch—" he pointed at Lucy, his face softening only a little bit. "You stay here and be good."

Lucy pressed her lips together and turned away from Damon. He had no right to feel bad for her because she was now a vampire and he didn't have the right to talk to her, either. He and Elena literally planned to kill Kol and had manipulated Jeremy into doing the deed himself. Then, as a cherry on top, he told Elena to turn off her humanity. The last thing she wanted or needed was advice for Damon.

"Take it easy, Damon," Stefan said warningly, knowing how Lucy felt.

"Right, sorry," Damon shook his head. "Lucy, if you could call Klaus to see if he has any leads on Katherine, you'd make my life super easier even though I don't deserve it?"

"I'll talk to him," Lucy agreed.

She didn't want to do any favors for Damon but she wanted Katherine found as much as the rest of them did. Katherine knew that they were looking for the cure the whole time everything panned out. She had gotten a tip about what they were doing from that werewolf bitch, Hayley, and had followed them to the island, impersonating Elena and sending Jeremy into the arms of Silas, who drained him dry and snapped his neck. Vampire siblings killing vampire siblings is one thing but Jeremy was only sixteen. He had hardly lived yet and that life he did have was full of tragedy.

She didn't care about getting the cure back; she wanted to see Katherine face-to-face and confront her.

Lucy paced back and forth in Stefan's dark bedroom, slowly sipping on a blood bag while she waited for Klaus to answer his phone. Stefan had gone to talk to Liz about missing blood at the blood bank but before he left, he made sure to tell her that if she drank the blood slowly, her cravings would feel better. He also added that coffee would help but she laughed in his face—she didn't do coffee.

But, as always, Stefan was right. The slower she sipped at the blood, the fuller she became. She still had an itch inside her, the one in her head that was telling her to gulp down the blood and go for another bag and one after that, too, but she held back. It was hard but she was forcing herself to stay in control.

She caught a glance of herself in the mirror on Stefan's wall and turned away, repulsed by the way she looked with her vampire features coming out to play. Luckily, her wait was over; Klaus had answered her phone call.

"_Little sister_," he greeted her fondly. "_How are you fairing? Did you get yourself a daylight ring yet?"_

"Not yet," Lucy sighed, setting the blood bag on one of the circular tables so she could focus on her older brother. "Bonnie's still out of it so it looks like I'll be in the dark for a while."

"_Hmm_," Klaus hummed and she caught a hint of worry in his voice. "_And your bloodlust? I suppose Stefan is going to teach you control?"_

"That's the plan but Caroline is going to help, too," she sat at the end of Stefan's bed. "I think it's gonna be blood bags and animals for me."

"_You don't have to, if you don't want to. You can learn how to eat, snatch, and erase."_

"I get that but I don't think I can do it, Nik," she sighed sadly, her voice starting to tremble. "That man I killed, he haunts me every time I close my eyes. And that guy was someone's son or brother, maybe he was a husband or a father. I can't—"

"_Hey, hey_," it wasn't Klaus, the Original hybrid comforting her; it was Niklaus, her big brother. "_Feeling guilty is natural, I felt the same way when I turned, but you can't let it take a hold of you forever, Luciana. If you want to drink blood bags and nasty animals, then don't let anyone tell you differently. You may feel out of control at the moment but you still have some control about how you're going to live your life."_

Lucy sniffed, wiping away the tears that fell during Klaus' little speech. "Thanks, Nik," she tried to compose herself. "When did you get so philosophical?"

"_I had time to pick up a book now and then,"_ Klaus snarked, making her laugh. "_Feel better?"_

"Yeah, I do," she confirmed even though she was getting whiplash from the rollercoaster ride her emotions were on at the moment. "Listen, Damon wanted me to call you…"

Klaus huffed in displeasure. "_What for?"_

"He thinks you might know where Katherine could be."

"_I'm trying to locate her, yes,"_ Klaus informed her. "_Right now, I have nothing but the information that Hayley—"_

"Wait, you've talked to Hayley?" Lucy interrupted him, furrowing her eyebrows in irritation.

"_I had to rescue her from wandering vampires that Katerina sent to kill her, actually. It was quite the ordeal. Right now, she's resting up and then I'll get information about Katerina's whereabouts from her."_

"Nik, she was the one who told Katherine about our plans for the cure," Lucy's voice dropped in anger. "Jeremy's dead because Katherine wanted that cure and now you're harboring the bitch who set it into motion? What the hell?"

"_I realize that—"_

"Not to mention she turned all of your hybrids against you, betrayed Tyler and left him to face your wrath, and walked away like nothing happened while you slaughtered them all!"

"_Luciana, please just calm down for a moment."_

"I'm tired of people telling me to calm down, Nik! I can't! I can't do that! Kol and Jeremy are dead, my childhood home is destroyed, I'm stuck in this house, everyone's hovering around me like I'm gonna lose it, Elena's being a bitch as usual, and I can't even help fix things because I don't have the control to be near anyone! I can't calm down!"

"_What color is the grass?"_

Lucy paused, thrown for a loop by Klaus' random question. What the hell did the color of grass have to do with anything that she just said.

"_What color is it, Luciana?"_

"…Green."

"_And what of the sky?"_

"The sky's blue."

"_Your favorite hydrangeas?"_

Lucy inhaled deeply, her racing heart starting to slow. "White."

She knew what he was doing now. A thousand years before, when she was little and her nerves got the best of her, Klaus would take her aside and ask about the colors around them. He'd point out the mud floor of their hut, the pottery that their mother made, Rebekah's dress, and one of their neighbors' bright red hair. She always calmed down, especially because colors were their thing together.

"_What color are Stefan's eyes?"_

"Forest green," she answered, no longer on the brink of a panic attack. "Thank you, Nik."

"_You're welcome, love_," Klaus said humbly. "_Listen, the only reason Hayley is in my house is because I need information on Katerina. I haven't forgotten what she did, all right?"_

"All right."

"_Tell Damon that I found Hayley in Grove Hill and left behind a vampire,"_ he told her. "_Granted, I almost bit his head off, so he won't be around much longer."_

"I will," Lucy nodded though he couldn't see. "Thanks, Nik. Talk to you later."

"_Take care, love."_

She had just texted Damon and laid down on the bed to rest when Stefan walked into the room, a to-go coffee cup in his hand. She could smell that it wasn't straight coffee like he had tried to get her to drink before. It was cappuccino and it was her favorite flavor, French vanilla."

"Hi," she greeted him, turning her head so she could see him. He set the steaming cup on one of his many tables and crossed the room to his bed, flopping down beside her.

"Hello, beautiful," Stefan treated her with one of his heart-melting smiles. "How are you feeling?"

"Not good but not bad, either," her eyes darted around his face, focusing on the details that she hadn't noticed while she was human. "I had some blood but I drank it like you told me to."

"That's great," he encouraged her. "and you feel sated for now?"

"For now," Lucy confirmed. "and I talked to Nik. Apparently he's rescued Hayley from a vampire that Katherine sent to kill her and left him with werewolf venom in his system, so I sent Damon to Grove Hill to see if he could get anything out of him."

"I was only gone for fifteen minutes. How'd you get so much done?" Stefan asked teasingly.

"All right, smarty pants," Lucy rolled her eyes. "What did Liz tell you?"

Stefan sighed heavily, his face dropping. "The entire supply of blood from the hospital was wiped out."

"There's nothing left?" Lucy sat up on her elbows in alarm. "Everything's gone?"

Stefan nodded. "Vanished."

"Ugh," Lucy fell back, jostling the mattress enough that Stefan moved.

"Ugh is the right word," Stefan agreed with her.

They laid on the bed together, side-by-side and facing the ceiling, speaking quietly whenever a thought popped into their head that they wanted to share. Mostly it was Stefan that spoke, telling her different stories, funny or memorable things that have happened to him in his one hundred and sixty-three years. Lucy's favorite story was when he recalled the day that World War II ended and how happy all of the soldiers and medics in his unit were, how relieved they were that they could go home to their families in one piece.

She was so amazed by Stefan and how he could see happiness in dark times. Even when he recalled his ripper days, he would still remember something that made him smile, whether it was a place he traveled to or the things he had seen. Even though his life was filled with sadness and tragedy, he could still see the light at the end of the tunnel. Lucy had always been that way, too, though lately, that part of her was starting to fumble.

Noticing how Lucy's contentment had turned somber, Stefan sat up and gave her a perky smile, dimples and all. "I have an idea."

Lucy was immediately distracted. "The last time you had an idea you broke that mirror."

Stefan's jaw dropped, offended. "That was Joel's idea."

"It was Joel's idea to hang a mirror over my bed?"

A few seconds of silence.

"…you have a point," Stefan finally conceded.

"I know I do, cause you're a perv, Stefan Salvatore," Lucy laughed, reaching over to poke him in the ribs.

Stefan squirmed away from her. "That's not the point," he almost giggled, making Lucy's heart melt in her chest. "How do you feel about finger painting?"

"I love finger painting more than I love you."

"Hey!"

"I can't do it."

"Yeah, you can," Stefan insisted as Lucy faltered once again, too nervous to try to use her new vampire speed. "Come here."

Lucy let him grab her hips and pulled her back to his chest. He leaned his chin on her shoulder and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek before focusing on the trees in front of them. The sun had set, allowing Lucy to leave the house, and they headed deep into the woods surrounding the Boarding House for some more vampire lessons.

"Just relax," Stefan advised her; Lucy listened to him, releasing the tension in all the muscles in her body. "Good. See that tree, the one with the target carved into it?"

The tree in question was hundreds of yards away from where they stood but she could still see the target carved into the trunk. "I see it."

"Run to it."

Lucy sighed and went to turn around but Stefan's firm grip on her stopped her. "It's not that simple, Stefan."

"It is that simple, Lucy. You already know how to run, so don't overthink it. Just run."

"This isn't a Tom Hanks movie."

Stefan squeezed her hips at her avoidance. "Lucy."

Lucy inhale deeply and focused on the tree. As soon as Stefan let go of her hips, she started running toward it. What started as an average human pace increased until her surroundings blurred and she was at the target tree within a second.

She ran her fingers over the carving, amazed, and jumped when she heard Stefan's voice right behind her. "You did it."

She whipped around and beamed up at him. "I did it!"'

Stefan grinned and pulled her into a kiss, simultaneously wrapping his arms around her waist, picking her up, and twirling her around. Lucy giggled into his lips, her stomach blooming with happiness.

Maybe this vampire thing wasn't so bad.

It was only seconds before her back hit the rough bark of the tree, her head tilted back as Stefan pressed open-mouthed kisses down her neck. Her legs were around his hips, her fingers running through his hair, her chest heaving against his.

When she was human, Stefan's touch would ignite a fire in her belly. Even then, with everything dulled, she was so sensitive to the pleasure his touch brought her. But now, well, she didn't even have words to describe how she felt now. It was an explosion compared to a fire, pure ecstasy running through her veins.

"Oh, Stefan," she whined as his lips nipped at the sensitive spot behind her ear and traveled down, leaving a wet trail down to her cleavage. "Need you."

"You have me," Stefan murmured into soft skin. He grunted when she arched her back, pressing her legging-clad core against the bulge in his jeans. "Fuck, Lucy."

Lucy gasped and leaned forward, burying her head into his neck. She bypassed any kisses, trailing her tongue from his collarbone all the way to his ear, humming at the delicious taste of his skin. "Stefan," she took his earlobe in her teeth and tugged a little, earning herself a lustful moan from his lips. "Let's go home."

She didn't need to ask him twice. While Lucy continued to lick, suck, and nibble on Stefan's neck, he sped them back to the Boarding House. And then he stopped in his tracks.

"What the fuck is going on?" he grumbled angrily.

Lucy peeked out of Stefan's neck, jumped off of his hips, and sighed when she saw that the Boarding House was full of teenagers partying. The music was so loud and the bass was thumping so hard that her senses were going crazy. She smelt so many difference scents, even though they were still a hundred feet away from the house; her mouth started to water and the veins under her eyes started to ripple as she them all in.

"We should leave," Stefan saw her eyes start to redden and grew concerned. "You haven't been around humans yet, Luce."

She hadn't and it was hard to control herself but wasn't that the point of learning to live as a vampire? To have enough control to actually live her life? She had to start somewhere and if Stefan was by her side, she could do it.

"I have to learn sometime, right?" she looked up at him, focusing so her vampire features would go away. Surprisingly, that was one of the easiest things she learned, especially if she thought of the advice Stefan gave Caroline more than a year ago at the school carnival. "Will you help me?"

"Of course, I will, pretty girl," Stefan assured her, staring down at her with a proud smile. "Come on."

Hand in hand, they walked into the Boarding House. Lucy stiffened when the bloodlust hit her full on but she squeezed Stefan's hand and focused on his back which was outlined deliciously in his gray henley.

The party was complete chaos; teenagers they didn't even know and cheerleaders wearing the uniforms from different schools in the region crowded together, drinking, dancing, making out, and having a good time together. Elena—who Lucy guessed was the party planner in question—was dancing on a table with a huge smile on her face, making Lucy remember the times they had partied together before Stefan and Damon moved to Mystic Falls. Caroline and Joel were dancing together, both of them grinning happily as they had a random conversation.

If she focused all of herself on the fun happening around her, she wouldn't think about the blood. She thought about the beat of whatever Top 40 song was booming through the house, Caroline and Joel's happy expressions, and Stefan's hand in hers.

Once Stefan was sure that Lucy would be okay for the moment, he led them through the crowd of drunk and sweaty teenagers to where Caroline and Joel were dancing. They were each greeted with tight hugs by Caroline and after Joel kissed Lucy on the cheek, she watched in amusement as he and Stefan did some weird handshake—you know the one that every guy seems to know.

"This is insane!" Lucy exclaimed as she subconsciously started bouncing to the beat.

"Yeah," Joel nodded in agreement. "but it probably won't last. They'll either drink all the booze and get bored or—"

"Or Damon will come home and kill everyone?" Stefan finished hopefully.

"That's what I was thinking, yeah," Joel chuckled.

"We can't compel them to leave so we're just enjoying ourselves," Caroline chirped. "Let's dance!"

"Maybe that's not such a good idea," Stefan said, his eyes at the door where Elena and Liz were having a confrontation. "Caroline."

Caroline growled when she saw Elena tightly grab Liz and push her at the wall. The four of them went through the crowd as fast as they could without exposing themselves to get to Liz; Caroline got there first, which was no surprise.

"Mom!" Caroline grabbed Elena's arm and threw her away from her mother.

Liz was quick to reassured her that she was okay. "It's fine. I'm fine."

Caroline whipped back around to Elena, her vampire features popping out as she went to lunge at the emotionless doppelganger. Joel quickly grabbed her, making her grunt in frustration.

"Caroline, calm down."

"Calm down?" she glowered at Elena, scoffing. "I'm gonna wring her skinny little neck!"

There was a rush of air as Elena sped out of the house.

"Well, that's just great."

Twenty minutes later, they were still deep in the woods searching for Elena. All four of them had split in different directions to find her.

Lucy was so sick of Elena's dramatics. She was so sick of her life revolving around Elena. It was _Elena this, Elena that, and, oh no, Elena's in trouble! We have to save her! And now she's a vampire! We have to cure her!_ It was exhausting—it was more exhausting than when Lucy had been a human. She didn't have it in her to care about if she was being petty or unattached. Elena had done horrible things to her, things siblings shouldn't do to each other.

Lucy paused for a second, picking up what sounded like Elena and Caroline arguing.

"_Elena don't make me fight you! I'm stronger than you and I don't want to hurt you!"_

There was a swoop of air, a crunch, and a pained grunt before Elena spoke, "_Who's gonna get hurt?"_

Lucy immediately took off to where they were fighting, going as fast as she could. As she approached, she heard Elena again.

"_Not bad. Not technically good but then again, Alaric didn't train you. You were probably too busy butting into people's business!"_

Lucy got there just in time; as Elena went to headbutt Caroline into a tree she ran forward and pushed, sending the doppelganger soaring into the bottom of a nearby tree.

"And you were probably making everything about you," Lucy sneered, hovering protectively in front of Caroline. Elena scrambled to her feet, looking murderous. "You wanna fight? Come on. You're not the only one Alaric trained."

Caroline got to her feet, looking worried. "Lucy…"

"I'm gonna rip your head off," Elena growled at Lucy, eyes flashing.

"Bring it on, bitch."

The sisters crashed into one another, evenly matched since Elena was stronger than her but Lucy was trained better. When Elena tried to grab her throat, she blocked her, backhanding her across the face. When she took a kick to the stomach, she was right back up fighting again.

At one point—after Caroline went to get Stefan and Joel to break up their fight—when she pushed Elena away from her, Elena yelled in frustration, "You think you're so much better than me?"

"Yeah, actually, I do," Lucy spat back at her, catching a fist to her cheek.

"Well, you're not," Elena kicked her ankles, causing her to fall to her knees. "You're weak, Lucy, and you always will be."

"I'm weak?" Lucy asked incredulously, speeding to her feet and grabbing the ends of Elena's hair to throw her away from her. "You're the weak one, Elena. You're the damsel in distress that everyone needs to save. You're the one who shut off your emotions because you couldn't deal with Jeremy's death."

"You couldn't even stop Jeremy's death!" Elena screamed back at her. "You didn't do anything! You just watched him die, unable to do anything because you're a fucking freak of nature!"

Lucy's blood boiled and she screamed in fury. There was nothing she could do about Jeremy's death; she hadn't even known that Jeremy was dead until after she woke up at home, already in transition. She wasn't at fault—_she wasn't_.

"I hate you!"

"LUCY! ELENA! STOP!" Joel came speeding toward them.

It was too late; Lucy's fury built inside of her until she felt a strange heat flood her body. At once, Elena was unconscious a few feet away from her, her neck snapped. Lucy hadn't even moved a finger.

"Holy shit," Joel breathed, stopping in his tracks when he saw what happened. He turned to Stefan, Damon, and Caroline with wide eyes. "Did you see that?"

Stefan nodded grimly, worried eyes already on Lucy. "She did magic."

Stefan sat on the floor of the cellar, leaving his back against the stone wall outside of the cell that Lucy was in. He listened with wet eyes and a lump in his throat as she screamed in fear and frustration, the chair that they brought in for her hitting the walls at an impressive speed. She wasn't even moving her body; somehow, she had magic and it was out of control at the moment.

It broke his heart to listen to her struggle but he couldn't help her with this. She wouldn't let him—or her magic wouldn't let him; anyone that even got a foot near her was flung away. Only Caroline was able to get near her, which was how she got in the cell. Caroline and Joel couldn't bare to see Lucy in so much pain and Damon was watching over Elena, so he was left alone.

He had tried to soothe her, speaking to her in a calm voice through the slotted bars but she wouldn't listen. She'd sob and then cry out for Kol, telling Stefan that she needed her brother to help her.

So, Stefan called Klaus and told him what was going on.

He appeared not long after the call ended. "What's she doing in a cell?" the Original demanded as he stormed past Stefan to look through the slots to see Lucy on the floor, knees to her chest as she stared at a wall with wet eyes. "Are you out of your mind?"

"We did it so she couldn't hurt herself or anyone else," Stefan explained, getting to his feet. "She was out of control for a while there," Klaus pressed his lips together unhappily but nodded, nonetheless. "How does she even have magic?"

"I assume it's because of her siphoner genes," Klaus told him. "When she was human, she could absorb magic. Now that's she's a vampire…"

"She has an endless supply of magic," Stefan realized. "Have you ever heard of anyone like her?"

"No," Klaus shook his head. "Siphoners are rare already. I doubt many of them even had run-ins with vampires."

"What do we do?"

"We help her," Klaus unlocked the cell door. "I'm guessing that's why she wants Kol. He was an expert in all things magical."

Lucy looked up as Klaus stepped into the cell. "Nik," she breathed shakily as he sat on the floor with her and wrapped her in his arms. "I don't know what's happening. I-I have—I can do-and—I need Kol and he's gone. He's gone, Nik."

"Shh, love," Klaus whispered into her hair as she fell into sobs again. There were tears in his eyes, causing Stefan's to sting in response. There was nothing like the love of a sibling and seeing Klaus and Lucy so close was something special. "I know, I know. It's okay."

Stefan swallowed the lump in his throat and crossed his arms over his chest. It hurt him to see how broken Lucy seemed. She hadn't caught a break since their senior year started and he honestly didn't know how this hadn't happened earlier. He was in love with one of the strongest women he knew.

"We're gonna help you," Klaus assured Lucy after a couple of minutes, his tone so firm no one would dare argue with him. "You'll learn to control your magic, I promise you."

Lucy's cries had softened until she was just taking in shuddering breaths. "How?"

"You're gonna practice," Klaus pulled away so he could look at her face. "And I have just the spell you can start with."

Lucy gave him a curious look as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of aged paper and a small box.

"This," he handed her the paper first; she opened it to see that the spell for daylight rings was written on it in their mother's handwriting. "it's from Mother's grimoire. You can keep it. I'll give you the whole book once I make copies."

"Wow," Lucy touched her fingertips to the fragile paper. "Thank you, Nik."

"Well, unlike me, Elijah, and Rebekah, you can actually use it," Klaus waved her off before handing her the box. "and this is something Stefan and I collaborated on."

Lucy looked between her brother and her boyfriend. "You guys got me a gift together?" Stefan nodded with a slight smile; he had called Klaus on the way back from Nova Scotia; they emailed pictures of daylight rings back and forth while he was on the plane. "Has the world ended?"

"Just open the box before I take it back," Klaus snipped at her playfully.

The ring they got her was beautiful and all she could ask for in terms of a daylight ring. The lapis lazuli stone was perfectly round, with two tiny diamonds on either side of it, and the band was made of platinum so it wouldn't wear out anytime soon.

"It's beautiful," she whispered before looking up, giving the boys a grateful smile. "Thank you so much."

When Klaus and Stefan exchanged proud looks, Lucy knew that it was the closest she'd ever get to see their friendship.


	73. The Search

**[4x17; Because of the Night + 4x18; American Gothic]**

"_You took Elena to New York?"_ Joel's voice was flat as he addressed Damon through his phone, tapping his feet anxiously on the floor.

Lucy opened her eyes from where she sat, cross-legged on the floor only a foot away from him and glared at her brother. He was severely harshing her mellow and that was her entire purpose for meditating in the first place.

They spent all night looking for ways to help control her magic. Klaus brought over some books about witches he collected over the years (even though his collection was nowhere near Kol's). They didn't know whether she was the first person on Earth to be a vampire-witch hybrid, so any information they came across was helpful. When they hadn't found anything that helped Lucy's situation, they turned to anger management guides online.

It was in one of those guides that Joel came across meditation. Lucy knew what it was but she had always been skeptical of it. The only thing that had her willing to try it at all was the fact that Jenna always said how much meditation helped her through the years.

And like every time before, Jenna was right. This was only her second time doing it, but the first time she felt so at ease with herself that she fell asleep on the area rug at the end of Stefan's bed. When she closed her eyes, she tuned everything out except for her heartbeat and the magic that now flowed through her veins. She familiarized herself with it and when she woke up the next day, her magic was calm enough to be able to spell the lapis lazuli ring that Klaus and Stefan had given her.

It was the afternoon now and she was trying to meditate again. Unfortunately, Damon had taken off with Elena and Joel was stressing out about it. Somehow he ended up in the library with Lucy while Stefan and Caroline cleaned the huge mess in the living room and foyer.

"_You know what, JoJo? That tone is the exact reason I didn't answer when you called before,"_ Damon commented sarcastically.

It was strange but also cool that Lucy could overhear other peoples' conversations on the phone without speakerphone on.

"You know what, Day?" Joel started to copy him. "That—"

"_Ugh, don't call me that,"_ Damon groaned.

"Don't call me JoJo, then."

"_That's my thing, I give people horrible nicknames. Get over it."_

"You're so annoying."

"Joel!" Lucy exclaimed, giving her brother the stink eye. "If you're going to bicker with your boyfriend can you leave me alone?"

"_Ew_…"

"Gross, Lou," Joel grimaced at her and lowered his voice as he spoke to Damon again. "So, where is Elena now?"

"_Out exploring_," Damon informed him. "_Maybe she's eating a hotdog vendor."_

"So you're not looking for Katherine, then?"

"_Yes, I'm looking for Katherine,"_ Damon sighed, annoyed. "_This little joy ride is actually a cure hunt. That vampire that Katherine sent after Hayley was a friend of mine. He lived in the city. Will gets vampires fake identities and I'm sure that Katherine's one of his clients_."

Joel raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Elena volunteered to look for the cure? Just yesterday she didn't even want it."

"_That's why I didn't tell her."_

"If she finds out—"

"_Don't be so negative, Joel. What I'm hoping is she's gonna be so wasted on booze and blood from our bar crawl that she won't even think about it."_

"Don't underestimate her."

"_If I can handle Stefan with his switch off, I can handle Elena. I gotta go."_

"Wait, Damon, don't—" Joel sighed as the call ended. "Damn it."

"That went well," Lucy got to her feet, unable to resist giving him a dry comment.

"Shut up," he grumbled, shoving his phone in his jeans. He paused as they both heard the front door open and Caroline's objection as Klaus walked into the Boarding House. "Klaus is here."

They made their way to the living room where Caroline and Klaus were having a standoff and Stefan was standing awkwardly to the side. Lucy grinned in amusement and sped over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist; he pressed a kiss to her forehead in response.

"I still don't know why he's here," Caroline grumbled under her breath, crossing her arms over her chest.

"We need his help," Stefan reminded her. "I think Silas is in Mystic Falls."

Silas was another thing to add to their long list of problems. According to Stefan, who heard it from Liz, the hospital in Mystic Falls wasn't the only one who had their blood banks wiped out. All the counties in their region were missing blood.

That led Stefan to believe that Silas had followed them back from the island since he had gone two thousand years without blood. He had to be thirsty—so thirsty that one full blood bank wasn't enough.

Klaus didn't think that was enough evidence to be sure Silas was in town. "So, some blood went missing from a few hospitals," he helped himself to some of the Salvatores' bourbon. "What about Elena? Don't vampires with their humanity off tend to overindulge in human blood," he looked to Stefan with a small smirk. "or were you the exception."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "It's not Elena, Nik."

Klaus half-shrugged. "Well, let's say for a moment that it was Silas. I'm struggling to see how this affects me."

"Look, Silas wants to die and be reunited with his one true love but he's supernatural so if he takes the cure and dies, he gets stuck on the Other Side."

"How Shakespearian."

Stefan gave him the stink eye and continued, "But if he destroys the Other Side altogether, he can take the cure, die, and pass on. But, in destroying it, every dead supernatural being will return to our side."

"That means every werewolf, every witch, every vampire," Joel piped in.

Caroline looked at Klaus pointedly. "I wonder how many of those you personally killed. Care yet?"

Klaus pressed his lips together. "My interest is piqued. How do we stop him?"

"Bonnie said that Silas needs to complete three massacres to do this spell," Lucy told him. "Before Professor Shane died, he convinced Pastor Young to blow up the town council."

"Then he had you kill your hybrids," Stefan finished, pointing at Klaus. "Now he only needs one more massacre so if he's here, that's what he's doing. We need to find him."

"Fine," Klaus conceded with a bit of a pout. God forbid he was wrong about something.

"I think we should go to Professor Shane's office," Lucy spoke up, turning her eyes to Stefan. "Remember when we were looking for the tombstone? His office was filled with stuff about different afterlives."

Stefan cocked his head in acknowledgement. "Good point."

"Well, then, let's go," Klaus set down his half-finished glass of bourbon before pointing at Lucy. "You drink a blood bag. If we're going to a college campus, you're going to be around people."

Lucy frowned; she hated when he was right. Okay, yeah, maybe she and Klaus were more alike than either of them thought.

When they arrived at Professor Shane's office, the five of them split into each of the corners. Lucy and Caroline were in charge of looking through the shelves full of books while Joel was tasked with the shelves with historical artifacts and Stefan and Klaus split the difference.

"What are we even looking for?" Caroline sighed as she began looking through the top shelves of books.

"Well, if Shane really was working with Silas, chances are he was helping him plan his next move," Stefan stated.

"So, what, Silas has an evil to-do list?" Joel wrinkled his nose.

Caroline snorted in amusement. "It's right under stealing blood, performing three massacres, and picking up dry cleaning."

"Actually, not to nit-pick or anything, but we evil villains usually use minions to pick up our dry cleaning and that sort of thing," Klaus commented.

Caroline didn't find his comment at all funny compared to Joel's. She looked over at Lucy with an annoyed pout. "Why is he necessary again?"

"He drove."

Stefan chuckled under his breath at Lucy's flat comment and added, "We don't know what Silas can do, so if we have to go head-to-head with him, an Original hybrid who can't die might come in handy."

"Yeah, that's why," Lucy pointed at Stefan with her thumb.

"I feel the love, little sister," Klaus rolled his eyes before addressing Caroline. "Besides, Stefan and I work well together—or at least we did in the twenties."

"Granted, my emotions were off."

"And that's why you were more fun—"

Lucy nudged Caroline and spoke so quietly, no one but the blonde heard her. "Unrequited bromance."

Caroline covered her mouth to contain her giggles. "One-sided Klefan."

Lucy bit her lip. "No-bros."

"He's just not that into you."

Lucy snorted loudly, unable to stop her laughter from spilling from her mouth. Caroline quickly joined her and so did Joel, who had been listening to them the whole while Stefan and Klaus argued about their time together in the twenties.

Klaus and Stefan both looked over at them with confused looks.

"Sorry, it's nothing," Lucy waved them off, trying to catch her breath from laughing so hard; Caroline giggled, almost setting her off again. "Uh, Nik, what were you saying?"

"Not much," Klaus spoke dramatically. "Just that Damon is probably relishing in Elena's emotionless company in New York."

"Yeah, well, I'm sure that Damon knows what he's doing with my sister," Joel pressed his lips together.

"Does he?" the Original quirked an eyebrow. "Don't underestimate the allure of darkness. Even the purest of hearts are drawn to it."

Lucy noticed two things at once. The first thing was that Caroline bowed her head at Klaus' words, turning back to the bookshelf like she was ashamed of something. The second thing were the sad eyes Joel was giving her blonde best friend before he, too, started to look for anything that would tell them about bringing down the Other Side.

Huh. So, not only was Klaus interested in Caroline but so was Joel? Meanwhile Caroline was in love with Tyler and obviously had some feelings for Klaus. It was the weirdest love-square that she had ever seen and she had been in one not that long ago.

"Still," Klaus continued, unaware of the affect his expression had. "I'm sure it will all be fine."

Lucy rolled her eyes and went back to pursuing the bottom shelves filled with books. Just around her eyeline, she spotted an old binger labeled with '_Symbolic Figures in the Dark Arts'_ and '_The Art of_ _Expression'_.

"All right, I think this is it," Lucy grabbed the book and walked over to the desk where Klaus had taken a seat; Caroline, Stefan, and Joel joined them. "Bonnie was talking about expression triangles, remember?"

Caroline hummed in confirmation as Lucy flipped through the contents, looking for the section on expression and studies that went along with it. "Here," she pointed at the chapter on expression triangles and started to read, "In some schools of magic such as expression, human sacrifice can be used as a focus for power. It's rumored that the addition of two supernatural sacrifices compounds the mystical energy, creating an expression triangle."

"Humans…that was the council fire," Caroline pointed at the top of the triangle inked into the page. "Demons…Klaus' hybrid failures."

"Well, I wouldn't exactly call it a failure," Klaus scoffed. "What's the third?"

Lucy's eyes bored down on the final massacre. "It's witches."

Within minutes of discovering that witches were the third massacre, they had more bad news. Silas was with Bonnie, appearing to her as Professor Shane, and Bonnie's dad had told Stefan that she had gone out for a walk. The five of them concluded that Bonnie was headed to complete the expression triangle that night, which wasn't good.

Since there were two possible places where the third massacre could take place, they all split up. Lucy and Stefan went to one side of Mystic Falls while Caroline, Klaus, and Joel went to the other.

On the way there, Stefan got a call from Damon. He quickly informed his brother what was going on in Mystic Falls, including the fact that they had a location on Silas.

"_So, Silas is appearing as Professor Shane_," Damon sighed. "Wouldn't be my first choice."

"Well, it would be if you needed to brainwash Bonnie into committing a massacre," Stefan grumbled into the phone.

"_You need me to come home?"_

"No, we got it," Stefan exchanged a smile with Lucy. "How's the cure search going?"

"_Well, not great. I mean, it's no massacre in the making but Rebekah trailed us here_," there was a fumbling of some sort of lock on the other line. "_Then in addition to my buddy being a brilliant identity thief, he's also a hoarder."_

Lucy wrinkled her nose. "Gross."

"_Yeah, no kidding_," Damon agreed with her.

"What are you trying to find?" Stefan wondered.

"_Will had a repeat customer; five-seven brunette. Said she was a runner."_

"Katherine."

Damon hummed. _"Turns out I was helping her run from me. Ironic. The problem is I'm pretty sure that his filing system goes by birthdate but I can't, for the life of me, remember Katherine's."_

"June 5, 1473," Lucy supplied casually.

"_I knew there was a brain in that head of yours, Twitch_," Damon clicked his tongue; Lucy and Stefan exchanged eyerolls. There was more clinking of cheap metal on Damon's line, which they assumed was a filing cabinet. "_Well, will you look at that? It's all her former addresses, including a couple from the last two months. I mean, they're mostly P.O. boxes but, hey, it narrows the search."_

"Good thing I have a brain," Lucy commented sarcastically. "Bye, Damon."

As soon as Stefan shoved his phone in his jacket, Lucy sighed dramatically. "Why is your brother so annoying?"

Stefan's eyebrows raised playfully. "You wanna talk about annoying brothers? Have you actually met Klaus, or…?"

"Yeah, you're right," Lucy conceded after trying to find some sort of comeback. "Nik _is_ pretty annoying."

Stefan hummed but then stopped walking all of a sudden. "Do you hear that?"

Lucy stopped too, focusing on her hearing. She could hear screams—familiar screams.

They both took off toward the direction of the screaming. Once they were close enough to the location they were meant to already be at, they could see light glowing from twelves torches placed around a pentagram. Bonnie was in the middle, laying on the ground and screaming as one of the witches held her down forcefully.

"Yield to the spirits, Bonnie!" the witch exclaimed. "You can't fight us!"

"Stop!" Stefan yelled as they came to a stop only feet away from the circle of witches. "It's not what you think."

The witch glowered at them. "This is no place for vampires."

"She's working for Silas," Lucy blurted out, hoping that the witches would stop doing whatever they were doing to Bonnie and get the hell out of town so they weren't sacrificed.

The witch paused. "Silas?"

"He brainwashed her to kill you."

The witch looked back down at Bonnie with hard eyes before yanking a sharp dagger out of her jean pocket.

"What are you doing?" Stefan demanded.

"If Silas has her, she's lost," the witch snarled. "We can't save her."

"Uh, yes, you can—" Lucy started to lunge for Bonnie but the witch held up her hand toward her and Stefan.

Lucy groaned loudly in pain; her brain felt like it was being carved into and electrocuted at the same time. It was one of the most painful things she had ever felt and there was no relief because her brain kept healing over and over again. She kind of felt bad for all the people she used this spell on.

"I have the power of twelve witches," the witch said firmly. "You two don't stand a chance!"

Lucy was faring better than Stefan, though she supposed it was because she could siphon some of the pain away. She was still on her feet but Stefan was on the ground, clenching his head in his hands as his ears started to bleed.

Lucy clenched her jaw and held out her own hand, right in the witch's direction. She was only able to stop the pain-inflicting spell for a few seconds but it was long enough to see the shocked look on the witch's face and rush Stefan out of her line of fire.

"Shit," Lucy breathed worriedly, holding Stefan's bloody face in her hands. "I'm so sorry, babe."

Stefan leaned against her. "It's not your fault."

He was exhausted and he would need blood to feel better. Lucy shook her head, feeling guilty, and pressed her lips against his forehead before wrapping her arms around his waist to keep him upright.

Hearing three sets of footsteps approaching, Lucy turned toward Caroline, Joel, and Klaus. "They're linked," she told them. "Bonnie's gonna kill them all."

Klaus' eyes studied the twelve witches and Bonnie. "Not if the witches kill her first."

"We need to save her," Joel insisted.

"How?" he turned to him. "The only way to stop the witches is to kill them and then Silas gets what he wants."

"Spirits, take her soul!" the witch with Bonnie called out to the night sky, holding her dagger out from her chest with two hands. "Free her from darkness."

Lucy's eyes darted from Bonnie to Caroline. She wasn't surprised when her best friend sped toward the witches. Caroline grabbed a hold of the witch's hands and plunged the knife into her chest. The witch fell to the ground and one by one, the rest of the eleven followed her in death.

Joel, Stefan, and Klaus looked at Caroline in shock, while Caroline, herself, turned her head to see all the witches she had killed. She breathed heavily and Lucy was thinking that Caroline was probably still in shock and hadn't exactly realized what she did and how many people she killed.

There was nothing they could do to take it back. Silas had exactly what he needed to pull down the veil to the Other Side. The triangle was complete.

Lucy glared at Damon over the hood of her vehicle, irritated by the way he slammed her trunk shut without a thought. "Uh, do you mind?"

"Mind what?"

She was very tempted to grab that can of gas in his hand and pour it all over him; she didn't have a match but she had her magic. The perks of being a freak witch-vampire hybrid; no need for any fire starters.

Familiar fingers caught hers, winding them together. Stefan smiled down at her as she gave him a look full of all the frustration that she was feeling with the situation at hand. Not only had Rebekah followed Damon and Elena to New York City, but she and Elena stole Damon's car, left him locking on a roof—which was a whole other story that Lucy didn't want to know—and took off to look for Katherine. Katherine, who had killed her and Jeremy.

To say that Lucy was feeling a lot of betrayal for all of her sisters was an understatement.

And, to add it all up, she was the one who had to miss the start of rom week in order to find her sister. She didn't want to go at all—she and Caroline had planned the prom in detail for over two months—but Joel and Stefan ganged up on her and told her she should stay with Stefan. To be babysit. She was not appreciative of the way her older brother and her boyfriend decided her plans for her but she'd get her revenge. She just didn't know when…

Alone time with Stefan would have been great if it weren't for the fact that Damon had to be with them. She hadn't forgiven Damon for what he did the night of Kol's murder and she probably never would but for now, she'd have to tolerate him for Stefan's sake. She didn't have to be polite but she couldn't physically harm him.

She couldn't wait until she and Stefan went away to Duke.

Lucy sighed, aggravated. "Just be careful with my car."

"Why? It's not worth any—"

"Damon," Stefan interrupted him with a firm voice, as though he was scolding a toddler.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Fine," he grunted as they walked the twenty feet of road to where his car had run out of gas. "If they so much as even scratched the paint on my car…"

"Why don't you just be grateful that Sheriff Forbes was able to track down the car after you let them…" Stefan clicked his tongue. "uh, you know, steal it from you."

"Remind me to send her some mini-muffins," Damon replied, not too happy with Stefan's amusement.

"Liz Forbes deserves extra-large muffins and they had better be blueberry or they're worthless to her," Lucy said matter-of-factly. She knew from experience. "So, do you really need ten gallons of gas or are you just being dramatic because I'm pretty sure there's a gas station a few miles ahead."

Damon gave her an annoyed look and set one of the gas containers down on the pavement in order to unlatch his gas tank. He then shoved the nozzle into the tank and gave her a sarcastic smile. "That answer your question?"

Dick.

"It's better to be safe than sorry," Stefan told her. "Once we get to the gas station, we'll fill up. We got a hundred miles before we get to Willoughby."

"Well, I don't remember that name from the list of places that I got in New York."

"Oh, the list!" Stefan shared an amused grin with Lucy, his green eyes lighting up. "You mean the list they stole from right under your nose after you let your guard down?"

Damon sent him a bitter smile.

"They'll be there," Lucy stated, letting go of Stefan's hand to fold her arms over her chest. "I did a location spell."

"And they're in Willoughby?" he raised his eyebrows at her. "Cream corn capital of Pennsylvania?"

"The very one," she confirmed.

"Let's just hope that we get to them before they get to the cure," Stefan sighed.

Lucy side-eyed him; she didn't want Elena to take the cure. Hell, Elena could flee to the other side of the world and she would not care one bit. She was only concerned about the cure because Stefan had wanted it in the first place. She had been human then but things change. Stefan's suffering as a vampire didn't just go away because she became one too.

So, if Stefan wanted it still, she would fight for him. She wouldn't let Elena or anyone else get in the way.

"Ooh, silver lining," Damon perked up as he screwed the cap back into the gas tank. "If Rebekah takes the cure then she's mortal. We can just kill her right then and there."

"Ooh, dark cloud," Stefan countered. "Elena stays a vampire forever. Look, why don't you just table the revenge fantasies for now—"

Lucy cleared her throat. "Forever."

"Forever," Stefan corrected himself with a nod in her direction. "and just keep your focus on the plain; find Katherine, get the cure, get out before you get your neck snapped…_again_."

Damon pursed his lips as he looked at Stefan and Lucy. "Believe me, I learned my lesson. Elena without humanity is a stone-cold bitch and I won't trust her until we get the old Elena back."

"She was a bitch with her humanity," Lucy whined, leaning her head back. "Can't we just leave her alone so we don't have to deal with her?"

Damon chuckled flatly. "I didn't know you were a comedian, Twitch."

She glared at him as he walked to the driver side of his car but was distracted when Stefan cupped her face in his hands. "Once this is over and we graduate, we're leaving," he promised her, letting his lips settle over her forehead. "No crazy siblings to deal with."

Lucy pressed a kiss to his palm and laughed lightly. "If you think we won't be bother by Nik or Bekah, you're the crazy one, babe."

"Ugh, I hate that you're right."

Willoughby was night the town that they expected. It was small—smaller than Mystic Falls—and it was home-y, where every person knew the other. There were even charming mom-and-pop shops that lined one of the only main roads in town. It was not a place where Katherine Pierce would live, even if it was just to hide from her enemies.

Lucy frowned; while she was undoing her seatbelt, she looked to Stefan in the driver's seat, "Maybe I did the spell wrong. This isn't the kind of place that Kit—that _Katerina_ would hide out in."

Stefan smiled softly and reached toward, using his fingers to brush away a stray curl from her neck; she shivered from his touch. "You didn't do the spell wrong, Lucy," he turned her head to the car they were parked behind. "That's the car that Rebekah and Elena stole."

He was right; the car was the same car that Liz had gotten a plate for. She did the location spell right.

Lucy looked back at Stefan with a smile, appreciating the fact that he had faith in her even when she didn't. "I love you."

Stefan's hand left her neck in order to cup her right cheek. "I love you," he barely got the rest of his promise out before he was pulling her into a kiss.

It wasn't the right time and place for a passionate kiss but that's how most of their kisses turned out lately. What would be a simple kiss would turn lip biting, neck nibbling, and body caressing, and then, if they weren't careful, it would lead to sex wherever they were. It never got that far, though, because most of the time, Stefan was a buzz kill.

Lucy was still adjusting to her newfound vampire senses and with that, came her vampire hormones. She wanted Stefan all the time and the more they held out from having sex—Stefan wanted to make sure her hormones weren't taking control of what she really wanted, which was admirable, but it drove her crazy—the more intense everything got. She found herself daydreaming of him and what he could do to her now that he didn't have to hold back anymore.

Just as Lucy clenched her fingers around the neck of Stefan's navy t-shirt to pull it off, there was a knock on her window.

"You're gonna get arrested for public indecency if you keep going," Damon warned them, though he sounded highly amused and a little disgusted. "Keep it in your pants, would you?"

Lucy sighed and rested her forehead on Stefan's shoulder; the want—the need—she had for him was still racing through her veins but it would have to wait. Stefan pressed his lips against her temple for a long second before pulling away and unbuckling his seatbelt.

"Something's not right," Damon observed as Lucy and Stefan got out of her car, his narrowed eyes taking in the small town they found themselves in. "Katherine Pierce does not hole up in Hickstown, P.A."

"Well, this is the car they stole," Stefan tapped the trunk of the silver car that Rebekah and Elena had dumped upon arrival. "We're in the right place."

Lucy walked the length of the car, recognizing the Mercedes insignia. "Nice car."

Damon scoffed. "Yeah, points to them."

She rolled her eyes at him and made her way to the sidewalk, crossing her arms over her chest. "Okay, so, what are we gonna do when we find Elena? How are we gonna get her back to Mystic Falls? She's not going quietly and for whatever reason, Bekah's on her side."

"We do whatever we have to do," Damon shrugged, his eyes searching the town once again. "I don't care if we have to throw Rebekah under a school bus and wrap Elena in a burlap sack—"

"How on earth would a burlap sack do anything?"

Damon ignored Lucy to continue, "We do whatever we have to do."

Stefan pressed his lips together and shoved his hands into the pocket of the black jacket he put on after leaving the car. "We're serious, Damon."

"I am too," his brother insisted. "I don't care what Elena wants right now. She's this close," he put his index finger and thumb only a centimeter apart. "to going off the rails for good. And that ain't happening. She's a pain enough as it is."

"No kidding," Lucy scoffed. She didn't bother trying to hide her current—if not forever—dislike for Elena, everyone already knew and most didn't seem to blame her.

"Let's just find her," Stefan stated, intertwining their hands together. "How are you doing? Are you feeling okay?"

Right, the bloodlust. It was there but not at the forefront of her mind. There were two things she was currently focused on; one was Stefan's hands in hers, skin against skin, and the other was the diner only a couple of shops down, where she could smell chocolate and ice cream.

"I'm okay," she told him casually. "Hey, can we get a milkshake?"

Stefan gaped at her as she started walking down the street toward the diner, pulling him along with her. "Wait, are you serious?"

"What the fuck do you need a milkshake for, Twitch?" Damon complained as he followed them; he didn't want to be by himself. He paused when he saw some familiar faces through the restaurant's windows. "I take that back. I'm gonna get you a million milkshakes."

Lucy, who hadn't spotted Rebekah and Katherine in the diner, looked at him in confusion. "What?"

Stefan laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "I think your sweet tooth is our good luck charm today, baby," he pointed out Katherine and Rebekah. "Look who's here."

"We're still gonna get milkshakes, right?"

If Lucy had to focus on milkshakes, she would. Otherwise, she would have to think about the fact that Rebekah was with Elena, rather than her, or about Katherine and how she killed Jeremy and turned Lucy into a vampire.

"Of course we are," Stefan confirmed as he placed a hand on her lower back and led her into the diner after Damon.

Lucy heard Katherine's snide voice the moment she stepped into the restaurant. _"You know you can't split the cure with Elena, right?"_

As Stefan ordered a chocolate cherry milkshake for Lucy, Damon nudged her and gestured over to the table where Rebekah and Katherine were sitting. She crossed her arms over her chest; so that was why Rebekah was with Elena? Hmm.

"_She doesn't want to_," Rebekah told Katherine.

"_Oh, no? But you do. You want to take it,"_ Katherine scoffed. "_Are you really that dumb or just naturally blonde?"_

"_I want a normal life again."_

"_You mean you want a do-over_," Katherine corrected the blonde Original. "_Well, guess what? You can't have it. The cure will only take away your immortality. Everything else you hate about yourself, you'll still wake up with that in the morning," _she chuckled mockingly. "_and you won' even be able to compel yourself a friend_."

By the time Rebekah had broken Katherine's wrist, Lucy had received her delicious milkshake and had headed over to their table in between Damon and Stefan.

"Ladies," Stefan greeted them with a fake smile. "playing nice?"

His question was emphasized by the sound Lucy's straw made when she took a slurp of her milkshake.

Rebekah and Katherine looked up at them in shock. Damon slid into the booth, followed by Lucy and then Stefan. Katherine sighed, "There goes the neighborhood."

"I see you got Katherine already," Damon acknowledged Rebekah before looking at Katherine. "You're losing your touch, evil one."

Katherine smiled fakely at Damon before turning her eyes to Lucy. "Lucia," she hummed. "I heard that you were a vampire but I must say that you—"

"Katerina, do me a favor and shut up," Lucy snapped at her sister, clenching her milkshake so tightly in her hand that Damon had to pry it out of her grip. "After what you did, you don't deserve to speak to me."

Katherine raised her eyebrows. "What did I do?"

Lucy scoffed in disbelief. "You killed my brother."

"No, I gave him to Silas, I didn't kill him myself."

Lucy clenched her jaw and pressed her lips together, trying to keep her magic in control. All it wanted to do right now was maybe set her sister on fire.

"How about the fact that you turned her," Stefan pointed at Katherine defensively.

"I didn't even touch you," Katherine spoke directly to Lucy. "You were knocked out when I got there but you were still alive when I left."

Lucy's heart raced as she studied her sister. With Lucia's memories came knowledge of Katherine that no one other than her would have. Like, how to tell if Katherine was lying. And she wasn't lying about turning Lucy.

Which meant that Silas was the one to kill Lucy. While less heartbreaking, it was more terrifying.

"You're lying," Stefan stated flatly.

"I'm not."

"Can we save this for later?" Damon asked impatiently, causing everyone at the table to roll their eyes. "Where's Elena?"

Rebekah seemed to know that he was speaking to her. "Let me get this straight, I tell you where Elena is, you shove the cure down her throat, and then I end up in a box, right" she sneered. "I don't think so."

Lucy sighed. "No one is ending up in a box."

Damon nodded at Katherine. "What about you over there, smiley? Do you know where she is?"

Katherine shrugged lightly. "I can give you a hint," she learned forward in her seat. "Start by looking at the town morgue. She's probably dead…" she smirked when Lucy and the others looked at her questioningly. "She went to meet up with a friend of mine. You may know him…An original brother, impeccable taste?"

"Elijah?" Lucy and Rebekah chorused in shock.

Katherine smiled cheekily.

"Elijah's here?" Damon asked in disgust.

"Well, I guess you have to question Elijah's impeccable taste if he's friends with you," Stefan commented dryly.

If it had been sometime or someone else, Lucy would have laughed like she always did when Stefan made his comments full of dry humor. He always said them so proudly, like he had just said the funniest thing on earth. Most of the time they weren't, but it was amusing to see his satisfied face whenever he spit one out. It was like when a dad said a joke that was only amusing to them.

Katherine perked up and grinned. "Oh, when I say friend, I mean _friend_."

It didn't take long for anything to understand.

"Oh, Katerina," Lucy groaned in disgust while Rebekah, Stefan, and Damon made similar noises.

Knowing that Elijah had sex—with one of her sisters, which was _very_ confusing—was like knowing that your parents still had sex. It made Lucy so uncomfortable that she couldn't bear to finish her milkshake.

"It probably took him about ten seconds to realize that she wasn't me," Katherine continued. "at which point, he probably yanked her heart right out of her chest."

Damon pressed his lips together. "All right, where are they?"

Katherine didn't answer and neither did Rebekah.

"Rebekah, you do realize that if something happens to Elena, you have no chance of finding the cure, right?" Stefan appealed to the blonde.

Lucy raised her eyebrows at Rebekah, silently telling her to fess up.

Rebekah looked at Lucy for a moment before giving in. "Fine," she sighed. "They were supposed to meet at the gazebo by the park."

Stefan and Lucy exchanged a knowing look. "We'll talk to Elijah," Lucy said as they stood up from the booth. "and Katerina can take you two," she gestured to Rebekah and Damon. "to the cure."

Katherine scoffed. "No, she won't. The cure's my one chance to win my freedom back from Klaus."

Lucy bit her lip in realization. That was the whole reason why Katherine took the cure from the island in the first place. To trade her freedom from Klaus for the cure so that he could destroy it. And that was why she was with Elijah; Elijah and Klaus had the deepest bond when it came to brotherhood in the Mikaelson family. Katherine was going to use Elijah to get to Klaus just like she did all those years ago.

Why were all the Petrova doppelgangers such selfish bitches?

"You're gonna broker a deal with Klaus?" Damon asked, confused.

"No, she's gonna get Elijah to do it for her," Lucy spoke up with a shake of her head. "That's why he's here with you, isn't it? You're using his feelings for you just like you did in 1492."

Katherine looked taken aback. "I am not."

Lucy didn't believe her. "Somethings never change, Katerina."

"I can do it," Stefan offered, holding his hand out for the phone in Lucy's grip, watching as her hand clenched tighter around it. He took it and pried the phone from her grip before she could break it, replacing it with his empty hand. "It's gonna be okay."

"I'm sure it is but it isn't right now," Lucy let got of his hand to pace around the _empty_ gazebo.

There was no sign of Elijah or Elena anywhere but that wasn't why she was upset. It was Katherine and Elena and all of her siblings. She didn't understand why they had to do everything possible to make her life more difficult than it already was. She was sure they didn't mean it but she was too annoyed, too angry, to think about that. At the moment, she would rather be upset than rational.

Stefan gave her space, for which she was thankful. She didn't want to lash out at him when she was stewing in her anger and trying to control her magic at the same time—which, by the way, was difficult and took most of her concentration.

After five minutes or so, with Stefan waiting in silence as Lucy calmed down, they called Elijah with Katherine's phone. Elijah answered almost immediately. "_Katerina_?"

"Hello, Elijah," Stefan greeted him, smiling down at Lucy, who rolled her eyes at him.

There were a few seconds of silence. "_Where is Katherine?"_

"Where's Elena?" Stefan countered.

"_Safe. How long she remains so depends upon you."_

Lucy rolled her eyes at her eldest brother. Even if he didn't know that she was there with Stefan, he should know that Stefan wouldn't hurt Katherine simply because of Lucy.

"Well, I guess the same goes for Katherine."

"_Katherine can take care of herself against the two of you."_

"Oh, you mean the four of us," Stefan surprised Elijah. "Both of your little sisters are with us."

"_Put Rebekah on the phone_," Elijah demanded.

"Oh, she's not here right now. We left her with Damon and Katherine."

"_Tell me where they are."_

"Relax, no one's gonna get hurt as long as Katherine hands over the cure."

Lucy sighed and ripped the phone from Stefan's grip. Nothing was getting done and she was over it.

"Elijah, it's me," she spoke into the phone, turning away from Stefan's annoyed look.

"_Luciana, it's good to hear your voice_," Elijah said pleasantly; they probably should have let Lucy talk to him from the start. _"You are aware of how much Rebekah despises Katerina, aren't you?"_

"Yeah, I know," Lucy told him. "but Rebekah won't do anything. She promised not to kill any more of my siblings."

"_Hmm_," Elijah hummed. "_a promise that I share, however, if Katerina is_—"

"Nothing will happen to her," Lucy said honestly. "If anything, I'm worried for Damon—" she turned back to Stefan and gave him a small smile; he rolled his eyes in amusement. "but we need this cure for Elena—" _Stefan_. "—so if you could tell us where she's hiding it, that would be great."

"_I wish I could tell you where the cure is, Luciana, but the truth is that I don't know,"_ Elijah told her. _"Katerina and I were to meet today to exchange it_."

Lucy sighed heavily and shook her head at Stefan. He pressed his lips together and threw his hands in the air, annoyed.

"Okay, thanks anyway," Lucy went back to Elijah. "And if you want to keep Elena, that's fine, but I think she'll annoy you."

Elijah chuckled. "_I'll send her on her way. I will talk to you later, Luciana."_

"Bye, Elijah."

Lucy shoved Katherine's phone in her jacket pocket and looked at Stefan expectantly. "What do we do now?"

"Hopefully, Damon will have it."

He didn't; the cure was on its way back to Mystic Falls.


	74. Prom

**[4x19; Pictures of You]**

The second scanner in a line of three in front of Lucy beeped, signaling that she could remove the picture and stick a new one in. She went through the motions methodically, picking up another photo out of the huge pile that she had collected and carefully placing it face-down before snapping the lid shut and pressing the green button. She did this each time a scanner went off and she would continue to do so until the huge pile of pictures were all scanned and sorted into her computer.

It was officially prom time and they were getting down to the wire. There wasn't much planning left to do but Lucy and Caroline each had a few projects that needed detailed work. It meant that they couldn't delegate them, which led them to doing the projects themselves. Lucy was stuck with the pictures and Caroline was stuck making a personal photo booth prop for each senior.

Pictures of You was the prom theme and Lucy was so proud of herself and Caroline for coming up with it. Their prom would be a walk down memory lane for them, their friends, and their classmates, showcasing highlights from the past twelve years in school together. It was nostalgic while still be classy enough for a formal prom.

When Lucy thought too hard about the theme and that there were only two weeks of school left, she got choked up so she tried not to think about it. Damn heightened emotions.

Lucy smiled as she slipped one of her own pictures into the scanner. It was an old one from middle school and she, Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena were huddled together, dressed for school spirit day. It was a good time in Lucy's life; her parents, Jenna, and Jeremy were alive, she, Elena, and Joel were human—well, as human as a siphoner and a doppelganger got—and she didn't know about vampires.

Don't get her wrong, she loved Stefan and her siblings so much but vampires were exhausting. Being a vampire was exhausting. Being a vampire-witch was exhausting. Everyday she had to drink blood, her worst nemesis when she was human, or she'd start to desiccate. She could hear everything going on around her. She could see the details of dust particles in the air, that's how great her eyesight was. She was faster than a vehicle. The last three could be counted as perks of being a vampire but she didn't think of it that way. They were just things that didn't make her human anymore.

Yeah, her life had changed a lot since middle school. Some for the better but most of it...not so much.

Lucy was just sliding a picture of Elena and Matt on the first day of freshmen year into a scanner when there was a knock on her door. She paused, looking across her apartment—she was finally able to move back in, which was great—and listened for a hint of who it might be.

There was a heartbeat; not fast like a human but slow like a vampire. She knew a lot of vampires, though. It was the person's scent that cleared up who it was; bergamot, fresh laundry, and coconut. It was Stefan Salvatore on the other side of that door.

A bright smile spread her lips and she jumped to her feet and sped over to the door, getting there within a second. She opened it and almost melted when she saw Stefan; he was as handsome and beautiful as ever. She didn't think she'd ever get bored of him.

And then he flashed her that dimpled smile that only came out so much and she could have fainted—okay, that was a little dramatic, but still. "Hey, pretty girl."

"Hi," she grabbed his free arm and yanked him inside, wasting no time in order to plant a kiss on his lips. Stefan eagerly returned the kiss but it didn't get very far on account of the wonderful smell she was picking up from the white cardboard box in his other hand. "What's that?"

"Oh, uh, I got these for you," Stefan presented the box to her with a grin.

"Thank you," Lucy gave him another quick kiss and opened the box. "Stefan, you didn't..."

In the cardboard box were five coconut cupcakes with a letter made out of red icing on each:

_Prom?_

"Stefan Salvatore just gave me a prom-posal?"

Stefan rolled his eyes fondly. "Yes, he did."

"With coconut cupcakes?"

"Mmhm," Stefan hummed. "Now are you going to say yes or should I attend prom by my lonesome?"

"Of course I'll go with you," Lucy giggled and looked up at him with sparkling eyes. "When did you get so cheesy?"

"When I fell in love with you," Stefan pecked her forehead. "So, what are you working on?"

"The pictures for prom night," Lucy sighed, wishing that she had time to leave the pictures for later so she could spend some quality time with her boyfriend. It seemed like they hadn't had any to themselves in a while; lately all their time was spent babysitting Elena so she wouldn't kill more people and trying to track down the cure.

She sat down in front of the scanners, digging one of her precious cupcakes out of the box.

"Need some help?" Stefan stepped over the scanners in order to sit by her side. She scooted over so that he would have more room. "Oh, hey, I brought a picture for you to add to the pile."

Lucy raised an eyebrow at him while licking some frosting off the top of her treat; his eyes followed the movement, his pupils darkening ever so slightly. "Really?"

Stefan nodded and pulled out a photo from his pocket. "You can't have prom without a picture of us up on a screen."

As he handed her the picture, she grinned widely. It was a picture of them at the Miss Mystic Falls pageant but it wasn't one of the official ones that she had framed on her nightstand. This must have been something that Caroline had taken but it was when they were in the middle of the dance, their heads pressed close together. She was grateful that Caroline took the picture; it showed a more serious side to their relationship that they kept close to themselves.

"I love it," she told him, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. "I kind of want to frame it, though."

"Well, you're scanning it," he reminded her. "Afterwards you can put it anywhere you want."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows at him teasingly. "You're already on my nightstand, though."

Stefan laughed. "I'm sure we can make some more room."

"Elijah, being human means a fresh start," Rebekah pleaded to their oldest brother as they, plus Lucy and Klaus sat around a table for an incredibly important discussion. "I can grow old and have a family and fill my days with meaning, knowing that each one matters."

Apparently, when Lucy got off the phone with Elijah in Willoughby, he had gotten the cure from Katherine hours later. Because Klaus was being tortured by Silas for the cure, Elijah had to make a decision between them; they each had to plead their case while Lucy and Elijah listened.

Lucy didn't really know why she was there for the meeting. Yes, she was a part of the family, but the cure didn't really concern her that much. The most she cared about it was giving it to Stefan and since her siblings had all but claimed it, she wouldn't be able to do that. Besides, she wasn't so sure he would actually take it now that everything had changed.

"Well, that was poetic," Klaus laughed mockingly; Rebekah gave him a dirty look while Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Well, if you can provide us with a more compelling reason for wanting the cure, Klaus, please..." Elijah gestured for him to speak.

Klaus leaned forward in his seat, resting his elbows on the table. "Silas can appear as anyone. He got inside my thoughts and convinced me that I was dying," he stated. "He will torment me until I give him the cure."

"And in doing so, he will break down the wall to the other side," Rebekah objected.

"So it doesn't trap him there when he dies," Klaus argued. "He wants to reunite with his lost soul mate. You," he nodded at Rebekah. "of all lovesick fools, should applaud his devotion."

"He will open the floodgates for every supernatural being that has ever died!"

"Including our dear brothers Kol, Finn, and Henrik."

"And Mother and Mikael," Lucy pointed out; as much as she wanted to see her brothers and Alaric again, there were downsides to destroying the Other Side. Downsides that they couldn't really risk.

Klaus shrugged. "Either way, we'll have our family back."

"Please!" Rebekah huffed in irritation. "You hated Kol and you kept Finn in a box for most of his life."

_Says the one who befriended Finn and Kol's killer_, Lucy scowled to herself.

"Elijah, please," Klaus begged him to shut their sister up.

Elijah didn't speak for a moment. "Your personal discomfort might not be sufficient reason for putting the entire world in jeopardy, Klaus," he mused. "I think our sister deserves a shot at happiness."

Rebekah inhaled deeply, shocked and satisfied with Elijah's answer.

"Tell me you're joking," Klaus' voice was flat and angry. "Tell me you're not fating me to an eternity of torture."

"I've made my decision."

In a fit of anger, Klaus jumped from his seat and grabbed the back of Rebekah's, bending down so she could hear him clearly. "When you're sick and dying and you beg for my blood, I will laugh in your face and compel you to forget me."

"Oh, Nik," Lucy sighed in exasperation while he stormed out of the room.

Rebekah cleared her throat awkwardly and perked up, looking back over at Elijah with a small smile. "Where's the cure?"

"Rebekah, it's no secret that you are impulsive, emotional, and at times morally questionable," Elijah stared at her firmly. "Prove to me this isn't just another one of your whims, that you know precisely what you are giving up here."

"Fine," Rebekah nodded. "Anything."

"I want you to live a day as a human," Elijah told her. "This day. No vampire privileges...No strength, no compulsion, no nothing. If you succeed and still believe this is what you want, the cure is yours."

Rebekah didn't take any time to think. She eagerly agreed, "Fine, I'll do it."

"Good," Elijah nodded in approval. He stood from his chair and quickly ducked down to kiss the top of Lucy's head. "Have a wonderful prom, Luciana. Excuse me."

Lucy smiled at him gratefully before he walked out of the room and got to her feet. She went to leave the room but suddenly Rebekah was there, holding her back so she wouldn't move another muscle.

"What's wrong with you?" the older vampire asked. "You haven't spoken to me in two days."

Lucy sighed and turned around to face her. "Maybe it's because you teamed up with Elena only a few weeks after she killed our brother."

She didn't know how Rebekah could stand spending time with Elena, let alone let her live in her house. If someone talked about Elena for too long around her, she would grow irritated and leave the room pretty quickly. It was one of the reasons she moved back into her apartment and out of the Boarding House.

"You really think that I'm friends with her?" Rebekah asked in disbelief. "I know what she did and I won't ever forget it. I'm faking it all, okay? The only reason I haven't ripped her head off was because I wanted the cure."

"And now that you have it?" Lucy raised an eyebrow.

"Well, today I'm to act like a human. We'll see about tomorrow."

The tension between Lucy and Bonnie was palpable but they each did their best to ignore it for Caroline's sake. Her prom dress had some last-minute fitting issues that needed to be addressed and she was stressed out enough about that and Tyler's absence without Lucy and Bonnie adding to the fray.

Surprising enough, Bonnie has approached her with a very heartfelt apology that seemed to be genuine. Lucy didn't forgive, of course, but she accepted the apology without any fuss. It was nice that Bonnie had seen the errors of her ways but she had really hurt Lucy and her siblings and defended Kol's killers. It was safe to say they had a long, long road back to friendship.

Besides, Lucy did kind of feel bad for Bonnie. It wasn't until Caroline killed those witches that she came out of whatever funk Silas had put her in. She had told Joel that the last thing she remembered was finding the cure. She didn't remember the hunter stabbing her, Lucy being changed into a vampire by Silas, or Jeremy's death. Joel had admitted that it was hard to see her completely break down like she had—according to him, she was worse than Elena without burning the house down kind of dramatics.

And now she was having dreams of Jeremy, which didn't bode well.

"What kind of dreams?" Lucy asked as Caroline came out of her dressing room with her pinned dress on and stood in front of the mirror where Lucy and Bonnie were waiting for her.

"Usually I'm at his grave and all of a sudden, he appears to me."

Lucy frowned and ducked her head. She wished that she was having those kind of dreams—for any of her dead loved ones. She would love to see them all again, even if it was just a few minutes.

"Well, you never got to say goodbye, Bon," Caroline smoothed down the torso of her dress. "You're grieving. That's normal."

"When I woke up, the couch was on fire."

"That's not so normal," Lucy commented, a little concerned.

"Yeah," Bonnie nodded in agreement. "and I don't know if it's because I was emotional in my dream or if Shane was right. Without his help, I'll lose control of my magic."

"No, it's because you need a night off from mourning," Caroline said earnestly. "And Lucy and I are gonna make sure that you have it."

Lucy smiled weakly and nodded in agreement.

Bonnie smiled at the both of them. "Um, you look super-hot, by the way," she told Caroline before turning to Lucy. "I haven't seen your dress but you rock everything you wear."

"You think?" Caroline asked, her nose wrinkling in pleasure.

Bonnie nodded. "Oh, yeah."

In agreement, Lucy added, "Hot enough to rock anyone's socks off."

"Matt and I are gonna have the sexiest date there," Bonnie continued with a grin. "Besides Stefan, of course."

Despite all that she and Bonnie had gone through, she couldn't help but smile and nudge her playfully. It was senior prom night, she could forget about all the hostility. Otherwise, the night would go by without her friends and wasn't that the whole point of prom? To celebrate the end of your high school days with your friends?

"You know what, I love friend prom," Caroline declared as she turned away from the mirror once again. "And it's exactly what prom should be, friends and memories...Yes, it sucks that my boyfriend can't be here but the five of us are gonna have the night of our lives."

Lucy grinned. "Yes we are."

Unfortunately, their happiness faded when the bell rang, signaling that the door was being opened, and Elena and Rebekah walked into the store. Lucy frowned in their direction; she didn't want Elena to ruin this night for her or any of her friends and she hated the fact that Rebekah was right there by her side.

"Hey, Bonnie," Elena greeted her best friend casually. "Heard you got your mind wiped. That sucks. Lucy," Elena nodded at her coolly, disdain in her eyes—that was matched in Lucy's—and then turned to Caroline. "Pretty dress, Caroline."

"I know. You helped me pick it out months ago when we were friends," Caroline stated, a fake smile on her lips. "before you tried to kill me."

Elena blinked and studied the dress. "I thought it looked familiar."

Caroline rolled her eyes and called for the seamstress, "Can you press this for me? I'll pick it up later."

The quicker they got out of there, the quicker they'd get away from Elena and Rebekah. Lucy was grateful; she only had so much control.

"Bonnie, Lucy," Caroline called their names and gestured to her dressing room, knowing it wouldn't be best to leave Lucy with Elena.

Lucy sent Elena a dirty look before she followed Caroline and Bonnie into the dressing room.

Lucy stared at herself in the mirror, biting her lip in frustration. She was trying to think of what to do with her hair now that it was curled into glossy waves but she was coming up short. There were so many options yet none of them appealed to her.

She glanced at the clock on her phone and winced; Stefan would be arriving at Klaus' house—where her oldest brothers insisted that she and Rebekah got ready—in the next twenty minutes and she wasn't ready. Her hair wasn't done and her dress and heels weren't on; at least she had the forethought to do her make-up—muted gold eyeshadow, a pinkish-nude lipstick, blush, and mascara—before she did her hair.

Another burst of frustration shot around her body; it didn't surprise her when all the soap bottles in the shower fell from their shelves and burst open from her fit of magic. She clenched her fists and bowed her head, wishing that _something_ would go her way.

Seconds later, there was a gentle knock on the door. She opened it, expecting it to be Rebekah, but was surprised to see Elijah standing on the other side. It was a pleasant surprised, nonetheless.

"Luciana," Elijah smiled softly. "I heard your struggle."

"Sorry, Lijah," she sighed. "I'm just having a little trouble with my hair."

"What about it?" he studied her head of shiny brown waves. "It looks good."

"It looks plain," Lucy huffed. "and I have no idea what to do with it and Stefan is going to be here and I'm not even dressed."

The light bulbs above the mirror started to blink, affected by her frustration. Elijah only glanced at them for a second before he was giving her an assuring smile.

"If you allow me, I can help."

Why not? It wasn't like Elijah would mess it up; she had memories of him braiding her hair when she was young so that it would match Rebekah's. He even did Rebekah's hair, too. Besides, Esther and Rebekah, he was the best at braiding.

"Sure."

Elijah shuffled into the bathroom and let Lucy sit in the chair in front of the built-in vanity. With a comb and hairspray—which they definitely did not have back in their day—in hand, he went to work on her hair, combing gently and braiding tightly.

It was nice sitting in silence while Elijah worked his magic. It had been a long time since they had any time to themselves. She wasn't the closest with him—Klaus, Kol, and Rebekah were younger and therefore spent more time with her—but she always felt safe in his presence. Right then, she felt the calmest she had been she was turned.

"All right, all done," Elijah proclaimed, finishing up with a few hits of hairspray to keep her braid in place.

Lucy couldn't help but beam at her reflection. Her hair was now in a style that she had seen on Rebekah and herself a thousand years ago. A braided crown gently wrapped around her head but the rest of her hair was down, flowing in waves to the middle of her back. She absolutely loved it; Elijah had performed a miracle.

"I love it," she told Elijah. "It's absolutely beautiful."

"I'm sure that's just you," Elijah smiled at her. "Now, why don't you get dressed? I'm sure Stefan will be here any moment."

"I will," Lucy nodded. "Thank you, Elijah."

"It was my pleasure."

After Elijah left her designated room at Klaus' house, she started to get dressed.

Her dress, which she had picked out months ago, was a dark emerald green with a flowing bottom with a mid-thigh slit and off the shoulder sleeves that led into the lace. It showed the perfect amount of cleavage and back, and also showed off her fit legs, especially when she slipped into the strappy gold heels that she had picked out with it. For a finishing touch, Lucy added the bracelet Stefan gave her—it was now vervain free—and the star necklace she received from him just before he left Mystic Falls with Klaus for the summer.

She had never really been self-conscious of her appearance—she knew she was hot and one of prettiest in the school—but right now, it was arguably the best she had ever looked. She looked absolutely beautiful and she knew with Stefan by her side, they were the hottest couple in town—maybe even the world.

Just as she finished looking herself over to spot anything that needed to be addressed, she heard a vehicle make its way down Klaus' driveway. The familiar engine of Stefan's Porsche slowed to a stop and there was the closing of his door.

Lucy grinned and left her room, making sure to take her clutch with her. She took her time on the stairs, afraid she was going to break a heel if she used her vampire speed, and by the time she got to the bottom, Stefan was standing next to Elijah, Klaus, and Rebekah—who was wearing a lovely yellow dress.

Stefan looked drool worthy— if that was even a thing. His black suit fit him stunningly—as usual—his cuff links were gold and vintage, and his green tie matched the exact color of her dress. That wasn't even her doing; Stefan had gone on a mission to make sure they would be matching.

If it wasn't prom night and Lucy wasn't who she was—obsessed with making sure the night went right—she probably would drag him back to her apartment and rip his clothes off. Stefan looked at her in the same way; lovingly with a hint of lust.

Stefan took her hand, steadying her as she stepped of the last step.

"You are so beautiful," Stefan murmured, only a centimeter away from her lips, before crashing his mouth to hers; she was grateful that the lipstick she picked out was pretty much stain-proof.

The kiss went on for maybe thirty seconds before Elijah and Klaus cleared their throats in unison.

"You look amazing," Lucy breathed, giving him a quick peck on the lips before pulling away to an appropriate distance.

Stefan grinned back at her as Klaus cleared his throat again.

"Enough of the PDA," Klaus groaned. "We need pictures before you guys head off."

Lucy raised an eyebrow at him, surprised at his want for pictures but gave in anyway. She, Rebekah, and Stefan were soon posing for a couple million photos by a surprisingly excited Klaus, who seemed to hide away his anger with Rebekah for the moment. They took all kinds of pictures; ones with just her and Rebekah, ones with her and Stefan, ones with her, Rebekah, Klaus, and Elijah, and so on. She wouldn't be surprised if all the storage on Klaus' phone was gone from the sheer number of pictures he took.

Hopefully he would send her some.

Once the pictures-taking was done, she and Stefan left in his Porsche.

"I'm so glad that you didn't rent that limo," Lucy commented, amused, as they got closer to the school.

"I wasn't going to rent a limo, Lucy," Stefan denied with a playful smile.

"I overheard you talking to Damon about it."

"That was before I realized that you wouldn't want one," Stefan shrugged. "Besides, then we would have had to share with Damon and Elena."

"Gross."

"Tell me about it."

After they parked, Stefan told her to sit and wait for him as he closed his door and walked around the car to her side, opening her door for her. With a smile on her face, Lucy accepted his outstretched hand and allowed him to help her to her feet. She straightened the skirt of her dress and looped her arm with Stefan's before heading off to the school, tickets in hand.

Lucy grinned in satisfaction when they stepped onto the red carpet that would lead them to the gym where the dance was taking place, proud of her and Caroline for pulling such a thing off. The walkway was lined in television screens, each one playing a different slideshow of all the pictures that Lucy—with Stefan's help, of course—had scanned.

Despite the fact that she had already seen the completed work of decorations, her eyes stung with tears as she gazed upon it. Tonight was her last high school dance with her friends and it made her so emotional. Logically, she knew that she would keep in contact with Matt, Bonnie, and—of course—Caroline, but it was the ending of an era.

"This looks great," Stefan told her as they walked down the carpet; he came to a stop, his eyebrows lit up in amusement. "Is that you and Caroline?"

The picture he was talking about was from the summer before freshmen year, right after cheerleading tryouts. Fourteen-year-old Caroline and thirteen-year-old Lucy were standing side-by-side with big cheesy grins while holding out their letters of acceptance. Lucy smiled; she remembered that day and how they were so excited for the new adventure ahead of them.

"Yeah," Lucy confirmed before sharing the story with him; Stefan responded with a sweet smile.

They started walking again, only to stop a few screens down. This time the picture was of them at the Founder's Day celebration the year before. In all honestly, Lucy didn't remember taking a picture but Caroline must have taken it without them noticing. It showed Lucy, a daisy painted on her cheek, painting a sun onto Stefan's. Lucy hadn't noticed that night, but the way Stefan was looking at her, it was clear that he didn't think of her as just a friend at that time.

"That night was the first night I realized I had feelings for you," Stefan confessed, pressing his lips to her head.

Lucy raised her head to look at him. "Are you serious?" he nodded. "Babe, that was the night that I realized I had feelings for you."

Stefan smiled gently. "We wasted so much time."

Lucy shook her head; yes, if they had known that they had feelings for each other way back then, it would have been nice, but Stefan was also still in love with Elena at that point. It was the way things went that eventually brought her and Stefan together and though they had some tough times, Lucy was happy with how it turned out. She loved Stefan with all of her heart and she knew that he felt the same.

"We have all the time in the world," Lucy stated earnestly.

Stefan smiled and raised her hand to his lips, gently kissing the back of it. Lucy grinned back at him but stiffened when the picture of them faded into a picture of her, Jeremy, and Elena the first day of her sophomore year and Jeremy's freshmen year.

Tears stung her eyes as she stared at the screen. She wished that Jeremy was there. She wished she had her brother back.

Stefan squeezed her hand, bringing her back to herself. She gave him a watery smile. "Let's go in."

The inside of the gym was just as nicely decorated as the outside. A stage had been built at the far end, the scoreboard was covered with a lovely piece of ivory satin cloth, and the small circular tables that filled up every space but the dance floor, stage, and food and drink area were set up like a five-star restaurant. She and Caroline had thought of everything, including a photo booth were the official photographer was set up for pictures, and favors that were red t-shirts with all of the seniors' names written in on them rolled up tightly with a bow.

Lucy and Stefan met up with Bonnie and Matt, who both looked amazing, and shared a few minutes, telling them that Caroline had called Lucy—Elena had stolen her dress and now she had to borrow one from Klaus—to explain that she was going to be late. They took a few pictures together before Stefan pulled her out onto the dance floor.

She smiled when she heard the start of one of her favorite Ed Sheeran songs.

_It's just another night_

_And I'm staring at the moon_

_I saw a shooting star_

_And I thought of you..._

Lucy rested her chin on Stefan's shoulder, listening to the slow but calm beat of his heart. The feel of his skin as he intertwined their fingers, the way he hummed along to the song, the way his hand was splayed against her waist. She was so enthralled by Stefan Salvatore. She didn't even think that it was possible to love a person so much but now she knew that it was. She loved Stefan that much.

And the best part of loving him so much was that he loved her just as much. She would never doubt his love for her, ever. There had been many women before her but he had told her that he was just waiting for her. He told her that once and Lucy believed; the amount of truth and love in his voice told her all she needed to know.

Their love was like the sun. It was bright and warm and when the earth died, it would still be burning.

_So open your eyes and see_

_The way our horizons meet_

_And all of the lights will lead_

_Into the night with me..._

"I love you, Stefan," she whispered to him, pulling away from his shoulder to face him. "I will love you, always and forever."

"Always and forever," he hummed back, his lips quirking. "Isn't that a Mikaelson thing?"

Lucy shrugged and laughed lightly. "I guess it is. I am one, you know."

"Mmhm," he smiled. "Well, then, I will love you, always and forever, too."

_And I know that these scars will bleed_

_But both of our hearts believe_

_All of these stars will guide us home..._

Lucy beamed at him, tears in her eyes, and paused their movement so she could pull him into a kiss. It wasn't a heavy, passionate kiss that would lead them to the bedroom. No, it was gentle and loving and everything that Lucy could ever ask for.

God, she loved him so much.

When their kiss ended, Stefan smirked playfully at her and held out his arm, quickly twirling her out and then back into him. Lucy laughed and did the same to him, finding that he was just so, so handsome when he let go and had fun. Lucy craved that smile; it was her favorite dimpled grin that he gave out only once in a while. And she didn't want to boast, but most of those times it was for her and her only.

The Ed Sheeran song bled into another and after three songs, they were still dancing. When Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO came on, the greatest moment of Lucy's life happened. Stefan kept in step with her as she danced to the song and even started "shuffling" when the song told them too. Lucy had almost broken into tears because she was laughing so hard and she was so happy.

They left the dance floor after that so they could meet up with Damon, who had already tried and failed to get Elena to turn her humanity back on. While Damon was complaining about it to Stefan, Lucy's eyes searched the room for her best friend. A grin split her face when she saw her dancing with Joel, looking beautiful in the gown Klaus had given to her to borrow. The two looked cozy together and she could hear that Joel was giving Caroline a little pep talk about Tyler—how he would either come home or he wouldn't and she was strong enough to handle both situations.

Caroline seemed to be taking his words seriously and Lucy wondered if she appreciated her brother's advice. Lucy thought it was nice but she wasn't Caroline. Sure, Lucy knew Caroline better than she knew herself but when it came to relationship troubles, it was hard to know what each other were thinking. Either way, she hoped that Caroline would be happy. That's all she wanted for her.

"So, can you try?" she tuned back into Stefan and Damon's conversation. "You guys used to have a connection."

"I don't know, Damon."

"Look, I know that deep down, she still has feelings for you—"

Lucy's stomach tightened and she clenched her fists when she realized who they were talking about. Despite the fact that before she turned off her humanity, Elena and Damon were basically in a relationship, she still had feelings for Stefan. And now, Damon wanted Stefan to use them against her—whatever that meant. She trusted Stefan but she was ninety percent sure she would never trust Elena again, especially when she didn't have her humanity.

Still, just because Stefan had to try to get Elena to cooperate with them didn't mean that anything was going to happen. If it did, Stefan was more than strong enough to get out of the situation. Elena was like a little puppy when it came to Stefan's strength and power. He was able to take care of himself.

"You should do it," Lucy spoke up.

"See?" Damon pointed at her in agreement. "Listen to your Twitch."

Both Lucy and Stefan rolled their eyes at him.

Stefan gave Lucy a worried look. "Luce..."

"It's fine, Broody," Lucy forced a smile on her face; the look that Stefan gave her told her that he wasn't convinced. "Really, it's fine. You don't need my permission to do anything."

Stefan frowned unhappily but nodded, nevertheless. Lucy gave him another smile and excused herself, telling him and Damon that she was going to get some fresh air. They let her go and soon she was back outside, walking down the red carpet again.

Even though she knew and believed that Stefan loved her it was hard for her to not be affected by what was going on in the school at that moment. Stefan and Elena were together for almost a year and they had been in love—granted, they both had feelings for other people while being together. Either way, she had heard so many people describe Stefan and Elena's relationship as being epic.

A slight rustle of the grass just feet away from her caught her attention. When she turned to see who it was, she was surprised to see Stefan. She cocked her head in confusion; he was supposed to be inside trying to get Elena to turn on her humanity.

"What are you doing outside?" she asked him, making her way to him.

Stefan smiled at her. "I came to see you," he told her. "You look so beautiful."

"Thank you," he had already told her that a couple of times that night but more compliments never really hurt anyone.

"I mean, you don't compare to Elena, but..." he shrugged. "I guess you can't help that she and I were meant to be."

Lucy reared back as if she was slapped. "Excuse me?"

What the hell was he doing? Why was he saying those things?

"The truth, Lucy," Stefan insisted, stepping closer to you. "I mean, Elena is who I came back for and it's who I stayed for. You weren't even a blimp on my radar."

She raised an eyebrow, her mind racing. "And what, I was just some distraction?"

He wasn't being himself.

"You could say that," Stefan nodded casually. "I mean, you and me? Bleh. Me and Elena? Now we were _epic_."

Lucy lifted her chin in realization. Now she knew what was going on. Silas was here and he was messing with her, just like he was messing with Bonnie for those weeks after Jeremy died. He was trying to turn her against Stefan but why? Why would he care about that in the middle of his huge scheme for taking down the Other Side?

"Silas."

"Yep," it was weird to see how casual and loose Silas made Stefan look.

She carefully took a step away from him. "Why are you here?"

"Three reasons. One, I like messing with people. It's so amusing," Silas smirked. "Two, I know that you and your Original sister know where the cure is. And three, I wanted to see you."

"You wanted to see me?" Lucy asked in disbelief. "Why? You killed me."

"In my defense, I didn't know you had vampire blood in your system," Silas defended himself, taking another step toward her; Lucy grimaced and fought to keep herself still. Who knew what Silas could do to her? "And I came to convince you that this thing with Stefan isn't going to work out."

"Did I miss the memo that said you were psychic or something? Stefan and I are great and in love, thank you very much."

"Sure, you're in love," Silas rolled his eyes. "But I wasn't lying. I heard your thoughts and you weren't lying either. Stefan and Elena were epic...You and me, on the other hand, we were...hey, what's more than epic?"

Lucy shook her head, bewildered. "Silas, what the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the fact that I have been waiting to see you for two thousand years, Lucilla. Every time you were born again, I could feel it. Every time that you died, I could feel it. I was in that tomb for more than enough lifetimes and when I wasn't thinking about destroying the Other Side, I was thinking about you."

"You're lying," Lucy spat; there was no way that Silas had loved _her_ all those years ago.

"I'm not, but I'm sure you'll figure that out soon enough," Silas smirked again and reached for her; she flinched away, taking a couple steps away from him. "I can see you're not ready but that's fine. Thank you for giving me the location of the cure, Lucilla."

Lucy blinked and then he was gone.


	75. Teaming Up with Bonnie and Kit

**[4x21; She's Come Undone + 4x22]**

**[A/N; Sexy Times Ahead.]**

_Once, when Lucy was sitting in a waiting room for her appointment with her counselor, she read an article in a magazine that holding hands with another person could stimulate more serotonin in a person's brain. She was twelve years old and she didn't think that kind of thing would make a person happier. But then she thought about it and she discovered that the article was right; she would hold her mom's hand when crossing a street or hug her dad before bed and she always felt loved. Even a simple high-five from Joel or Jeremy could make her happy._

_Somehow, Lucy doubted that the article in the kid-friendly magazine she had read had what was happening in mind when they published it. The guttural moan that escaped from Stefan's mouth confirmed her suspicions. This was definitely not what they had in mind, but hey—she had plenty of serotonin running in her system at the moment._

"_Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Stefan gasped, tightening the grip he had on Lucy's face, his fingertips leaving painless bruises that would heal within seconds._

_Lucy smirked as best as she could when her lips were wrapped around his cock and lifted her head only a little, firmly pressing the flat of her tongue against him before swirling it around the tip of him. She hummed at the slightly salty taste of his pre-cum and Stefan grunted, blissed from the vibration of the action. With more pressure from his hand, she was sucking him back into the whole of her mouth until his tip reached the back of her throat and her nose was buried in the trimmed curls at the base of his cock._

_Blowjobs were a lot easier now that she was a vampire. She didn't need to breathe as much as when she was a human and the velvety taste and feel of Stefan was magnified. The best part of it, though—other than bringing Stefan down to his knees in pleasure with just her mouth—was that he didn't have to be gentle with her. It didn't hurt when he fucked her face or when he pulled her hair when he was on the brink of cumming. Even when he was gentle—like how his free hand was intertwined with hers, squeezing it lovingly from time to time—it lit her whole body on fire._

"_Shit, Lucy—" Stefan hissed as she lathered her tongue against the vein that ran through his shaft._

_Lucy moaned back at him and then she was pulled off of him. In a blur—in reality, it was half a second, but seemed like more to them—Lucy was sitting on Stefan's lap and their mouths were practically smashed together in a mix of lips, teeth, and tongue. The pleasurable stinging in Lucy's lower half that had been there since Stefan woke her up with his tongue grew as she ground herself against him, her slick wetting his cock enough that he could slip into her without difficulty._

"_Stefann…oh, fuck," she whined breathlessly as the tip of his cock pressed against her clit. "want you…"_

_Stefan's teeth clamped down on her bottom lips, pulling it tantalizingly, as he lifted her up with no issue and slid himself into her core. They both let out simultaneous moans as they connected, their mouths coming together messily._

_Her fingertips gripped the back of his head, tangling with his soft hair, as she started moving her hips, riding him and meeting his thrusts on each beat. Her neck tingled from the sensation of his lips pressing hot open-mouthed kisses on her skin, his teeth occasionally scraping against her flesh._

_Sex with Stefan…there wasn't really a word for it. It was more than any adjectives that Lucy could think of. She didn't want to sound like a sex addict but…well, she craved Stefan all the time. If he licked his lips, she was turned on. If he tapped his long fingers against his thigh, she was turned on. If he smiled, she was turned on; if he even looked at her, she was turned on and ready to rip his clothes off. She would have been embarrassed if Stefan wasn't the same way; more often than not, when she approached him for a little alone time, he was hard and ready to sink into her._

_And the intimacy of it was all she could dream of. Even when they were fucking, desperate for relief, every movement was special, every touch was loving. They poured their hearts out with each touch, sigh, or moan. It wasn't just when they shared I-love-yous that they felt it; it was every moment, every second. Lucy was addicted to Stefan and his love and Stefan was just as addicted to her._

_With pressure building in her core, sending pleasurable tingles throughout her body, Lucy threw her head back and moaned. The slight aching in her gums and ripples coming up under her eyes were in plain sight for Stefan to see and the promise of what that meant had his hips moving faster, harder, fucking the gasps and sighs that he oh-so cherished out of her as his own vampire features started showing._

_When Stefan had first told Lucy about blood-sharing they were at the church memorial for the members of the council. She had been turned on then and that was when she absolutely hated blood. Now that she was a vampire, it drove her—the both of them, really—wild. The sinking of sharp teeth into tender flesh, the soothing rush of blood that ran down throats, the taste of your lover with all the hormones that came with having sex pumping through their blood. It was heaven, to put it simply._

_It wasn't the first time they shared blood and it wouldn't be the last time, either. It was something that they both enjoyed and the boost that it gave their sex life was like nirvana. A-positive was Lucy's preferred human blood but Stefan's blood was and would always be her ultimate favorite._

_With fangs in sensitive skin and mouths covered in blood, Lucy and Stefan came in unison, pleasure bursting through their bodies. Each breath of oxygen that went through Lucy's lungs had her sensitive nipples pressed against Stefan's bare chest and the gentle kisses he gave her healing neck had her aftershocks of her orgasm threatening to turn into something more._

"_Mm," she sighed as she buried her head into Stefan's neck, his leftover blood from his healed wound smearing against her face. "love you."_

_Stefan's hands, one at the top of her back and the other on her ass, squeezed her gently. "I love you," he returned softly and kissed the sensitive spot below her ear for emphasis. "so, so much."_

"Lucy."

Lucy blinked rapidly for a second before she focused on Bonnie on the opposite of the booth, giving the witch her full attention. "Sorry, Bon," she apologized as she grabbed her newly delivered milkshake and took a sip. "What were you saying?"

"I asked you if you told anyone what we're doing?" Bonnie raised her eyebrows expectantly.

"No, I didn't," Lucy shook her head. "If anyone finds out…"

"Then Silas knows," Bonnie finished knowingly. "and the whole plan goes up in flames."

They wouldn't want that at all.

The morning after prom, in which Elena had tried to kill Bonnie and Bonnie almost killed her in return, Bonnie had shown up at Lucy's apartment with a proposition. Not only had she apologized for her actions after Kol was killed but she brought up a way to make it up to Lucy. At first, Lucy had been reluctant, but then she heard Bonnie's plan.

Bonnie would go through with Silas' plan but earlier than what was planned. She would need Lucy's help—her magic, really—to bring down the veil between their world and the Other Side so that Bonnie would be able to talk to Qetsiyah (the witch would made Silas immortal in the first place). Then, not only would they find a way to neutralize Silas, but they would bring Jeremy and Kol back from the dead.

Bringing Kol back was the peace offering and honestly, Lucy couldn't think of a better one. She had agreed to the proposition without a thought and though she hadn't totally forgiven Bonnie, the plan was a massive start.

She'd have two of her brothers back.

The only part of the plan that Lucy was reluctant about was Katherine. Bonnie needed the power of Qetsiyah's blood in order to contact her on the Other Side and that meant that they needed the headstone that Professor Shane had traded to the locals on the island off of Nova Scotia. Now, neither Lucy nor Bonnie were geniuses but they were smart enough to know that Katherine had left that island with more than the cure.

It was bad enough that Lucy was in the diner surrounded by delicious smelling humans and she had to control her blood lust that was always at the back of her mind but now she had to work harder to control her magic. At the moment, Katherine brought out a side of her that just felt the need to use her magic and snap her neck without moving a finger.

Speak of the devil and she shall appear; Katherine arrived at that moment, a smirk on her lips as she shimmied into the spot that Lucy had left open next to her. Despite the fact that she was furious with the older vampire, it did warm her heart that she came running as soon as Lucy called her.

"Lucia, Bon-Bon," Katherine's voice was decidedly softer when greeting her little sister compared to Bonnie. "What a pleasure. I was told that I'd get a little something if I met you in this cliché diner."

Lucy rolled her eyes at the disgust in Katherine's voice as she looked around the diner just outside of Mystic Falls that was decorated in a classic 50's theme. "Calm down, Kit," she sighed. "You'll get what you came for it you cooperate."

"Really?" Katherine quirked an eyebrow at Bonnie.

Bonnie nodded. "Yep," her phone started ringing; the picture that showed up on her screen told them that it was Caroline. "Hello?"

"_Bonnie, why are you and Lucy at the 50's diner?"_ Caroline asked abruptly.

Bonnie and Lucy shared a knowing look before she spoke into the phone. "You used that location app, didn't you?"

"_Well, most vampires can't do a location spell_," Caroline retorted. "_Anyway, I left you guys a million messages."_

"Lucy's helping me with french," Bonnie lied and Lucy grimaced; she took Spanish. "We still have final exams, remember?"

"_Ugh, don't remind me_," Caroline scoffed in disgust. _"Look, this whole thing with Elena, it's about to get brutal and I know that she doesn't deserve help from either of you, but I could really use you guys for moral support."_

"Do you need moral support or do you just want to make sure that Silas isn't messing with me?" Bonnie countered.

"_Honestly, both_," Caroline answered truthfully, making Lucy shake her head in amusement.

"I'm fine, okay?" Bonnie assured her. "Silas doesn't control me anymore. I'll pass on the invite, too. Elena tried to kill me. I'm not quite ready to forgive and forget."

"And I would rather die than be in the same house as her," Lucy added, knowing that Caroline would be able to hear her.

There was a reason she lived in her apartment as opposed to the Boarding House.

"We'll call you later," Bonnie told Caroline before she could say anything else. "I gotta go."

Bonnie ended the call and set her phone back on the table.

Katherine clicked her tongue at Bonnie. "Lying, scheming, and a secret rendezvous with moi?" she asked, impressed. "Not very Bonnie Bennett-y, especially when Elena needs her favorite witch."

"Who gives a fuck what Elena needs?" Lucy muttered as she rolled her eyes.

"This has nothing to do with them," Bonnie told Katherine. "This is between you, me, and Lucy."

"Well, luckily for you, you brought my favorite sister into this and I have some spare time," Katherine folded her arms over her chest. "That offer that I can't refuse…what do you have in mind?"

Bonnie let Lucy explain what they needed from Katherine, knowing that the vampire would be more receptive to her. Lucy kept the explanation simple, leaving out the whole part of the plan except for Silas' headstone. If Katherine knew about the rest, she'd tuck tail and run off.

Katherine pursed her lips when Lucy was finished, looking between her and Bonnie. "Let me get this straight, you want me to hand over Silas' tombstone?" she scoffed. "What makes you think I even have it?"

"We know you took it from the island," Lucy sighed. "and I know you, Kit. You'd never leave it behind for the simple fact that you're a scavenger."

Katherine shrugged, letting Lucy know that she was right. "So, you two are working for Silas now, huh? Running errands for the big bad immortal."

"Neither of us switched sides," Bonnie said firmly. "In two days, there'll be a full moon. Silas wants me to harness its power to drop the veil between our side and the Other side. He wants to take the cure and then he wants to die—"

Lucy bit her lip; knowing what she learned from Silas at the prom, the whole thing unsettled her. According to the first immortal himself, she was the reason he wanted to take the cure and die. Where the Other Side came in, she didn't know. Either she wasn't a siphon in her first life or Silas didn't know she was supernatural like him.

The whole living-at-the-same-time-as-Silas reveal was much more confusing than when she found out about her life as a Mikaelson or as a Petrova. For one, she had yet to have any flashbacks or memories as Lucilla—that was what Silas had called her, which was not as pretty as Luciana, Lucia, or Lucy, thank you very much—two, why would she have an affair with a man who was engaged? It didn't sound like her. Three, which was a little mortifying, was the fact that she was technically two thousand years old. Talk about a cougar situation…

"I said I'd help him," Bonnie continued. "and I've been hiding from him ever since, buying time."

Katherine hummed and then glanced at Lucy. "What's Lucia's part in all of this? Silas was the one who killed her, after all."

"She and I have our own deal," Bonnie caught Lucy's eye, both of them slightly smiling at the other. "but she'll be giving me a boost of magic."

"All right, fine, whatever," Katherine sighed. "but what do you even need time for?"

"You don't need to worry about it," Bonnie told her. "You just need to bring us the tombstone."

Katherine was unimpressed. "It's a hunk of rock. What do you even want with it?"

Lucy sighed. "The less you know about the whole thing, the better," she stated. "Silas is psychic. He can get into people's heads, read their minds, and make them see things that aren't really there. It's horrible."

As Katherine rested her head against her head, Bonnie added, "I'm taking a big enough risk bringing you and Lucy in."

"Okay, then, how do I know if either of you aren't him?"

"As far as we know, he can't make more than one person see what he wants them to see," Lucy informed her. So, if Bonnie was Silas, one of us would know. Same thing for you or me."

"He can't get into my head, anyway," Bonnie stated. "I'm the only one who can see his true face."

Katherine stiffed and pursed her lips. "What's in it for me?"

"Bring us the tombstone, help us stop Silas from unleashing hell on earth," there was no nonsense in Bonnie's voice; she and Lucy already knew what to give Katherine in exchange for her help. All they had to do was contact Qetsiyah. "Believe me, I'll make it worth your while."

Lucy slammed her the top drawer of her dresser shut and let out a hiss of annoyance as she went a little too hard, the drawer cracking in half. It felt like this was the one thing that was going to set her off after a long day of bad things. Nothing was going right and right now, it seemed like it was the end of the world.

Everything was going to shit. Matt wasn't passing some of his classes, Katherine let Elena out of the safe that Joel and Damon were keeping her in, Caroline was being tortured by Silas, Silas had almost killed Liz, and Damon had killed Matt.

If it hadn't been for that stupid Gilbert ring that Matt kept on his finger after Jeremy's insistence, he would be gone. Forever. And damn it if that didn't make her heart ache. She couldn't handle another loss. She had lost so many people; three sets of parents, an aunt, an uncle, four brothers, and although Elena wasn't dead, their relationship was. She couldn't lose one of her best friends, either. Not sweet, kindhearted Matt; the only human left of them.

She had to keep telling herself that everyone was safe. Matt was safely tucked away in the Lockwood mansion, Liz was all healed up with Caroline's blood, Bonnie had met up with Silas so he would stop terrorizing Caroline, Rebekah was back to being herself, and she was in her apartment by herself, where no one would walk in to see what a mess she was.

She quickly took a shower and changed into her pajamas, ready to go to sleep and forget the whole day. However, when she left the bathroom, her boyfriend was waiting for her on her bed. Apparently he had let himself in while she was showering.

"Hey," he greeted her with a gentle smile, his eyes flitted over her face. Paired with the look on her face, the smile, that look more like a grimace, that she gave him clued him in on the fact that she wasn't her usual happy self. "Are you okay, Luce?"

Lucy honestly didn't know how to respond. She loved Stefan so much but right now, she just wanted to be alone. Because looking at him reminded her of Damon, who had killed Matt all in the name of getting Elena to turn her humanity back on. And it also didn't help the fact that Stefan was there with Damon and Joel when it happened, and they just stood to the side and let the older vampire do whatever the hell he wanted.

She could have just kept her mouth shut about her anger but honestly, she didn't want to. She didn't want to hold resentment for Stefan. She just wanted them to argue, forgive each other, and then move on.

"Honestly, Stefan, I'm pretty mad," she told him, picking out a bottle of lotion and sitting at the edge of her bed. She didn't have to put on lotion anymore, but it was routine for her after her shower and it soothed her by keeping some things the same way they were before.

"Okay," Stefan nodded calmly; he had figured she would be upset about Matt's temporary death. "You're mad about Matt?"

Lucy wished he wasn't calm; she wished he was upset like she was. "Yes, about Matt!" she grunted in frustration. "Why on earth would you allow Damon to kill him?"

"He volunteered."

"_He volunteered_?" she repeated with a scoff and shook her head. "Maybe because he's messed up when it comes to Elena. He blames himself for what happened the night she became a vampire, even though he had no fault. Come on, Stefan, you know that this is messed up!"

"I know it is!" Stefan rose to his feet in order to pace in front of her, keeping a lid on his frustration. Something about the fact that Lucy was so upset on behalf of Matt bugged him. "But what am I supposed to do? I can't control Damon. Especially when it comes to Elena."

"Fuck Elena! Contrary to popular belief, the world does not revolve around her," Lucy squeezed the bottle of lotion a little too tight, making it explode. She hardly noticed as she went on, "No one's life is expendable, especially not for her. And you know what, I'm _so_ sick of the fact that every bad thing your brother does is for Elena! He snapped Jeremy's _neck_ because she rejected him, he killed Ric because he wouldn't stay away from her, he helped kill two of my brothers, and now Matt! It's not okay, Stefan. Why can't you see that?"

God, she was so sick of Damon Salvatore. And she couldn't see why Stefan wasn't. Damon made most of his 160-odd years a living hell, he killed almost every member of the Salvatore family, he killed Lexi, and he had even tried to kill Stefan on numerous occasions. She just couldn't understand the loyalty Stefan still had for him, after everything.

"I do see it. I see it, Luce," Stefan shot back, still calm. He understood what she meant, of course he did. And he didn't fault her for how she felt, especially when she and so many people around her—the people she loved—had been affected by Damon's cruelty. "but he's my brother."

Lucy closed her eyes and clenched both of her hands into fists, trying to control the rush of emotions (sadness—because Stefan deserved a better brother than Damon—anger, and frustration) trying to claim her. So far, she had been controlling her magic but she needed to take a second because now, it was threatening to burst out of her and she absolutely didn't want to hurt Stefan on accident.

She was able to control herself, thankfully. Tears leaked from her eyes as she opened them and looked at Stefan head-on. "I don't want to be around your brother anymore," her voice wobbled. She had come to the decision pretty easily, but it was telling Stefan that hurt more than anything. She didn't want to ruin their relationship. "After graduation, I'm going to Duke and I'm going to stay far away from him."

"Luce…"

"I'm not asking you to choose," Lucy wanted to make that clear; she wasn't that kind of person. "but I'm just letting you know. And for the record, you deserve a lot better than Damon."

Now that she had said her peace, she felt calmer. There was no ultimatum, there was no choice. She was going to Duke, Stefan would join her—they had both already received their acceptance letters—and she would live her life as Damon-free as possible.

The emotion on Stefan's face, however, made her a little apprehensive. His eyebrows were furrowed, his mouth in a thin line, and his forest-green eyes were cast to the floor. She knew Stefan, though, almost more than he knew himself; he wasn't angry and he wasn't sad, he was just confused and maybe he didn't know how to feel.

Wiping her lotion-covered hands on her thighs, Lucy stood up and crossed over to him. "Stefan," she grabbed his right hand and kissed the back of it; his eyes shot up to her face. "It's okay."

"I don't know what to do," he admitted as he bent his head in order to rest his forehead against hers. "He's my brother."

"I know he is," Lucy's voice was soothing, her lips still moving against the back of his hand. "I just…"

"I know," his lips quirked only a little. "I think I'm gonna go for a run."

"I love you."

"I love you, too," Stefan promised, placing a quick but loving kiss on her lips.

It was only a moment or so after Stefan left that her door opened and Katherine walked in. She definitely had to start locking her door at all times.

"Well, that was dramatic," Katherine drawled, shutting the door behind her. "Not exactly a lovers quarrel but still dramatic. I don't blame you about Damon, though. He's the human embodiment of poison."

Lucy rolled her eyes at her sister and wandered over to the kitchen in order to grab some paper towels. "What do you want, Kit?"

"I wanted to get some more info about this whole Silas thing and what you and Bonnie are exactly planning to do," Katherine made herself comfortable on Lucy's couch. "I'm perfectly aware that the tombstone isn't just a hunk of rock."

Lucy sent her a sarcastic look as she started cleaning the lotion off of the floor by her bed. "Really? I had no idea."

Katherine rolled her eyes. "So, it got me thinking…All big spells require a source of power; a recurring element like a full moon or a comet but that tombstone is filled with the blood of Bonnie's ancient relative, Kit-soo-yay, or whatever."

"_Qetsiyah_."

Katherine ignored Lucy's correction. "She was powerful enough to create the Other Side, so maybe if you and Bonnie have her blood, you don't need a full moon to drop the veil. Maybe you two can do it whenever you want."

"A plus for Katerina Petrova," Lucy hopped to her feet and threw away the paper towels.

"The thing that I figure out is why you two want to drop the veil at all?"

"Bonnie has her reasons and I have mine," Lucy told her without giving away their plan to kill Silas and resurrect Jeremy and Kol.

Katherine pursed her lips and nodded slightly. "And again, I ask, what's in it for me?"

"You'll get the one thing you want most in the world," Lucy told her with a small smile. "Freedom, survival, never having to run from anyone again," Katherine gave her an intrigued look. "Once we've dropped the veil, Bonnie can speak with Qetsiyah. She created the spell that made Silas truly immortal, invulnerable to any weapon."

Katherine sat taller, a smile spreading her red lips.

"So, are you in, Kit?"

Katherine smirked widely. "We have a deal, Lucia."


	76. Dropping the Veil

**[4x22; The Walking Dead]**

Lucy paced in her kitchen, her eyes darting to the clock on the oven every now and then as she waited for Klaus and Elijah to arrive. They were supposed to be there any moment but she was becoming impatient. Their visit was very important.

The night before, once Katherine had left, Lucy traveled to Klaus' house—yes, she was still in her pajamas—and had a very important conversation with her two older brothers. She told them where she and Bonnie were planning to do with Silas and how she was going to bring Kol back to life. To say that Klaus and Elijah had mixed emotions was an understatement. Of course, both of them were glad that Kol was going to be back, but they were apprehensive about the fact that she was not only plotting against Silas, the man that had killed her, but she was teaming up with Bonnie, who had betrayed them before.

Lucy told them that she actually believed that Bonnie was being honest when she said she would help her. Bonnie was too sincere to be lying and she wasn't the greatest actor, anyway. If she didn't want to help you, you would know. When Lucy finally calmed Klaus and Elijah down, she informed them that they needed to get out of town before the veil was dropped so there wouldn't be anyone out for revenge—It was mainly Klaus she was warning.

They both agreed with her and now she was waiting for them to drop by with the ingredients she needed to bring back Kol before they left town; Esther's grimoire and Kol's ashes. Luckily, Klaus had went through with his promise to copy Esther's spells for her and she was now going to be able to add the Mikaelson grimoire to her collection.

When there was a polite knock on the door, she sped over and opened it, allowing her brothers to come inside.

"Little sister," Klaus greeted her with a smile, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead as he moved along, allowing Elijah to enter behind him.

"Hello, Luciana," Elijah added, wrapping her up into a casual hug.

Lucy happily reciprocated Elijah's hug and then smiled at the both of them. "I'm glad you guys are here," she told them. "Where are you guys gonna go while we do this?"

"We're not going anywhere," Elijah stated firmly; Lucy gave him a shocked look and glanced at Klaus, who nodded in agreement with his brother.

"You won't be safe—"

"We're original vampires, love," Klaus rolled his blue eyes. "As I am in possession of the white oak stake, currently nothing can kill us or Rebekah."

"But—"

"Besides, we can't miss both of our little sister graduating from high school," he smirked at her. "Did you finish your speech yet?"

Lucy nodded as she grinned at the both of them, her heart bursting with appreciation and love. She loved her siblings so much and was so glad that she was able to meet them in this lifetime. They held a special place in her heart that, despite already having siblings, made her feel whole. Elijah, Klaus, Kol, and Rebekah were there for her and they loved her unconditionally.

It would be very hard to leave them in order to go to Duke. Then again, they had the rest of eternity to spend together. They'd make it through.

Just outside of town, in the Salvatore Boarding House, Stefan stood in his bedroom, bored out of his mind as he watched Elena go at the dusty old punching bag he dug out of storage. Why she had to use it in his room, he had no idea. It was already bad enough that he was the one instructing her how to get all of her frustration for Katherine out on the bag, but Joel just had to be at the school to set up for the graduation ceremony the next day and Damon wasn't up for it—which was just annoying; after all, Elena was _his_ girlfriend.

Frankly, Stefan didn't want to be around Elena. Sure, he was glad she turned her humanity back on but now that it was, he was just relieved that he didn't have to help Damon and Joel scramble around to fix her. He should have been with Lucy the past few months, helping her adjust to being a vampire with magic. His stomach felt heavy with guilt just thinking about it.

The conversation they had the night before weighed heavily on his mind. Lucy didn't want to be around Damon—and, he suspected, Elena—anymore and he didn't blame her one bit. He didn't care about not seeing Elena again, not after all she had done to Lucy, but Damon was another story. Yes, he knew everything that Damon had done to him and yes, he held a resentment for him, but he was still his big brother. Of course, they had been separated for the better half of their vampire lives but he still remembered their human lives with clarity and he and Damon had been good then.

But just because Lucy didn't want to be around Damon, didn't mean that he had to stay away. Even Lucy had told him that—and God, he was so appreciative about the fact that she told him that he didn't have to choose (his girl was the best in the world). He loved Lucy so, so much and he'd do anything for her.

His eyes darted to the top drawer of his dresser, where he had hidden his recent purchases. It was only a matter of time now.

Seeing the punching bag swing toward him out of the corner of his eye, he held up his hand and stopped it from hitting him in the face. He raised an impatient eyebrow toward Elena. "And?"

"That did nothing for me," Elena said smartly. "How was it for you?"

Stefan fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Again," he picked up one of the cement blocks Joel thought might be of use and held it out so she could kick through it. It crumbled in his hands as soon as she made contact. "All right, focus on letting it go."

"Or we could skip the sublimating part and you can tell me where she is so that I can rip her head off," Elena countered.

"I don't know where Katherine is and even if I did, I wouldn't tell you," Stefan repeated these specific words for what felt like the million time. Elena just wouldn't understand that Stefan wasn't going to stand by and let her kill yet another of Lucy's siblings. She'd already lost enough because of her.

Elena scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Stefan, you were the one who told me to channel all of my emotions into one single feeling—"

"Uh, I'm pretty sure I wasn't," Stefan corrected. "and I think Joel thought that you would focus on compassion or guilt, not unwavering hatred for a ruthless vampire that's five hundred years older than you."

"You wanted to kill Klaus when you got your emotions back."

"No, I gave that up when I realized how much that would hurt Lucy," he said pointedly; God, was she delusional or was she just having memory problems? "Even if I did want to kill him, I couldn't have."

Elena gave him a hurt look. "You don't think I can kill Katherine?"

"No, I don't," Stefan's blunt words made Elena scowl. "and I don't Lucy will let you, either."

"I doubt she'd be able to stop me," Elena scoffed as she went to punch the bag again.

Stefan quickly stopped her, unable to keep his frustration to himself. "What the hell is wrong with you, Elena? You already ruined your relationship with your sister. She doesn't want anything to do with you. Is that what you want? To spend the rest of your life estranged from your little sister?"

He studied her face, watching as her eyes darted to the floor guiltily. Good; he didn't want to sugarcoat anything. After the way that Elena has treated Lucy for the past year, she deserved to feel guilty. She deserved to be confronted with all the grief, hurt, anger, and suffering Lucy went through because of her.

"Katherine killed Jeremy," she weakly tried to protest.

He could see that he was getting somewhere with her and he was glad. Before he and Damon came to Mystic Falls, it seemed like Lucy and Elena had a good relationship, despite all of the squabbling that siblings do. That probably get back there again, but maybe if Elena apologized and changed her ways, they could get some of it back.

"And think about how much that hurts you," he urged; Elena grimaced. "Do you really want to put Lucy through losing another sibling?"

He hoped that she would see reason because if she didn't, he was going to have to stop her himself.

_**Carebear**__: Where are you? You're supposed to help me with thank you cards!_

_**Lucy-Goosey**__: I can't right now. Can I come over tonight? We can spend the last night of high school together!_

_**Carebear**__: Deal!_

Lucy slipped her phone back into her pocket and glanced over at Bonnie, hoping that she hadn't disturbed her concentration. While they waited for Katherine to show up at the site where Caroline had killed the twelve witches. Bonnie had wanted to meditate in order to get herself ready to bring down the veil.

Lucy, herself, was ready to go. She drank her daily dose of blood and packed some more in her bag in case she needed to replenish her strength. She was fired up and ready to see her brothers again; by the end of the night, they would both be alive and safe.

That was pretty much what she was focusing on, instead of the many supernatural creatures that would probably hunt them all down for revenge.

"Could you be any creepier?" Katherine's voice came from behind her and Bonnie; Lucy turned to her. "Why are we here

An annoyed look crossed Bonnie's face as she opened her eyes and stood up, facing Katherine. "You want me to make you truly immortal so that nothing can kill you. To do that, I need to talk to Qetsiyah, which means Lucy and I need to lower the veil to the Other Side."

"That still doesn't explain why you made me trudge through mud in five hundred-dollar boots," Katherine grumped.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "You could have worn cheaper shoes, Kit," she chided and pointed to her right. "A few miles that way, twelve hybrids were killed at the Lockwood cellar. And a few miles that way," she pointed in the opposite direction. "twelve humans died at the Young farm."

"And this is the site where twelve witches were killed," Bonnie finished for her.

"Thirteen if you don't get to the point," Katherine snarked.

"It's the expression triangle," Bonnie informed her. "We need to charge all three points and channel the mystical energy from Silas' tombstone. Once that happens, Lucy and I can drop the veil inside the three points. Just long enough to get what we need."

"And what exactly do you need?" the oldest doppelganger raised an eyebrow at them.

Lucy and Bonnie exchanged vengeful looks.

"Silas has done nothing but torment my friends—"

"He killed me," Lucy added, pointing to herself.

Bonnie nodded at her and continued, "Now, he wants to unleash hell on earth. He's evil. In two thousand years, only one person has been able to put him down."

Katherine sighed, like the whole conversation bored her. "Let me guess, Qetsiyah."

Lucy gave her a sarcastic thumb's up, which earned her an eyeroll from her older sister.

"If I can contact her, I can ask her how to do it," Bonnie got to the point. "Now, give us the rock."

"You're gonna flood Mystic Falls with dead, supernatural creatures so that you can ask a two-thousand-year-old witch not one but two favors?" Katherine laughed mockingly. "I think I'll take my business elsewhere."

She went to leave but was abruptly stopped by the spell that Lucy put on her, keeping her linked to Bonnie.

Katherine scowled at them. "What the fuck?"

"I linked you and Bonnie," Lucy said matter-of-factly. "Which means you're stuck with us for the day."

"Silas can be anyone," Bonnie smirked at her. "If he gets in your head and figures out that I don't need a full moon to do the spell, it's over."

Lucy grinned. "So, how about that tombstone, Kit?"

Lucy ignored another call that Stefan had given her and completely shut off her phone. This was his fourth call and she had sent them all to voicemail. She wasn't mad at him or anything but she and Bonnie had to have complete focus if they were going to bring down the veil within the expression triangle. Katherine was already distraction enough.

The sun had set while she, Bonnie, and Katherine made their way to the Lockwood cellar. It was the first time Lucy had been there while a vampire and before, she hadn't understood the discomfort that Stefan and Caroline had shown. She did now; the smell of wet dog had never smelt more horrendous in her life. It was sweaty and earthy and oh-so gross. It actually made her kind of nauseous, which she had thought wasn't possible as a vampire.

Katherine felt the same way. "Ugh, that old Lockwood cellar reeks of wet dog," she crossed her arms and stood her ground as Lucy and Bonnie started climbing down the stairs. "I'll be staying up here."

"You obviously don't know how this works," Bonnie stepped off the stairs and into the cellar; Katherine was forcefully pulled onto the stairs, where she was dragged down behind Bonnie.

Lucy laughed and continued on ahead of them, lighting the various candles laying around with her magic. She and Katherine could see in the dark but Bonnie didn't have that privilege.

"You realize that I'm not just some wandering child in a supermarket, right?" Katherine grumped. "I'm a vampire that can kill you."

"Play nice, Katerina," Lucy choked down a laugh at the scowl her sister gave her. "And whatever happens to Bonnie, happens to you."

Bonnie glared at Katherine. "Do you really think I want you here?"

"And what is here?" Katherine sassed her. "Oh, right. Twelve dead hybrids. This should be good."

Lucy sighed and went to Bonnie's side, both of them joining hands in order to link the cellar to the site where the witches had died.

Both of them closing their eyes, they squeezed each other's hands and started chanting in their minds. Though Bonnie had taught Lucy the spell and she had to recite it, really, she was just there to give Bonnie more power. Bonnie was already powerful with her expression magic with Lucy's strength and endless supply of magic, they were a force to be reckoned with.

The wind started picking up above them, sweeping into the cellar until dead leaves were blowing all around them. The metal gates that kept werewolves locked away started swinging, hitting their frames loudly. Eventually, the wind picked up even more, sounding like a tornado, and the candles that Lucy had lit flared up until the flames were licking the cellar's ceiling.

A large swell of power settled itself over Lucy's body and from the way that Bonnie's hands tightened around her own, she had felt it too. They had successfully linked the cellar to the witch site. Now, they had to go to the Young farm and then go to the center of the expression triangle to bring down the veil.

Fifteen minutes later, after leaving the woods and driving through Mystic Falls, which had been blacked out due to Lucy and Bonnie's spell, they arrived at the Young farm. No one was there, which was a given considering its unsafe status, but April Young had left Mystic Falls after the school year ended, anyway.

Lucy and Bonnie set up some emergency lights that Lucy had in her car while Katherine pouted in the corner, unhappy to be in the run-down house.

"This is the Young farm?" she asked in disbelief as Lucy and Bonnie joined hands again.

"Twelve humans burned to death here," Bonnie informed her. "They died in vain for Silas."

They started the spell and much like before, the wind picked up. This time, though, rain had started to fall in heavy sheets that were horribly loud against the roof as the lanterns flashed off. Even more power fell over the two witches (a witch-vampire, in Lucy's case) as they completed the link.

Katherine looked around unsurely. "What did you do?"

"We linked the final hot spot," Lucy locked eyes with Bonnie; they were really doing this, they were almost done, they'd see Jeremy and Kol soon. "It's time to drop the veil."

"The power outages originated at three different places in town," Liz informed Stefan and Damon as the three of them looked down at an aerial map of Mystic Falls. "the Young farm," she circled the location, along with two others, with a red market. "the Lockwood estate, and a blown transformer off Old Miller road."

Stefan's mind raced as he tried to connect the three sites together. He'd been to all three, he knew that. The Young farm, where twelve of the council members died, Klaus had killed twelve hybrids at the cellar, and Caroline had saved Bonnie from twelve witches in the woods off of Old Miller Road.

Shit, shit, shit. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Bonnie was completing the expression triangle. She was dropping the veil.

"These are the locations of the Silas massacres," he told Damon and Liz as he took the marker and completed the triangle. "It's the expression triangle. Bonnie must be doing the spell."

Damon furrowed his eyebrows. "So much for needing a full moon."

"Something else," Liz added, a scared look in her eyes. "One of the power company guys has a daughter who goes to school with Bonnie and Lucy. He saw them leaving the Young farm an hour ago with Elena."

What was Lucy doing with Bonnie? Was she trying to help her bring down the veil or was she trying to stop her? Was she working with Silas? Maybe that was why she was ignoring his calls…

Everything was so fucked up right now.

"Caroline's with Elena," he managed to say, looking over at Damon.

Damon pursed his lips. "Looks like Lucy and Katherine are having girl time with Bonnie."

"So, how do we find them?" Liz wondered.

"Well, they must be somewhere in the triangle," Stefan said. "My guess is right in the middle."

"And where exactly might that be?"

Liz was able to figure out that Mystic Falls High School was smack dab in the middle of the expression triangle. Stefan and Damon had called in all their reinforcements (Elena, Caroline, and Joel) so they could search the school for Lucy, Bonnie, and Katherine. Stefan had even called Klaus in order to tell him about the mess that Lucy had gotten herself into.

"_I already know all of this, Stefan_," Klaus replied, bored with the conversation. "_Luciana has already explained herself to Elijah and I."_

Stefan couldn't believe he could be so blaze about this. "And you think this is safe for her? Klaus, Silas _killed_ her. Who knows how he got her to do this for him?"

There were a few seconds of silence on Klaus' end before he spoke again, "_She's more than capable taking care of herself."_

Stefan sighed and admitted, "I know that."

He was worried about her, though. He wished that she would have confided in him and told him what was going on. He would have been more than willing to help her do whatever she needed to do.

"_She knows what she's doing, Stefan_," Klaus assured him.

They ended the call after that, though Stefan was still worried about the love of his life, despite her older brother trying to calm him down—it was so odd that Klaus was the one to do that, of all people—and went to meet up with Caroline, Elena, and Joel at the school. When they got there, only Joel and Elena were waiting for them.

"Where's Caroline?" Stefan asked loudly so the siblings could hear him over the roar of the wind.

At least the rain had stopped for now.

"Inside looking for Bonnie," Joel answered him.

"I think we should split up," Elena suggested. "Damon, Joel, and I can look outside while you and Caroline look inside."

"All right," Stefan agreed easily. "Let me know if you find anything."

Stefan made his way into the high school and started looking for Caroline on the first floor. He searched though the English and history hallways—each classroom was empty—before heading to the office—which was also empty. It was when he entered the cafeteria that he found Caroline, standing in the middle of the room with her hands on her hips.

"Hey, there you are," he greeted her as she turned to face him. "Any luck?"

"I searched the whole school," she sighed in frustration. "They should be here."

Behind Caroline, there was a suspicious sound. They both turned to it, flashing their lights toward it to see if it was Lucy, Bonnie, or Katherine.

"What was that?"

Stefan walked forward, gesturing for Caroline to follow him, and entered the kitchen. There were more sounds and they followed them to the walk-in refrigerated room. Once inside, they located the source of the noise; in one of the freezers, the ice was melting down without electricity and some of the cubes had fallen from their shelves.

"Hmm," Stefan was unimpressed. "the ice is melting."

Where the fuck was Lucy?

Caroline slammed the freezer shut. "It just doesn't make any sense," she huffed. "This is the center of the triangle. If Bonnie's gonna do the spell, she has to do it here. This is where they should be."

Stefan half-listened to her, his eyes following the trail that the melted ice was leaving on the floor. The water was heading straight to the drain in the middle of the floor, which gave him an idea. If Bonnie wanted to the spell in the right spot and remain undetected, the tunnels under the town and in extension, the school, would be the perfect spot.

"Actually, I think we're in the right place," Stefan told her. "Just the wrong elevation."

"Okay, this is the center of the triangle," Bonnie informed Katherine as they all stood however many stories under the school. Lucy stood by her side, rubbing her hands nervously, while Katherine held Silas' headstone. "We're ready. Now, give me the tombstone."

"The fact that this spell hinges on some shitting hunk of blood-rock does little to inspire my confidence," Katherine commented as she handed the headstone over to Bonnie.

Bonnie narrowed her eyes at her. "It's filled with the calcified blood of Qetsiyah, one of the strongest witches in the world."

"Which means that you should probably show some respect, Kit," Lucy gave her sister a pointed look. "It'll work."

Lucy and Bonnie held onto Silas' headstone, each of them grabbing a side. Closing their eyes once again, they started the spell to drop the veil. With the power of the expression triangle, it was fairly easy to do so. The more magic they worked, the more the spell went along.

And then Silas' headstone was leaking Qetsiyah's blood, dripping all over Lucy and Bonnie's hands and the stone beneath their feet.

"What's happening?" Katherine asked, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

"We're channeling the expression triangle," Bonnie answered, hardly breaking her concentration.

Random rocks all around them started lighting up with tall flames, towering over all of their heads. As soon as almost all of the expression triangle's power was loaded into the Other Side, the veil was dropped and the spell was finished.

"It's done," Bonnie declared. "The veil is down."

A small smile came upon Lucy's face. She'd would be able to see her loved ones; she would be able to see Jeremy and Kol and Finn and Alaric. God, she had missed Alaric so damn much. Would he come to her, though? Or would he be disappointed in her for being a vampire?

No, no, he wouldn't. She knew that. He loved her so much, an unconditional kind of love that she's felt before with her parents.

"Here," she took the headstone from Bonnie and set it on a rock nearby. "You should try to contact Qetsiyah before it's too late."

Bonnie nodded in agreement and lowered herself onto her knees. She began to reach out to the Other Side while Lucy went to stand by Katherine, both of them waiting for Qetsiyah to contact her descendent.

After a couple of minutes, Katherine began to get impatient. "Tick, tock, Bonnie."

Bonnie opened her eyes and glared at her. "Stop talking. I can't reach out to Qetsiyah with you breaking my concentration every five seconds."

Katherine rolled her eyes and sighed before quieting down. It was then that Lucy heard footsteps coming from the tunnels that they had walked through to get to their current spot.

"Hey, did you hear that?" she asked Katherine, knowing that her sister had five hundred more years on her when it came to their sensitive vampiric senses. "I think someone's coming."

Bonnie glared at Lucy now, exasperated. "Will you be quiet?"

"We have vampire hearing, Bonnie," Katherine said firmly, her eyes going toward the tunnel where the sound of footsteps were coming closer and closer. "There's someone here. Lucia," she turned to her sister now. "you should unlink me so that you and I can go stall them while we wait for Qetsiyah to show up."

Lucy glanced at Bonnie to see what she thought about that.

Bonnie shook her head. "We're not letting you go."

"I can link her to me," Lucy stated. "We'll go stop whoever it is."

"Fine. Go."

It only took two seconds in total for Lucy to unlink Katherine from Bonnie and link her to herself. Then they took off, running through the tunnels in order to lead whoever it was away from Bonnie. They made their way into the boiler room and then stopped in order to taunt the person out of hiding.

"Silas," Katherine sang mockingly. "Come and get me."

It wasn't Silas who was following them, though. It was Elena. She ignored Lucy as she slammed Katherine into the concrete wall. Lucy gasped, feeling only a little pain from the bricks digging into Katherine's back.

"Hello, Katherine," she smirked before shoving her hand into Katherine's stomach

Lucy let out a pained grunt as her hand went to her stomach, a gaping hole in the exact same place where Elena had her hand in Katherine's stomach. "Elena, don't."

"I'm sorry Lucy, but she's taken too much from us," Elena pulled her hand from Katherine's stomach and threw her to the floor.

Katherine glowered at her. "I let you out of your cage and this is how you thank me?"

"No, this is how I thank you," Elena snarked back, using her vampire speed to go to Katherine and push her into one of the steaming pipes connecting to the furnace.

Both Lucy and Katherine cried out as burns started growing on their faces.

"You have done nothing but suck the happiness out of my life," Elena yelled at Katherine, pulling her away from the pipe to face her. "And now, I get to kill you."

"No, Elena, don't!"

"Stop, please, please!"

Elena held up a wooden stake, raising it to the level of Katherine's heart. "Goodbye Katherine."

It was obvious that Elena wasn't going to stop. She hadn't with Finn and Kol and she certainly wasn't going to with Katherine. Quickly, Lucy unlinked Katherine from herself and held her hand out in Elena's direction, ready to throw her off of Katherine.

She didn't get to; Stefan had sped into the room and launched himself at Elena, getting her away from Katherine.

"Stefan!" Elena complained loudly, furious

"Go, Kit, get out of here!" Lucy urged her sister.

Katherine nodded and gave her a thankful look before speeding out of the boiler room.

Elena forcefully pushed Stefan off of her but he didn't seem bothered. He went to Lucy and cupped her face in order to make sure you're okay.

"Are you hurt?" he asked frantically, one of his hands leaving her face in order to search her stomach for any remaining wound. Sometimes he forgot that she healed as fast as him now. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Stefan," Lucy kissed the inside of his wrist and buried her head in his chest.

She was glad to see him. The uncertainty of Elena almost killing Katherine, and her in the process, weighed heavily on her. If she had died with Katherine, she wouldn't get to see Stefan again. She wouldn't get to talk to him, or touch him, or kiss him, or laugh with him after the veil went back up. She'd be on the Other Side, stuck for all of eternity.

"How could you save her?" Elena's voice broke them out of their hold on each other. They turned to her, both equally annoyed with the youngest doppelganger. "She was as good as dead."

"Yeah and if you would have paid attention, so was Lucy," Stefan snapped back at her. "They were linked together, so if you killed her, Lucy would be dead too."

Elena blinked and cast her eyes on Lucy. "Is that true?"

Lucy nodded and pressed her lips together. "Yes."

Elena paused for a moment. "I don't believe you," she said finally. "Neither of you want me to kill Katherine. Why are you protecting her? What hold does she have on you two?"

"Do you hear yourself, Elena?" Lucy was fed up with her dramatics. "Your rage is making your absolutely bonkers. You're mad at her because she killed Jeremy and I get it, but he wasn't just your brother. Joel and I lost him too and we're dealing. And you're not."

"I'll deal by killing Katherine."

"No, you won't," Lucy shook her head in disgust; she just wished that Elena would listen to her for once. "Elena, this endless cycle of violence and revenge? It doesn't help anything."

"Yes, it does," Elena insisted.

"No, it doesn't and I know that personally," Lucy stood her ground. "After all that you've done to me, I didn't plan any revenge. You know why? Because I'm smart enough to realize that it won't help me with the pain. It only gets worse."

Elena looked insulted that she was Lucy's example. "I didn't kill you."

"No, but you made me feed, you tried to kill Caroline, you've killed two of my brothers, and you plotted to kill not only me but my whole family."

"I wasn't trying to kill you."

"It doesn't matter," Lucy said firmly. "You tried to get all of this revenge and it has never worked out for you. You've never stopped feeling that pain, have you?"

Elena didn't answer her verbally but her silence was answer enough.

"You have to deal with your grief and anger, Elena," Stefan spoke up. "You're a vampire. Loss is part of the deal."

Lucy hoped that Elena would listen to what they were saying. It didn't matter if Lucy was emotionally finished with their relationship, Elena was still her sister and she still loved her. And even though every part of her wanted her to just walk away, she couldn't. She wanted to help Elena because, at the end of the day, that was who Lucy was. She was no longer a pushover who let anyone walk all over her, but she was still compassionate. Elena was hurting but enacting revenge would just make everything worse.

Finally, Elena spoke. It wasn't an agreement to stay away from Katherine, but it was _something_. "I'm going to see Jeremy."

That sounded like a good idea. Lucy, herself, hadn't gone to Jeremy's grave but Joel had made sure he had a nice tombstone and space just outside the Gilbert plots. Plus, Jeremy should be showing up anytime now—as would Kol—and she wanted to see him so bad it hurt.

"I'll go with you."

"Brother and friend?" Elena read the engraving on Jeremy's tombstone, her eyebrows raising. She turned to Lucy. "What genius came up with that one?"

"That would be Joel," Lucy answered, trying her hardest to keep her spite out of her tone. It wasn't like Elena was there to help with anything after Jeremy died and Lucy was too busy trying to learn control over her bloodlust and magic.

Elena's lips quirked only slightly before she turned back to Jeremy's grave. "I give up, Jere," she sighed heavily and sat on the ground. "I really wanted to kill her for you but there's no point. Lucy's right," she glanced at her sister, who nodded back at her. "Killing her is only going to make me feel worse."

Lucy's eyes started to sting as Elena's voice broke. She could hear the raw grief in her voice and she had been there herself. Hell, she hadn't really gotten over it. She was just distracting herself from it. Losing Kol and Jeremy in the span of a week had taken a huge toll on her and like Elena, she had a hard time.

"I can't do this," Elena sniffed, tears streaming down her face. "I can't move on and I don't want to. If that makes me weak, then fine, I'm weak. But I can't handle you being gone and the rest of us being broken. I can't handle feeling like this anymore."

"Hello, old friend," Kol's familiar voice came from behind Lucy and Elena; they both turned to face him. "Sister. Pity about your brother," he addressed Elena again. "Guess it's just me against you now."

He lunged toward Elena but Lucy got in front of her, taking the blow. She and her brother fell to the ground, both of them scrambling to get up again. There was a little struggle as the fought for dominance—neither of them really going full strength—until Lucy used some magic to pin Kol on his back.

"Kol, Kol!" she exclaimed as he fought against her. "Stop, stop, stop! Listen to me."

"How can you defend her?" Kol hissed at her.

"I'm not, you know I'm not," Lucy insisted. "You need to listen to me, okay?"

If she didn't stop Kol from getting his revenge on Elena, then she was a hypocrite. She stopped Elena from killing Katherine, so she couldn't just stand to the side and watched as Kol overpowered Elena. Sure, she deserved, just like Katherine did, but she couldn't handle anymore deaths. That was sure to break her for good.

The squishing of damp grass made the three of them aware to another presence. Lucy looked up and grinned when she saw her younger brother's figure walking toward them with Joel by his side. Unfortunately, he was holding a crossbow. Where he even got that, she didn't know. She wondered if they broke into her apartment and stole it from her closet.

"How many times do I need to kill you?" Jeremy asked angrily, glaring down at Kol as he aimed the bow at him.

"Jeremy, don't," Lucy said warningly before looking down at Kol. "Meet me outside Nik's house. He and Elijah are waiting for you."

Kol gave her a surprised look, probably because he was shocked that Klaus and Elijah even cared to greet him, and nodded. Lucy let go of him, both physically and with her magic, and he sped off, leaving her, Elena, Joel, and Jeremy by themselves.

Within a second, the four of them were squashed into a group hug, Jeremy in the middle.


	77. The Start of a New Life

**[4x23; Graduation]**

By the time that Lucy had been able to pull herself away from Jeremy, almost two hours had passed since she told Kol to get to Klaus' house. When she arrived—after stopping by her place to pick up Esther's grimoire and Kol's ashes—her three brothers were impatiently waiting for her, and so was Rebekah, who had been surprised about Lucy's plan. Lucy hadn't told her for a reason, though, and that was because the blonde had been spending too much time with Elena lately; she didn't want Rebekah spilling the beans about Kol's resurrection.

"So," Kol raised an eyebrow at her as the five siblings gathered in Klaus' private backyard. "How are you going to do this?"

"A spell."

Lucy held up Esther's grimoire and showed it to him before she busied herself with the preparations of the spell. Klaus and Elijah had been kind enough to set up a large container, large enough for Kol to fit, so she poured a line of salt around it and added the ingredients she needed. Once they were all stirred together, she grabbed Kol's urn and poured it into the black liquid.

She glanced up at Kol, who was surrounded by Klaus, Elijah, and Rebekah. "Are you ready?"

Kol glanced at his siblings, seeing the anticipation on their faces. Maybe he wasn't as unwanted as he was led to believe all these years. "I am."

Lucy nodded and closed her eyes, gathering her strength. She raised her arms into the air and started reciting the spell in Esther's grimoire. "_Feon etchai ingenu," _ flames erupted from the container, making her siblings take a step back. "_Feon etchai ingenu. Feon etchai ingenu. Feon etchai ingenu. Feon etchai ingenu! Feon etchai ingenu!"_

She heard Rebekah gasp in amazement. She didn't open her eyes but from the information that came along with the spell, she figured that Kol's spirit had disappeared and had gone back to his body. She was right; only a moment after Rebekah gasped, she felt power course through her body, the power that only finishing a spell successfully could bring.

She opened her eyes, a smile on her lips, and stared at the container as a hand broke out of the mold that the liquid had turned into. Soon, Kol's very naked body emerged and even though Lucy quickly looked away—seeing her brother's private bits wasn't on her agenda whatsoever—she couldn't stop the excited squeak that came from her lips.

"Kol," Klaus was the first to speak, stepping toward his brother with a robe in his hands. Kol quickly put the robe on and they hugged. "I'm glad to have you back, brother."

Kol and Elijah quickly exchanged hugs, each of them smiling happily, and then so did Kol and Rebekah. Kol was noticeably colder with her than his brothers, which Lucy assumed was because of the fact that she had befriended Elena only days after she murdered him.

Finally, Lucy and Kol embraced.

"I missed you so much," she sniffled, hoping to keep her happy tears at bay. "I'm so sorry, Kol."

"Don't be sorry, darling, it wasn't your fault," Kol assured her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "You brought me back and I'll forever be grateful."

Lucy pulled away from him and wiped her tears away. Words couldn't describe how happy she was. She had two of her brothers back and even though she wished she could get Henrik back, she couldn't. Fortunately, he hadn't shown up, which she hoped meant that he had found peace. That was all that she wanted for him.

"Now, you've got to tell me how it is being a witch-vampire hybrid," Kol grinned at her.

"I think it'll be better now that you're here."

Hours later, too many hours, considering that she still had to go to Caroline's house and be up early the next day for graduation, she entered her apartment. She locked the door and turned on lights as she went before she headed to the kitchen to get herself a blood bag so she could replenish her strength. Just as she closed the refrigerator and popped the top from the blood bag, she heard a voice.

"I like what you've done to the place."

Careful not to squeeze the blood bag out of excitement, Lucy turned toward the familiar voice with a very enthusiastic smile on her face, her eyes already stinging happily. Alaric was standing in the middle of the living room space, his hands in his jacket pockets and a loving grin spreading his lips.

"Dad!" she set the blood bag on the kitchen island and sped toward her father, wrapping him into a too-tight hug.

"I missed you too, Luce," Alaric grunted, patting her on the back. He leaned back so he could get a good look of her face, looking just as happy to see her as she was to see him. "Look at you, all the things you've been through."

"I tried to stay strong like you wanted me to," Lucy's lips trembled as a knot formed in her chest. "I didn't—I didn't mean to turn into what I am."

Alaric shook his head. "None of this is your fault, Lucy," he said firmly. "This was all out of your control, do you understand me? You've been hurt and betrayed but you have stayed strong. I've seen it."

Lucy inhaled a shuddering breath. "You have?"

"Of course I did," Alaric smiled sadly. "I haven't left your side except to check on Joel and, uh, when you have Stefan over."

Heat bloomed in her cheeks. "Yeah, about that—"

"I'm glad you and Stefan have what you have," he interrupted her, not really wanting to think of his daughter and her boyfriend spending _time_ together. "You can't throw away that kind of love."

Lucy raised an eyebrow at him. "What kind of love are you talking about?"

Alaric winked at her. "An epic kind of love."

_"Shot through the heart and you're to blame! Darlin, you give love a bad name!"_

Stefan bobbed his head to the drum beat of his and Lexi's favorite Bon Jovi song. He took a long swig of the second bottle of bourbon that he and Lexi were polishing off and closed his eyes as the guitar riff started, leaning his head against the back of the couch. Behind him, Lexi was dancing drunkenly, shimming and fist bumping to the beat.

He opened his eyes and took another gulp just as his brother walked into the room.

"Damon! Help me celebrate my seventeenth high school graduation," he said sarcastically as Damon turned off Bon Jovi. "Hey, you remember my friend, Lexi, of course?"

"Lexi," Damon sighed as Stefan pointed to his first blonde best friend; he received a glare from her. "back from the dead. Goody."

Stefan grinned as Lexi sped toward Damon and knocked him into the wall, gripping his neck threateningly. "What's up, buzzkill?"

"Stefan, are you just gonna sit there and let her enact her ghostly revenge?" Damon croaked in his direction.

"You reap what you sow, buddy," Stefan gave him a closed-mouth smile.

"Let's be very clear; whatever time I have left here, I sure as hell don't plan on wasting on you," Lexi practically growled in Damon's face, getting his attention. "You got me?"

Damon grimaced as her grip on his neck tightened. "Yeah, got you," Lexi let got of him and wandered back over to Stefan. "So, if you and Ric and little Gilbert are all flesh-like and real-seeming, that means something went horribly wrong when Bonnie tried to put that veil up. And here you two are, having dance party USA."

"You're right!" Stefan said, shaking his head as he acted like he regretted having out with his best friend of over a hundred years. "How selfish of me to be indulging in these precious moments with my formerly dead best friend. I should be sacrificing my own happiness for the good of others, right?" he gasped mockingly and sat up. "I should be upstairs grooming my hero-hair."

Lexi chuckled at him and Stefan grinned; Lucy would have appreciated that joke too.

Damon gave him an incredulous look. "Are you drunk?"

"I don't know, Mom, am I?"

Lexi laughed loudly as she took the bottle of bourbon away from him, only to have it taken by Damon.

"Well, I guess that's one way to celebrate our supernatural apocalypse," Damon sighed and paused to take a drink from the bottle. "Now, care to hazard any guess on what the hell went wrong?"

The door to the Boarding House opened at that moment, Lucy and Alaric making their way in. "I'll call Bonnie," she declared as she walked into the living room, carefully laying two garment bags on the unused couch. "The veil should have been up last night but I'm not exactly in a rush."

"Babe!" Stefan crooned as he jumped to his feet and sped over to her, wrapping her into a tight embrace. "Happy first graduation."

He finished his congratulations off with a hot kiss to her neck, making her cheeks warm.

"Thank you," she gently pulled his face out of her neck and grinned at him. If Stefan's openness and slurred words wasn't a hint that he was drunk, the glazed look in his forest-green eyes and the sly smile on his face would be more than enough. It was very amusing. "You are very drunk."

"And you are very beautiful," he said, pressing a not-so chaste kiss on her lips. Lucy couldn't help but smile into the kiss; drunk Stefan was one of her favorite Stefans—though, she loved every Stefan, really.

Alaric cleared his throat, an awkward smile on his face. "Hi, Stefan."

Stefan blinked rapidly and pulled away from Lucy in order to give Alaric an enthusiastic clap on his shoulder. "Ric, buddy, how are you?"

"I'm fine," Alaric answered, amused.

Lucy shook her head and looked around Stefan, grinning when she saw Lexi looking over at them. "Lexi, I missed you so much!" she exclaimed as she made her way over to the blonde. "Stefan has been unbearable without you."

Lexi laughed as Stefan scowled grumpily at his girlfriend's words, and pulled Lucy into a hug. "I've missed you too, Lucy," she said before whispering in her ear, "Thank you for taking care of him."

Lucy smiled. "We take care of each other."

When they pulled away from the hug and Stefan joined them, Damon nodded at Alaric. "Hey, Ric. Here to punch me again?"

Lucy bit her lip, trying to hold back another smile. Alaric had told her what happened when he appeared next to Damon when they in the middle of trying to find Bonnie and Silas. Alaric had greeted him, gave him a hug, and then promptly decked him in the face three times. She had laughed so hard when he told her and then again when she told Caroline after she arrived at her house an hour later.

"If you behave, I won't have to," Alaric smirked at Damon, who rolled his eyes and grunted.

Lucy sighed and turned to Stefan, who had stolen the bottle of bourbon back from Damon and was taking a drink. "I brought your cap and gown and Joel's suit," she pointed to the garment bags on the other couch with her thumb. "Please promise me you'll be on time."

"I promise," Stefan pursed his lips and gave her nose a sweet little kiss. "I can't miss my girl's speech."

Lucy grinned, her heart warming. "I'll see you at the school, then."

Stefan nodded. "See you then, Goofy."

"_I kind of hit a snag,"_ Bonnie reported to Lucy sullenly when she asked why the veil to the Other Side was still down.

Lucy glanced at Alaric, who was carrying the bag of fast food as they trekked through the cemetery to meet up with Joel, Jeremy, and Elena for lunch. "This is a pretty big snag, Bon. I mean, I'm grateful for the time with Ric and Jeremy but..."

"_I know_," Bonnie sighed. "_I'm trying to fix it but I'm running into some trouble_."

Lucy frowned. "Do you need me to stop by?"

_"No, you need to spend time with Ric_," Bonnie said firmly. "_I'm just going to wait until the full moon tonight to have enough power to put the veil back up_."

"So, we'll be graduating in the middle of the supernatural apocalypse," Lucy laughed once. "Can't say we've haven't made it through worse."

_"Yeah, about that, maybe we should just cancel."_

"And risk the wrath of Caroline?" Lucy scoffed. "I can't just imagine what she'd say..." she impersonated their blonde best friend. "_Hell will freeze over before I let anyone cancel graduation_!"

Bonnie chuckled lightly. "_That was a good one. Unfortunately, we're not far off from hell freezing over."_

"Everything's gonna be fine," Lucy assured her as she and Ric came to a stop by his tombstone where Joel, Jeremy, and Elena were already waiting. "We'll manage, Bon."

There were a couple seconds of silence before Bonnie responded. _"Okay. Luce, I know we've had our differences lately but I just wanted to let you know that I love you."_

Lucy paused worriedly. She hoped that Bonnie was okay; then again, maybe she was just emotional about graduating. She knew she was. "I love you, too, Bon," she said finally. "You should give Caroline a call. I bet she's worried."

Bonnie laughed weakly. "_I will. See you later_."

"See you later."

Alaric gave Lucy a worried look, having heard the whole conversation she had with Bonnie, but she just shrugged at him. She didn't know what was going on with Bonnie but she hoped that she would be okay.

They greeted Lucy's siblings and then they all sat down; Lucy, Alaric, and Jeremy on the bench in front of his grave and Joel and Elena sitting in front of them on the ground. They divided up the food and then started to eat.

"Mmm," Alaric groaned around a mouthful of cheeseburger. "Oh, my God."

Jeremy made a noise of agreement on the other side of Lucy, causing them all to laugh.

"No grease on the Other Side, huh?" Joel grinned at them.

"You have no idea how much I miss this," Alaric confirmed as he grabbed a bottle of whiskey that he and Lucy stole from the Salvatore house and took a swig. "and this." Lucy shook her head in amusement and grabbed the bottle from him, taking a shot of it. "Hey!"

"Leave her alone," Jeremy chuckled. "She's gone through a hard time lately. She needs to live a little."

Lucy swallowed the whiskey and stuck her tongue out at Alaric. "Yes, I do!"

She passed the bottle to Joel, who took a long gulp and then passed it to Elena. Once she had herself a drink, Jeremy reached out to grab the bottle but Elena held it out of reach, grinning at him. "Hey, you wish!"

"I'm dead," Jeremy defended himself. "What are they gonna do, throw me in juvie?"

Lucy grinned; she was happy to know that Jeremy would stay alive. She wouldn't let him go to juvie even if he committed murder—in which case, he'd probably be tried as an adult, anyway.

"Well, at least you'd have a place to live," Joel said snarkily, Alaric and Jeremy bursting out in laughter at his comment.

Lucy didn't think it was that funny but Elena shook her head with a smile, throwing a couple of fries at the three cackling men. "You all suck!"

Alaric caught a fry in his mouth and sighed, looking at the three Gilbert siblings. "I was afraid you guys wouldn't smile again," he admitted, sharing a sad look with Jeremy. "I'm glad you are though."

Lucy smiled weakly at him but she knew he understood how she felt about everything that had happened since he died. They had a long conversation about everything, and to no shock, he gave her some good advice to help her move on.

He told her that she didn't have to give in; that she was justified in everything she felt for Elena and Damon. He told her that it was okay to have those feelings but she couldn't let it consume her. He told her to go to Duke, have fun with Stefan, and live for herself. He told her that even though she wouldn't age, life was short and she needed to live her life without anyone bringing her down. It was some of the best advice that anyone had ever given her.

As much as she appreciated his advice and wanted to follow it, it was still hard to move on. She had been so hurt, so torn down by Elena's actions that she felt like she was stuck in some kind of purgatory. She wanted to move on, but she also wanted an apology—it would be hard to consolidate those together. From how Elena had been for the past year, though, it was looking like she needed to move on from her sister. Maybe forever.

"I did some pretty terrible things," Elena admitted shakily; when Lucy looked up from her cheeseburger, she saw that she was looking at her with tearful eyes.

It was silent for a moment as everyone took in her words. Lucy had looked back down to her food but Joel, Jeremy, and Alaric all had their eyes bouncing back and forth between Lucy, Elena, and sometimes each other.

"No crying," Joel finally spoke up. "If Lucy's right, we only have until tonight to be together. We need a no-crying rule."

"The crying's good, though," Elena sniffed and wiped her eyes. "It means that I'm finally feeling something and right now, I..." she smiled at her three siblings and Alaric. "I feel happy."

Before anyone could say anything, her phone started to ring. She pulled out her phone and furrowed her eyebrows when she saw who was calling. "It's the Grill. It must be Matt," she answered the call. "Hey, you went AWOL this morning. What happened?"

The person who answered was not Matt. It was Connor—Lucy remembered that voice from some of her nightmares of that day in the Grill. "Hello, Elena. It's your dead friend, Connor. You remember me?"

Elena stiffened, pressing her lips together. "We want Silas and we want the cure."

"I don't know where they are so I guess I can't help you," as Elena snapped back at Connor, Lucy and Alaric shared a pointed look.

"Huh, well, you know who's gonna need some help?" Connor replied smoothly. "Grandma and Grandpa Jones, in town for the big high school graduation, along with Auntie Sue and Uncle Mark..."

Lucy, Joel, Jeremy, and Alaric stiffened at Connor's threat. Alaric caught everyone's attention and told Elena to keep Connor on the phone before he left the cemetery.

"...Matter of fact, everybody here at the Mystic Grill for graduation brunch. So, you either give me what I want or they die."

"Please don't hurt anyone," Elena pleaded. "I'll find Silas and I'll get the cure."

"Good. Get it done."

Connor ended the call and Elena huffed in frustration, putting her phone back in her jacket pocket. "Hopefully, Ric gets there on time," she sighed and addressed Joel and Lucy. "Do you guys know where the cure is?"

Joel shook his head while Lucy lied, "No."

The fact was, she knew where the cure was. While Alaric was at her apartment, he had told her that he found the cure while helping Damon wrap up Silas' desiccated body (courtesy of Bonnie). He gave it to her, telling her that she had a choice to make; she understood what that meant and she had decided very quickly on what she was going to do with it. Right now, it was hidden in her purse, waiting to be given to Stefan.

Lucy glanced over at Stefan as she carefully applied a light layer of lipstick to her already made up face. He was at the mirror, fully sober, his chin lifted as he tied his black tie; she didn't know how he made the commonest of actions look so sexy but he always managed. She was pretty sure it was a curse; not on Stefan, of course, but every woman in the universe.

Stefan's eyes met hers in the mirror. "What are you looking at?" he asked playfully. "I know I'm not as gorgeous as you, but..."

"You're beautiful," Lucy immediately disagreed as she capped her lipstick. She placed it on the counter and stepped toward Stefan, trailing her fingers lightly down his white button-up. "Too beautiful."

Stefan grabbed her hand before it could get to his belt and pressed his lips to the back of it, smiling lightly. "Well, then, we make a great couple, don't we? Not just anyone can be with the most gorgeous girl in the world."

Lucy giggled at him. "I think you're still drunk, you're so sappy."

"I am completely sober." Stefan wrinkled his nose playfully at her. "It's impossible to not be sappy in your presence, pretty girl."

"Okay, that was a little much."

Stefan nodded in agreement. "Yeah, when I said it, I knew it was a bit too far."

Lucy snickered and stood on her tiptoes in order to kiss him; Stefan responded in earnest, swiping his tongue against her bottom lip. Though Lucy wanted to get carried away and jump into bed with him, there wasn't much time.

"I love you."

Stefan smiled and gave her a little kiss at the corner of her mouth. "I love you."

There had been a bundle of nerves growing in Lucy's stomach from the moment Alaric had given her the cure. Right now, it felt like she was going to explode if she didn't bring up the subject with Stefan now, rather than later. This was all very bittersweet; if Stefan took the cure and became human, of course she'd be happy for him. He had struggled through his life as a vampire and being human was something that he had always wanted. However, if he did take the cure, she didn't know what would happen to them. That being said, she knew she would regret it forever if she didn't ask Stefan if he wanted to take it. He deserved to be comfortable with who he was and Lucy loved him enough to let him go so he could achieve his happiness.

"Stefan, can I talk to you about something?"

Stefan pulled back from her, a worried look on his face. He recognized the shakiness in her voice and he knew that it meant that she was nervous. "Of course. What's wrong, Luce?"

"I want to show you something."

She wandered out of the bathroom, grateful that she had already finished with her hair and make-up and had gotten dressed in the white dress she picked out for graduationi, and made her way to the large circular table in the middle of Stefan's room. While she rummaged through her purse for the cure, Stefan stood behind her, confused.

Finally, she found it; she whirled around and showed it to Stefan. A look of surprise crossed his face, his eyebrows raising in a way that was completely Stefan.

"Where'd you get that?"

"Ric gave it to me, he found it on Silas," Lucy told him. "Stefan, I want you to have this."

Stefan cocked his head. "You want me to take the cure?"

"If that's what you want to do," Lucy nodded, biting her lip. "Look, Stefan, I know how hard of a time you've had. You've told me about your highs and your lows and don't get me wrong, I love everything about you, but...if this is going to make you happy, if its going to make life easier on you, if its gonna make you love yourself, then I want you to take it."

Stefan's eyes flitted from the cure back up to her face, a certain sadness in his green eyes. "I'd be a human and you'd—you'd still be a vampire."

"I know, but if it's what you want," Lucy shrugged, tears coming to her eyes as her heart started breaking. "then...then I'll let you go. You'll live a human life like you've always wanted to. You'll be a doctor and you'll have babies and you'll live the way you want to, unburdened by bloodlust and guilt."

"Lucy...I don't..."

"I love you too much to not give you that option, Stefan," Lucy grabbed his right hand and flipped it over, placing the cure in his palm. "So, you can take it or do whatever you want with it. You don't even have to decide now. Just know that I'll support you either way."

Having said her peace, she quickly wiped her eyes. She didn't know what else to say and the way that Stefan was looking at her made her feel anxious. She squeezed his hand and let go before walking out of his bedroom.

She didn't get very far before she was intercepted by Elena and Damon. Damon was pale and sweaty and he was not looking good in the slightest while Elena was very obviously panicked.

Despite that, Elena paused when she saw the tears on her sister's face. "Luce, are you okay?"

"Yeah," Lucy hurriedly wiped more tears from her face. "What's wrong with you two?"

"You know that hunter from the island, Vaughn?"

"I'm familiar."

"He shot Damon with wooden bullets."

Lucy raised her eyebrows and glanced at Damon. "You look fine to me."

"I've got werewolf venom in me, Twitch."

Lucy glared at him, annoyed by his snappy tone, causing Elena to take over. "Look, Lucy, Damon and I have done terrible things to you and you don't owe us a thing, but right now, we need a favor," she said pleadingly. "We need some of Klaus' blood."

"And you think he would even be willing to give Damon his blood?" Lucy asked in disbelief. "Even if I wanted to help, Nik doesn't exactly like you two."

"But you've got him wrapped around his finger," Damon argued. "If you ask—"

"You should stop talking," Lucy's voice hardened as she spoke to the oldest Salvatore. "The only reason I'm even going to ask Nik is because you're Stefan's brother and it would kill him if you died. That's the _only_ reason. If he says no, I don't know what to tell you."

Damon opened his mouth to reply but Elena quickly intercepted. "Of course. Thank you so much, Lucy."

Lucy nodded and left them, intending to find Joel, Jeremy, and Alaric so they could take pictures.

"So," Lexi spoke up from where she was kneeling down next to Vaughn's dead body. "the veil's down until tonight, so he dies and goes to the Other Side and what? Comes back all over again? How long does that take?"

Stefan shook his head minutely and finished pouring a blood bag into two glasses, handing one over to her. "What, they don't give you a rulebook over there?"

Lexi chuckled lightly and then stopped altogether when she saw the melancholy look on his face. "You thinking about what Lucy said?"

"Yeah."

"Are you gonna take the cure?"

"No," Stefan declared, his mind already made up. "I don't want to be human without Lucy by my side."

He had already accepted that he wasn't going to take the cure a long time ago. Now that Lucy was a vampire, he didn't want it. He didn't want to live without her, he didn't want to be human without her, he didn't want a family or the life he dreamed about without her. Stefan had always been a decisive man but this? This was the most important decision of his life and he had no doubts whatsoever.

"So, what's the problem?"

Stefan took a sip of blood before he answered, "I wish that Lucy actually believed me when I told her that," he admitted. "I love her so much and sometimes, it doesn't feel like she knows it."

Lexi gave him a sympathetic smile. "I think she does know, Stefan. I think that she loves you just as much. But she's blinded, you know? She thinks that you need to be human to be happy and she's willing to give that to you."

Stefan sighed and took a seat on the coffee table, holding his glass of blood tightly between his hands. "She's the love of my life. I can't be happy without her."

"So show her that," Lexi said determinately, crouching down to place her hand on his. "Telling is great, don't get me wrong, and I'm sure the sex is great, but you need to _show_ her how you feel."

Stefan glanced up at her. "How do I do that?"

"Stefan," Lexi gave him a knowing look. "I think you know what to do. You don't have a secret hiding place in your top drawer for nothing."

Stefan smiled shyly but they were both quickly distracted when Vaughn came back to life. They both stood up cautiously, ready for whatever he was going to do.

He didn't get to do much; Damon entered the room only a few seconds after he woke. He tossed Vaughn a small tube of red liquid that Stefan realized looked just like the cure that he had stashed in the top drawer of his dresser. It was a decoy.

He didn't like to admit this often, but sometimes Damon was a genius.

"What the fuck are you doing?" he asked Damon, playing along with his brother.

"Digging up Silas," Damon said obviously, secretly winking at Stefan and Lexi. "Coming or not, Vaughn?"

Soon after Damon and Vaughn left the Boarding House, Lucy, Elena, Jeremy, Joel, and Alaric came downstairs. Of course, Elena immediately protested Damon's little trip with the hunter. Apparently she thought that Damon had the real cure.

"We have to do something," she sighed worriedly as she paced through the living room. "If those hunters give the cure to Silas—"

"He's not giving it to Silas," Stefan interrupted her, tired of her complaining; how he used to listen to her drone on and on was a mystery to him. "Wherever Damon is taking Vaughn right now, it's to stall because Damon hasn't had time to bury Silas' body yet," Elena stopped pacing. "And that's all you need to know right now."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lucy press her lips together and shrug lightly, seemingly impressed with Damon's plan. She was smart enough to catch on, as always; she knew that she had given the cure to him and she also knew him enough that he wouldn't give it to Damon without thinking everything over first.

"Okay, fine, we're stalling the hunters," Elena conceded. "but Damon's still dying."

"It was only one bullet and it was only laced," Stefan told her before addressing Lucy. "Lucy, you called Klaus, right?"

Lucy nodded.

"See," he turned back to Elena. "We still have a little bit of time."

"Well, that's settled," Joel clapped his hands from beside Jeremy and Alaric, who were holding Lucy and Elena's caps and gowns. "you three are going to your graduation."

"Graduation?" Elena shook her head. "No, I never even sent in my college applications."

"There's still late admissions," Lucy said as she walked over to her brothers and father, taking her cap, gown, medals, cords, and valedictorian stole.

"Mom and Dad would kill you if there wasn't a photo of you guys in your graduation get-up," Jeremy added.

"No, not if you can't be there," Elena shook her head.

"Lexi and Ric will keep me company," Jeremy said. "You're going."

"And what am I, chopped liver?" Joel asked, feigning hurt feelings. "Come on, get dressed. We're leaving in ten."

Elena sighed and took her cap and gown from Jeremy. "Let's go graduate."

Lucy gripped Stefan's hand tightly as they, plus Elena, hurriedly made their way through a crowd of proud relatives in order to find Caroline, Bonnie, and Matt. Before they could find their friends, they had to check in with the principal and guidance counselor and Lucy received a quick run-through of when she would give her speech (right before they were given their diplomas). It only took a few minutes—and a stop to quickly greet Klaus, Elijah, and Kol—before they found Caroline simply by their sensitive hearing.

"Where's Elena and Lucy?" they heard Bonnie ask from her place between Caroline and Matt as they finished walking toward them. "We can't do this without them."

"We're here," Elena spoke up as she hugged Bonnie. "Thank you for today."

Lucy gave Matt and Caroline tight hugs, all of them excited—and a little sad—to graduate. Then, they stood in a circle, just smiling at one another, proud at how far they've come.

"I can't believe it," Caroline smiled widely. "We're actually all here. We are all here together! Bonnie Bennett, are you crying?"

Bonnie giggled, her eyes wet, and excused herself. "It's our last hurrah before you guys go off to college."

"Before _we_ go off to college," Caroline corrected her happily.

"I kinda sorta missed the deadline," Elena grimaced. "You know, being an emotionless bitch."

"Well, the perks of being a vampire; we can go wherever we wanna go. We can choose our own roommates. We could all room together if Lucy wasn't going off to Duke," Caroline gave her best friend a pointed look—Lucy smiled sadly at her, recognizing how sad Caroline actually was about their upcoming separation.

Just the thought of leaving Caroline and Matt and even Bonnie had her own tears forming. They've spent their whole lives together and this was it; they were going their separate ways. It was bittersweet in the fact that they were all growing and becoming adults but it hurt a little. She loved her friends and her family and if she could spend every day with them, she would.

Bonnie nodded at Caroline, tears falling down her cheeks. "I'm happy we're all here."

"Aww," Caroline perked up and threw her hands in the air. "Group hug!"

"Ah, I don't—I don't hug..." Stefan started to object.

"Liar," Lucy grinned at him as she wrapped one of her arms around Stefan and the other around Matt.

The six of them joined into a group hug and for a second, Lucy let her tears fall. Only for a second, though. The principal had called for the graduates to line up with their walking partners, in the spot that the school faculty had given them.

Being the valedictorian, Lucy was at the front of the line with Stefan, her walking partner. Caroline and Matt were behind them, since Caroline was the class president, and then Bonnie and Elena were further down the line.

The band started playing Pomp and Circumstance and they started walking. Lucy and Stefan led the line onto the football field and took their seats in the front row, their classmates following their lead and sitting down all around them.

"Welcome parents, family, and friends," Mayor Hopkins—Bonnie's dad—greeted the crowd through the microphone up on stage. "What a beautiful day for a graduation. Thank you for joining us today on this special day as we celebrate our graduates. To get us started, our senior class president, Caroline Forbes, has a speech for us."

Lucy leaned forward so she could see around Stefan and gave Caroline an enthusiastic smile, clapping wildly with her classmates and the crowd. Caroline winked at her before jumping out of her seat and walking up to the stage, thanking Mayor Hopkins before taking her place in front of the microphone.

"I'd like to welcome everyone who came here to take part in one of the biggest days of our lives," Caroline said perkily. "It's because of you, our parents, friends, and family, that we're here today, ready to receive our diplomas and start our new life as adults. Why don't you give yourselves a round of applause?"

The graduates and crowd clapped politely and Caroline went on, giving a wonderful speech that talked about the ups and downs of high school, thanked the teachers for getting them through school, and thanked their classmates for sticking together. It was beautiful and Lucy didn't know if she was just overly emotional about the whole thing, but the speech made her teary-eyed.

"Thank you so much for listening to me ramble," Caroline smiled, earning laughs from the crowd. "I'd like to welcome to the stage, my very best friend and class valedictorian, Lucy Gilbert."

Lucy took in a deep breath and glanced over at Stefan, who was giving her an encouraging smile. She stood up as the audience began to clap and took the stage, giving Caroline a quick hug as she went back to her seat.

"Hi," she spoke into the microphone, steeling her nerves as she recited the speech she spent so much time on. "I'm so grateful that you all could be here today to celebrate this milestone with us. I wanted to start my speech with a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson. '_What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us._'"

"It's a common, well-known quote and honestly, I hesitated to use it when writing my speech. I thought I needed something more unique to talk about our time here at Mystic High. But then, I realized that the quote fit the class of 2011 perfectly. We've been through hard times as a class and we've had good times. Maybe that's all behind us or maybe it's what we have to look forward to. You are who you are inside and that's what is most important. It doesn't matter what we go through because we're strong enough to handle everything."

Lucy took a deep breath and caught her friends' eyes, smiling as she moved on.

"Our lives are just beginning. This is just the first step in a stairwell full of them. After today, some of us will be separated from the life we've ever known. We'll be scared and we'll be sad and that's okay. But we won't be sad forever," she laid her eyes on Stefan now, remembering what he told her on the first day of their friendship. "We'll be strong and maybe we'll move on but there isn't really a way to forget the people that you've grown up with. Years from now, I'll remember that Dalton Kinley threw up in the middle of biology class because he was dared to lick one of the frog cadavers—" the crowd laughed as Dalton grinned and waved up at her from the third row. "I'll remember the time that Matt Donovan and Tyler Lockwood won the regional championship almost single-handedly, despite the fact that they were only sophomores."

She winked at Matt, who grinned at her with wet eyes. Her own eyes were stinging as she went on, "I'll remember my parents encouraging me to go after what I wanted. I'll remember my friends," she swallowed thickly. "and how they saved my life. I'll remember myself, and how I made it through some of the toughest years of my life."

"And I'll remember this quote, from one of my favorite authors, C.S. Lewis, '_There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind_.' I want to encourage my fellow graduates to remember that as they move along with their lives, graduating college, starting their career, getting married, having families...High school is pretty great but it's not the end, it's just the beginning."

"I want to finish my speech with giving thanks. To my teachers, thank you for believing in my education and giving me a chance to stand and graduate with the class of 2011. To my friends, thank you for being by my side and lifting me up when I felt broken," she grinned at Caroline, who wiped a tear from her eye. She then looked to Joel, Klaus, Elijah, Kol, and Rebekah—who was strangely not sitting with their classmates. "To my family, thank you for loving me unconditionally and for molding me into the person I am today. And, I know I told you that we couldn't be sappy but you'll have to forgive me," she looked to Stefan, who laughed lightly with tears in his eyes. "Stefan, thank you for saving me that day when you walked me home from the comet celebration. I love you so much. Finally, to my fellow graduates, thank you so much for our experiences together. We did it!"

Loud cheers exploded from the crowd as she finished her speech. Caroline was the first to jump to her feet and everyone else followed her lead. Her classmates stood up row by row and then the crowd of teachers, families, and friends stood. There were even a couple of whistles, which she knew had to be Joel.

She smiled at all of them and thanked them, so grateful that she was able to share this experience with them all.

Mayor Hopkins took to the stage and thanked her with a handshake before she was able to go back to her seat. Caroline and Matt met her with tight hugs, while Stefan greeted her with a loving kiss. After Mayor Hopkins himself made a speech, it was time to line up to receive their diplomas.

All too soon, Lucy was at the foot of the stage, ready for her name to be called so she could finish high school. Now that she had given her speech, she didn't feel nervous anymore. She didn't feel sad. She loved Mystic Falls with all of her heart but she had said goodbye and it felt good. She was ready to move on.

"Lucy Gilbert."

Lucy climbed the stairs and took her diploma from Mayor Hopkin's hands, pausing only for a picture to be taken and to move her tassel to the left before climbing off the stage and heading back to her seat.

"Stefan Salvatore."

She watched with a bright smile as Stefan received his own diploma. _Number seventeen_. She wondered if she would go through high school again. Would she go seventeen times?

"Caroline Forbes."

"Matthew Donovan."

A couple more of their classmates passed before it was Bonnie's turn to go onstage.

"Not to play favorites, but I'm especially proud of this next graduate," Mayor Hopkins said sweetly. "my lovely daughter, Bonnie Bennett!"

Bonnie climbed onstage and hugged her father tightly before she took her diploma and continued on.

"Elena Gilbert."

Lucy watched as Elena received her diploma and for a second, she wasn't mad at her. This was one of the most important events of their lives and she just wanted to celebrate without any anger. Later she could be mad, but right now, she wanted to share this moment with her sister.

She clapped as enthusiastically as she did for her other friends, meeting the smile that Elena gave her with one of her own.

Soon, after the declaration of graduation, the ceremony was over and they were no longer students at Mystic Falls High School. Unfortunately, they were unable to revel in their success. Alaric called Stefan about Damon; apparently, Vaughn had shot him with more werewolf-venom-laced bullets and it wasn't looking good.

"_I would love nothing more than to get out of here before Vaughn comes back to life but we don't have Klaus' blood and we don't have the cure,"_ Alaric reported to Stefan as he, Lucy, Elena, and Caroline huddled together behind the bleachers.

"Okay, just tell him to hang on a little bit longer. Klaus is here, so Lucy's gonna talk to him," Stefan glanced at Lucy, who nodded in agreement. "If not, the cure's in my dresser, top drawer, okay?"

_"He probably won't take it_," Alaric sighed as Stefan dodged the curious looks that Caroline and Elena gave him. _"He'll probably want to give it to Elena_."

"We have a little time before then," Stefan said.

_"Stefan, we're past the point of Hail Mary decisions. What do you want me to do, stand here and watch him die?"_

"No, just—"

Stefan was cut off as a loud ringing settled itself into his head. Lucy, Caroline, and Elena, felt it too, all of them flinching from the pain they were getting. They looked up when they heard multiple sets of footsteps, and saw the twelve witches that Caroline had killed to save Bonnie.

"Remember us, Caroline?" the leader asked mockingly

Lucy grunted and lifted her head, forcing her arm out in their direction. She tried to cast a spell to get them to stop but they were ready. They knew that she had magic despite the fact that she was a vampire and they were taking no risks.

And then a graduation cap was thrown out of nowhere, cutting the leader's head straight off. The rest of the witches relented and when Lucy turned around, she grinned when she saw Klaus, Elijah, Kol, Rebekah, and Joel behind them. It was Klaus who had thrown the cap and he had a couple more in his hands, tossing them up and down idly.

"Nik," she breathed in relief.

Klaus grinned at her then addressed the witches. "There are plenty more of these to go around. Who's next?" he raised an eyebrow at them. "I can do this all day."

The witches quickly fled, seeming to not have the courage to take on the big bad Original hybrid, plus the rest of the Original family and five other vampires. Once they were gone, it was time for business.

"Klaus, thank God you're here," Elena was the first to speak after Lucy exchanged hugs with her original siblings. "Damon needs some of your blood."

"Yes, I know," Klaus rolled his eyes. "and I haven't given him any for a reason. After what you've two done to my family, I would rather be buried alive than help him."

Kol spoke up then. "I don't understand why you would ask Nik for his blood when Lucy is right there."

Lucy gave her brother a confused look. "What do you mean, Kol?"

"You siphon magic, Ana," Kol gave her an obvious look. "Surely you know that werewolves are born from magic?"

"Yeah, but—"

"So you know you can siphon a werewolf bite?"

"Well," Lucy crinkled her eyes and sheepishly bit her lip. "see, the thing is...I didn't know that."

She looked at Stefan guiltily. If she had known before, she could have stopped Stefan from giving his life to Klaus in order to save Damon a year ago. She could have saved him from all the pain and bloodlust he went through.

Stefan caught the look in her eyes and shook his head, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "None of us knew," he told Kol. "So, she can save Damon?"

Kol nodded, rolling his eyes. "She's a siphoner, isn't she?" he clicked his tongue. "Honestly, Ana, did you not looking into the grimoires that I gave you?"

"I was going to!"

"Lucy?"

Lucy turned away from Stefan's bed where she was studying the painting she did for Stefan's birthday and faced him. He was still wearing his graduation suit, much like she was wearing her dress, and had his hands behind his back as he gave her a shy smile.

"Hey," she smiled, her heart in her stomach. Had he come up with a decision? "What's up?"

"I wanted to talk to you about the cure," he took a step toward her, only a few inches away. "I gave it to Damon."

"What?" Lucy gave him an incredulous look. "Why? I healed him. He doesn't need it."

"He wanted to give it to Elena."

Lucy scoffed. "Stefan—"

"I don't know if she's gonna take it and I don't really care," Stefan interrupted her. "I just know that I didn't want it."

"Stefan, that was your chance to be human!" Lucy cried, upset. She wanted him to be happy; how was he supposed to do that if he was a vampire? "To be happy!"

"I _am_ happy, Lucy! I'm happy with you," Stefan pushed back, trying to get her to see reason; Lucy stiffened and looked up at him with wet eyes. "I would rather die than be human without you and I don't know why you don't see that. That human life is something that I don't want anymore because I won't be able to spend eternity with you."

"You would have moved on," Lucy tried to argue. "You would have been fine, you would have been—"

"Don't you dare say that I'd be happy without you," Stefan grabbed her arms and pulled her against his front. "I am the happiest that I have ever been, Lucy, and that's all because of you. You bring out a side to me that I haven't seen in over a hundred years. You help me be me, you help fight my bloodlust; you help so much. You are everything, Lucy Gilbert."

"I just want you to live the life you've always wanted," Lucy whispered up at him. "I love you so much."

"I love _you_," Stefan said passionately. "and I don't care if I have to drink animal blood for the rest of my days. It doesn't matter if we don't age past seventeen and we live until the apocalypse. If I'm with you, nothing else matters. I want to spend an eternity together. Don't you want that?"

Tears slipped down Lucy's cheeks. "Of course I do, Stefan."

Maybe it was selfish of her, but she was glad that Stefan had decided not to take the cure. Yes, she wanted him to have that human life and yes, it would have been hard, but that was the sacrifice she was willing to make for him. But he wasn't taking it because he didn't want to live without her and that made her feel like she could explode with love for him. She couldn't see herself without Stefan by her side. She wanted to be with him for all of eternity and even longer than that. Stefan was the love of her life—and she'd live for a long, long time.

Standing on her tiptoes, she smashed her lips to Stefan's, pouring all the love she had for him into the kiss. She hoped he felt it because after everything she said about him taking the cure, she couldn't think of a better way to assure him that he was it for her and that she loved him so, so much. Just from the urgent way Stefan kissed her back and his hands reached up to cup her cheeks tightly, she knew that he knew how she felt. And she could feel how he felt, too.

And then Stefan ended the kiss, pulling his face only an inch away from her. "Marry me."

Lucy blinked in shock, her mind spinning. "What?"

"Marry me, Lucy," Stefan pulled further away so he could see her face properly.

"What—I mean—I—hold on," Lucy stammered, trying to take his words in. "You want me to marry you?"

"Yeah."

"Like, husband and wife?"

"That's usually how it goes."

"Right now?"

"Well, I was hoping we could plan a ceremony—"

He was cut off as Lucy jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist, and crushed her lips against his once again. It was a clashing of teeth and a tangle of tongue but it was probably the best kiss either of them had ever had.

Lucy gasped heavily as she broke away from his lips. "We're pretty young."

"I'm a hundred and sixty-three years old," Stefan replied, chasing down her lips.

They kissed for a couple more seconds before Lucy pulled away again. "We've only been dating for seven months."

"I don't care," Stefan stroked her dimpled cheeks with his thumbs. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Why not start now?"

Lucy smiled at him. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"You really want to get married?"

"Of course, I do."

Lucy squeaked in happiness and hugged him tightly, burying her head into his neck. "I love you," she kissed the sensitive flesh just under his strong jaw. "I love you so much."

"I love you," Stefan chuckled as she faced him again. "So, is that a yes?"

"Yes!" Lucy exclaimed. "Of course, I'll marry you, Stefan."

They exchanged happy grins and a few more kisses before Stefan let Lucy down and wandered over to his dresser. He opened the top drawer, pulled something out, and walked back over to Lucy, getting down on one knee.

The ring he presented her with was absolutely beautiful. It was a small, shiny, silver band with expensive diamonds; there was a large one in the middle and was surrounded by little ones, artfully put together so they gave off the appearance of a flower. She loved it so much.

"It's beautiful," Lucy breathed, pausing when she saw that it was connected to a Duke keychain. "What's that for?"

"Well, I was hoping we could put a key on it," Stefan shrugged with a smile. "When we get an apartment in Durham."

Lucy laughed; he thought of everything. "That sounds nice."

"Can I put this on you now?"

"Can you get it off the keychain?"

"...yes."

Five minutes later, after Stefan was able to get the ring off of the keychain, he slid it onto her left ring finger. Her left hand looked complete with his ring on it and it made it all the more official when he placed a gentle kiss to it.

God, she loved him so damn much.

They spent a few more minutes kissing and celebrating before Stefan pulled away from her. He had the unpleasant task of throwing Silas' body into the quarry. Together, they went downstairs and received congratulations from Joel, Jeremy, Lexi, and Alaric. Soon, though, Stefan was off to the quarry with Lexi by his side and Jeremy was going to meet up with Bonnie.

"So," Alaric grinned at her as he, Lucy, and Joel sat in the living room together. "You're gonna be a married woman."

"Yeah, I guess," Lucy smiled at her ring before looking back at him. "I'm sad you won't be there."

"I will," Alaric reminded her. "I'll always be watching over you, Luce."

And just like that, his words filled her with peace that pushed away the worry that settled in her stomach after Stefan proposed to her. Deep inside, she was sad that none of her parents would be able to see her walk down the aisle and marry Stefan. Just the reminder that Alaric was still watching over her gave her piece of mind; she was going to be okay.

"And when he's not, I am," Joel winked at her. "Should I feel pathetic, though? I mean, my baby sister's getting married before I am."

"Eh, you're only twenty-three," Alaric shrugged and clapped him on the shoulder. "You have time."

"You have an eternity," Lucy added. "Enough time for me to set you and Caroline up."

Joel scowled and picked up a throw pillow, whipping it at her. "Shut up!"

Only a few miles away from Steven's Quarry, Stefan chatted with Lexi from behind the wheel of the SUV that used to belong to Zach.

"So," Lexi grinned at him. "Marriage and an apartment? My best friend is growing up."

Stefan grinned sheepishly at her. "I guess so."

"What are you thinking for the honeymoon?" she asked excitedly. "New York? Hawaii? Maui?"

"No," Stefan shook his head. "Thailand. Lucy loves elephants."

"I'm proud of you, Stefan," Lexi became serious, making Stefan look over at her.

"You are?" he asked with raised eyebrows.

"You found the epic love of your life, you're going to marry her and get away from your brother. You're going to be happy. You're going to start a new life," Lexi smiled affectionately at him. "It's all I ever wanted for you."

"I wish you had that too, Lex."

"It's fine," Lexi waved him off, perking up again. "I can just live vicariously through you."

Stefan laughed loudly and shook his head. "I'm fine with that," he looked over to the passenger seat, only to see that Lexi was gone. He sighed heavily, wishing that he had more time with her. "See you, Lexi."

He arrived at Steven's quarry soon after the veil was brought back up. Once parked only a few feet from the quarry, he opened the hatch and heaved the safe where he would put Silas' body out onto the ground. After that, he grabbed Silas' body and threw it on the rocks, only to pause when he heard the clattering of rocks.

He crouched down and unwrapped the fabric, swearing to himself when he saw that the calcified stone Silas had been trapped in was broken into pieces. Silas was gone.

"Don't bother, I'm not there," Lucy's voice came from behind him.

Stefan got to his feet and turned to Silas, who was wearing his fiancée's face. "Silas," he hated to admit it but he was terrified. "You were stone. They saw you, the spell worked."

"That's the funny thing about spells—most of them are bound by nature," Silas drawled, cocking Lucy's head. "Nature demands balance so every spell has a loophole. The spell that turned me into stone was bound by a witch; a living witch. So, when that witch died, the spell broke."

Stefan blinked rapidly. "Bonnie?" he shook his head in disbelief. "Bonnie's not dead."

"It doesn't matter, does it?" Silas stated . "And here's where the mystery of me comes full circle. I created the immortality spell two thousand years ago. I can never die, so nature needed to find a balance. A version of me that could die."

Stefan watched in amazement as Silas turned from Lucy into Elena. "A shadow-self," he continued. "A doppelganger."

Stefan raised his chin. "So, this is finally your real face?" he asked. "You're another one of them?"

God, he couldn't handle another Petrova doppelganger.

"Not exactly," Silas transformed himself into a mirror image of Stefan, his lips pulling into a smirk. "Hello, my shadow-self."

Stefan looked at him in shock, unable to move as Silas stepped toward him. He wasn't quick enough to defend himself as Silas took a wooden stake from his jacket and plunged it into his stomach.

"Do you have any idea what it's like to starve for two thousand years?" he hissed in Stefan's ear. He pulled the stake out and let Stefan drop to his knees before dragging him over to the safe and putting him in it. "Don't worry, I'll tell Lucilla that you said hello."

Stefan wanted to move, to get him out of harm's way and get back to Lucy but he couldn't. He couldn't move. He watched in horror as Silas slammed the safe door shut and spun the lock. Within seconds he was airborne and crashing into the water.

Miles away, safe and sound in the Salvatore Boarding House, Lucy waited for Stefan to come home, ready to start their new life together.


	78. Always and Forever

**[4x20; The Originals + 1x01; Always and Forever]**

**[Warning: The ending of this chapter made me cry while writing it, so…Good luck.]**

**June 16, 2011**

Her nerves shot, Lucy bit her lip as she stared out of the windows that faced the driveway in Stefan's room. He'd been gone _too_ long. He was supposed to dump Silas' body in the quarry and then come back, which should have been only an hour, tops. It had been six hours—_six_ hours and he still wasn't home.

He hadn't answered her calls or the messages she had sent and that wasn't like Stefan. Sure, when she bombarded him with texts, he didn't bother to answer them but he would call her instead—yes, her guy was that kind of old man but she kind of thought it was adorable. But he hadn't called.

So, there had to be only one thing that happened. Stefan was dead.

God, the thought of Stefan being dead broke her heart—it physically pained her; she had to grab one of the chairs near the window so she wouldn't collapse as tears came to her eyes—but he would have called her by now. He would have. They weren't one of those unhealthy couples who had to be together all the time but they still checked in most of the time.

Her hands shook as she grabbed her phone and called Stefan again. The line rang and rang and just before his voicemail picked up, he answered.

"Hello?"

His tone gave off the vibe that he was severely annoyed.

"Stefan, thank God you answered," she sighed in relief, though she didn't appreciate his tone. Here she was, worried that he had died, and he was annoyed with _her_?

"_Luc—Lucy,"_ Stefan sighed, the annoyance leaving his voice. "_Right. I'm sorry. It took a little longer than expected."_

Longer than expected? A half-hour was longer than expected; Steven's Quarry was literally just outside of town limits. "Really? Did something happen?"

"_No, no_," he said hurriedly. "_Silas' body is deep in the quarry."_

Lucy sighed in relief. "That's good. Are you on your way home now?" the few seconds of silence on his part made her heart tick nervously. "Stefan?"

"_I'm not coming home."_

Lucy's stomach whirled as she blinked rapidly, slightly in shock. "What do you mean?"

"_I mean that I'm not coming home_," Stefan said slowly, though it didn't sound as if he was trying to make her feel stupid. "_I have to do something this summer. Alone."_

"Alone? Stefan, you just proposed. Now you're saying you want to be alone?"

Lucy just couldn't believe it. He had been so excited when she said she'd be his wife. Why was he all of a sudden acting like he needed space? If anything, it seemed like he wanted anything but space earlier.

When Stefan spoke, his voice was tense_. "Lucy, I just want a couple months to myself. I'll be back soon, I'm sure. Lexi wanted me to do a couple of things in her name."_

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows; when Lexi first died, Stefan had gone on a trip in her name and he have grieved his best friend. It was sweet of him, so it wasn't out of left field that he would be doing so again—especially because he and Lexi had spent the whole previous day with each other—but she didn't understand why he was going alone. She would have come with him for support.

She went to reply but Stefan spoke again, "_I have to go, Lucy—"_

"Wait, wait, wait," she hurried, her eyes glazing over with tears. "Stefan, I—"

"_I think it would be best if we didn't contact each other for a while. I heard distance makes the heart grow fonder."_

"What?"

"_Bye, Lucy. I love you."_

"Stefan, wait—"

The call ended, the dial tone taunting her ears.

She stared down at her phone in shock. She was confused, rightfully so. Stefan proposed to her, dropped Silas' body in the quarry, took six hours to do so, and now he wanted space for a whole summer with no contact? It was so bizarre.

And, honestly, that didn't sound like Stefan. Distance makes the heart grow fonder. What kind of fifth grade sappy bullshit was that? Sometimes Stefan was sappy but not that sappy and he always seemed to be happy by her side.

Something wasn't right. Something was wrong with Stefan.

**July 20, 2011**

"You're brooding and it's annoying."

Lucy narrowed her eyes and pulled the throw pillow away from her face, whipping it at Klaus without a word. Klaus simply caught the pillow and smirked at her before throwing it back, hitting her in the face.

"Nik, stop!"

"Don't whine, love, it's unbecoming."

"You're unbecoming."

"What a nice thing to say to your favorite big brother," Klaus drawled, a smile twisting his lips as he watched as Lucy huffed and threw the pillow off her face in order to sit up on the couch.

"I don't have favorites."

"You and I both know that's not true," Klaus chuckled before settling himself, knowing that the reason she was brooding so much was something that wasn't funny. "Have you any leads on the youngest Salvatore?"

"No," Lucy sighed heavily, her chest feeling heavy. "Liz was unable to trace the call he made that day, the plates were changed on the SUV, location spells aren't working, and my letters aren't getting to him."

In the three weeks or so since Stefan called her for some space, she had been working like crazy to find him. She had gotten past the point of hurt and had come to her senses. One, Stefan didn't sound like himself during that phone call; the words, phrases, and tone of voice were all off. Two, Lucy was secure in Stefan's love for her. He proposed to her, for crying out loud. Why would he want alone time and say it was because of Lexi when she knew Lexi wouldn't have minded if she did travel with him. In fact, she would probably encourage it.

So, that left Lucy with three theories of what was going on. Silas had made friends before he was calcified by Bonnie and they were getting their revenge on Stefan; witches had taken Stefan and put some sort of magic on him, which is a probable theory because her location spells were blocked when it came to him and her letters wouldn't go to him; and Silas somehow came back to life and was keeping Stefan with him, torturing him as he went.

Honestly, she was favoring the witch theory. Silas seemed like the kind of guy who wouldn't make friends and she couldn't think of a way that Silas was able to break Bonnie's spell.

"Are you thinking magic?"

"Yeah, I think so."

Klaus was quiet for a moment, something that Lucy was pretty sure she had never seen. She stared at him expectantly and when he finally did speak, the words that came out of his mouth left her confused.

"Come with me to New Orleans."

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "How is a trip to New Orleans going to help me?"

"There are plenty of witches there, maybe they can help if they're not too judgmental," Klaus jumped up from the couch across from Lucy and got himself a drink from the bar. "Besides, your sister sent me a letter?"

"Mmm…Bekah, Kit, or Elena?"

"Katerina."

Lucy pursed her lips, unable to connect a letter from Katherine to New Orleans. "And what did she write in this letter?"

"A warning," Klaus drank the whiskey he had poured in one long gulp. "She told me that there's a witch that's plotting against me in New Orleans."

"She warned you about it?" why would Katherine do that? She wasn't exactly one to be on Klaus' sider—or anywhere near him, really. "Was it a peace offering or something?"

"I suppose. The point is, I'm going tomorrow. You should come with me."

"I don't know," Lucy shook her head. "I have to help Jeremy settle in and he's not exactly comfortable at the Boarding House."

The night of graduation, Bonnie successfully resurrected Jeremy from the Other Side. It was a blessing to have her youngest brother alive and in arms reach again and she had sworn that she would protect him with all she was. He was having a hard time adjusting to not living in their house, having to live in Damon and Elena's love nest—Joel wasn't so happy about it either—and soon he would be going back to school, which was the worst of it.

Joel and Elena had come up with a story to cover up Jeremy's death and was claiming that he was troubled and he had burnt down their house and faked his death for attention. Lucy didn't like the story at all because it put the blame of their destroyed house on Jeremy—which was very clearly Elena's fault, but God forbid if she took responsibility for her actions—and set Jeremy up for bullying and being stared at like a freak. She had suggested that he go to school at Grove Hill, which ten or so minutes away from Whitmore, where Elena was going to be in the fall, and Jeremy had agreed with her but they were shut down by the oldest siblings.

All summer her worry had been spilt between her baby brother and her fiancé. At least she could help Jeremy; Stefan was another story.

"Jeremy will be fine for a couple of days," Klaus assured her. "If anything, come so you can stop stressing about everything. It's not healthy."

"Please tell me you're not lecturing me on what's healthy, Niklaus."

"I would never, little sister."

**July 21, 2011**

New Orleans was a very charming place. Lucy had never been before and because Klaus had literally helped build a little town into the city it was today, he knew all of the interesting information that basic tours wouldn't be able to provide.

He told her how he, Elijah, Rebekah, Kol, and Finn—the last two being in coffins—arrived in New Orleans back in the 1800s, when the town was just a little trading village. He explained how they had quickly assimilated and befriended the mayor and his family and after a couple of years, he met Marcel and brought him into the family. There were more stories, some sad—like when he daggered Rebekah because she and Marcel were having an affair—and some happy—like memories of bonding with Marcel and their siblings. Lucy listened with a tentative ear, wishing that she had been with them all that time ago.

When Klaus' tour was done, they went to one of the markets, where Klaus had assured her that there would be witches catering to tourists. They stopped once in a while to look at street art and paintings, wild masks and clothes, and Lucy even tried gumbo and beignets, which were absolutely and amazingly delicious.

Finally, after Lucy made sure there wasn't any powder sugar residue on her face, they went to the part of the market where the witches set up their booths. There was one witch in particular that Klaus had his eye on; she was an older woman with black sink and beautiful hair wrapped up in a colorful headscarf. There were a bunch of witchy artifacts on her table and when she saw the both of them headed in her direction, she started to pack up her things.

"Good afternoon," Klaus greeted her politely as he and Lucy took their seats in the two chairs on the other side of the table. "Time for two more?"

The woman did not look happy to see them—Lucy figured it was because of Klaus; she wasn't well known throughout the circuits. Well, she hoped that she wasn't. "I have nothing to say to you two."

Okay, maybe she did know about her.

"Oh, now, that's not very amiable, is it?" Klaus acted like he was hurt by her words. "You don't even know who we are."

"I know what you are. Half-vampire, half beast; the hybrid," her eyes flitted from Klaus to Lucy. "The reincarnation and half-vampire, half-witch; an abomination."

Lucy frowned at her. "That was rude."

"It was," Klaus agreed with her, his gaze noticeably hardening when he looked back at the woman. "and I'm the Original hybrid, actually, but that's a long story for another time. I'm looking for someone. A witch. Perhaps you might be able to help me find her."

The woman cocked her head curiously.

"Her name's Jane-Anne Deveraux," Lucy added, raising her eyebrows at the witch.

"Sorry, I don't know," the woman shook her head.

"Well, now, that's a fib, isn't it? What do you think, Luciana?"

"Considering that you know who we are," Lucy folded her arms across her chest as she continued to stare at the woman. "We know that you're the true witch. Everyone else? They here for the money. Now," she leaned forward and whispered, "I would stop with the lies. He has a temper. He'll throw a tantrum; I've seen him do it."

"Witches don't talk out of school in the Quarter," the witch said firmly. "The vampire won't allow it. Those are the rules. I don't break Marcel's rules."

"Marcel's rules?" Klaus asked slowly while Lucy look at him in shock, easily recognizing the name. "Where do you suppose I might find Marcel?"

My Bar—that was the literal name of the bar where Marcel was supposedly located—was very crowded and very enthusiastic. It must have been karaoke day—she wasn't surprised to see that bars were busy during the day; it _was_ New Orleans, after all—and a vampire was up onstage, giving a great performance. Lucy recognized him from some of the drawings that Klaus had shown her before; he was the adopted Mikaelson, Marcel.

And Marcel was gorgeous. Those drawings did not do him justice—though that could have been because of the horrendous clothing they had back in the day.

"There he is," Klaus nodded at Marcel as he crooned into the microphone, giving all the ladies in the bar hungry eyes.

"He's beautiful," when Klaus gave her a disapproving look, she shrugged and defended herself, "What? It's true."

"You have a fiancé," he reminded her.

Her stomach sank at the mention of Stefan. She felt guilty that she was in New Orleans when she could be trying to track down Stefan but she had to remind herself that she was in the city to ask some of the local witches if they had anything that could help. Though, judging by the witch they had spoken to, it didn't seem like any of them would help her.

"I can still notice the attractiveness of other people, Niklaus."

"_So, how like me now? How you like me now_?" Marcel sang, earning himself cheers and whistles. "_How you like me now?"_

The song ended only a few seconds later; Marcel thanked the crowd and slid himself off of the stage, fist-bumping another guy and throwing back the drink that he had given him. It was after he put the empty glass back on the bar that Marcel noticed that they were there.

He didn't notice her but Lucy hadn't expected him too. He didn't know her but he knew Klaus. They engaged in a little stare down before he finally acknowledged his sire.

"Klaus."

"Marcel."

"Must be a hundred years since that nasty business with your papa."

Klaus shrugged and slowly started walking toward him. "Has it been that long?"

"The way I recall it, he ran you out of town. Left a trail of dead vampires in his wake."

That sounded like Mikael.

"And yet how fortunate you managed to survive," Lucy rolled her eyes at how dramatic the two were being; she guessed that Marcel inherited drama when Klaus took him in. No one did drama quite like the Mikaelson family. "My father, I'm afraid, I recently incinerated to dust."

Many, many people, who had to be Marcel's crew of vampires, stood up, seeing a threat in Klaus' statement. Lucy raised an eyebrow at them—what did they think they could do against the Original hybrid?—and stepped next to Klaus, trying to give them a threatening look. She was most-likely more than fifty years younger than all of them but she had magic on her side.

"Well, if I'd known you were coming back in town, if I had a head's up—"

"What, Marcel?" Klaus cut him off, both of them know standing less than a foot apart. "What would you have done?"

"I'd have thrown you a damn parade," Marcel broke into a grin as he and Klaus hugged, chuckling happily. "Niklaus Mikaelson. My mentor, my savior, my sire…who's the girl?"

Lucy waved slightly when Marcel looked her way. "I'm Lucy."

"Luciana," Klaus elaborated, having told Marcel about his baby sister many a times.

Marcel's eyes lit up as he glanced at Klaus. "Luciana?" Klaus nodded. "Back from the dead once again?"

"That would be me," Lucy smiled slightly.

Surprisingly, Marcel let go of Klaus and wrapped his arms around Lucy, giving her a light hug. "I'm glad to meet you, girl," he patted her back like she was a toddler. "Any family of Klaus' is family to me."

"Does that make me your aunt, or…?"

Marcel laughed loudly and turned to Klaus. "I like her," he grinned and added, "Let's get you two some drinks!"

Marcel and his vampires led them down a couple of streets to a large building; when they entered, she realized that it had been the Mikaelson compound from years ago, before Mikael had chased them away from New Orleans. The numerous Mikaelson crests that were scattered around the building on old stone walls told her that. From there, they entered the kitchen, where Marcel took out a bottle of bourbon while they sat at a table.

"It is good to see you," Marcel told Klaus as he walked back to the table and poured them drinks.

"It's good to be home," Klaus said pleasantly. "Although, please tell me the current state of Bourbon Street is not your doing."

Marcel laughed boisterously. "Something's gotta draw in the out-of-towners. Otherwise, we'd all go hungry."

Lucy gave him a tight-lipped smile and took a sip of her drink, wincing as she swallowed; she seriously didn't know how Stefan, Damon, and Klaus drank it. It was utterly horrendous. She preferred something fruity; she didn't care that people called her a wimp because of her taste in alcohol.

"I see your friends are daywalkers."

At Klaus' observation, Lucy eyed one of Marcel's vampires; this one was wearing an ugly cap but his daylight ring was actually pretty nice.

"Yeah, yeah, I shared the secret of your daylight ring with a few buddies," Marcel almost seemed sorry to have given away Esther's spell. "Just the inner circle, though. The family."

"Tell me," Klaus set his elbow on the table while leaning in toward Marcel. "How did you find a witch willing to make daylight rings?"

Marcel smirked. "I got the witches here wrapped around my finger."

"Really?" Lucy raised her eyebrows, wondering how he had done such a thing; she figured it was probably violence since most vampires didn't do the whole friendship thing with witches. Marcel nodded. "Do you know a witch named Jane-Anne Deveraux?"

"You're looking for Jane-Anne?"

"She has some business with me," Klaus told him.

Marcel shared a look with the capped vampire before going back to Klaus and Lucy. "Then you probably ought to come with me."

There were vampires all over. They scaled the roof tops of surrounding buildings, they jumped over cars, and used their enhanced speed to play around with each other. They were very enthusiastic with whatever Marcel had planned; like how desperate guys would be at a strip club.

"How's the family?" Marcel asked as he walked with Lucy and Klaus down the street where this gathering was taking place.

"Those who live hate me more than ever."

"Ignore him," Lucy rolled her eyes and nudged Klaus' side with her elbow; he scowled at her. "He's being dramatic."

"I'm sure he is," Marcel laughed charmingly while patting Klaus' back. "Still, forget them. If you blood relations let you down, you make your own, huh? You taught me that. And what's mine is yours, as always. Even my nightwalkers, the riffraff."

Marcel grabbed a vine off of a tree while Lucy and Klaus examined all of the nightwalker. They were still acting rambunctious; Lucy honestly didn't know how they weren't caught by tourists and the people who lived there. Though, it probably wouldn't matter with compulsion.

"They're hardly subtle, are they?" Klaus observed as one vampire jumped from a roof down to the street.

"It's the Quarter," Marcel shrugged. "Ain't no thing as subtle, baby."

He put two fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly, causing all of the vampires in attendance—other than Klaus and Lucy—to cheer loudly. Some of them, the ones who had gathered in the middle of the street in a circle, moved so that Marcel could get in. Lucy and Klaus waited out to the side in order to watch the spectacle.

Marcel's buddy, the one with the cap, pushed a woman toward him; she was an older brunette with her wrists tied tightly with white rope.

"Jane-Anne Deveraux," Marcel crowed, looking around at his vampires; Lucy and Klaus shared a pointed look. This was the witch they were looking for. "Give it up for Jane-Anne. Come on!"

Lucy was starting to get nervous; this wasn't just some social call, Jane-Anne was tied up for a reason.

"Jane-Anne Deveraux, you have been accused of the practice of witchcraft beyond the bounds of the rules set forth and enforced by me. How do you plead?" Marcel turned back to Klaus and Lucy with a smile. "Oh, was that convincing? I studied law back in the fifties. Hold that thought…"

He turned back to Jane-Anne. "Seriously, J, tick tock. You know the drill. How do you plead?"

This was a witch hunt and it didn't sit right with Lucy. She was a siphoner and she wasn't really included in the witching community but one of her friends was a witch and now she had magic too. She couldn't imagine being punished for something as simple as performing magic.

"I didn't do anything," Jane-Anne stated confidently.

Marcel hummed. "That's a lie. You know it, I know it, and you hate that I know it," he taunted her. "It drives you witches crazy that I'm aware of your every move. That you can't do magic in this town without getting caught."

Lucy stared over at Klaus, her mouth pressed in a tight line; she wanted to do something. She couldn't let this witch die just because she was practicing her nature. Klaus shook his head at her with a warning look. She got the message; Marcel was stronger than her and he didn't want her to get hurt.

"So," Marcel fiddled with the vine in his hands, pulling some of the leaves off the stem. "why don't we just cut to the chase, huh? You tell me what magic you're brewing. I mean, tell me. I'll grant you leniency. Hey, I am, after all, a merciful man."

Jane-Anne's face contorted into anger and she spat, "Rot in Hell, monster."

Marcel's vampires collectively made a low 'ooh' noise; Marcel did not look at all happy with Jane-Anne's reply but he ended up smiling threateningly. "I'll tell you what, I'll give you one more chance," he turned away from her and Lucy thought he was going to walk away, but he rapidly turned and whipped the vine toward Jane-Anne, slitting her throat. "Or not."

Lucy's gasp was covered by the sheer volume of cheering as Jane-Anne's body dropped to the ground. She went to step forward, wanting to give Marcel any kind of punishment for killing the woman, but Klaus grabbed her arm tightly in order to stop her.

"Do not do anything," Klaus sounded angry, though not at her. "We don't want him to know about you."

In other words, they didn't want him to know about her magic.

Lucy pressed her lips together, her eyes stinging, and gave Jane-Anne's body one last look. She didn't really have a reason to be defensive about the New Orleans witches—especially since it was clear that they didn't like her—but she did for some reason. Maybe it was because she had magic and it worried her that the man that Klaus took in would figure out that she had magic herself. What would he do then?

Once she pulled herself together, she and Klaus left the circle of vampires and stomped over to where Marcel was celebrating with the vampire with the cap. Just as Marcel walked away to cheer with some of his other vampires, Klaus firmly grabbed his shoulder.

"What the fuck was that?"

"Hey," Marcel took the tone of a parent soothing a child in the middle of a tantrum, resting his arm over Klaus' shoulders. "Come walk with me," once they were further away from the nightwalkers, he continued, "Witches aren't allowed to do magic here. She broke the rules."

"I told you I wanted to talk to her," Klaus snapped as he pointed at him angrily.

Marcel sighed and looked back at the celebration. "Hey, I'm sorry," he gave a fake apology; there wasn't a sorry bone in his body. "I got caught up in the show. Those witches, they think that they still have power in this town. I have to show them that they don't. I never waste an opportunity for a show of force. Another lesson that I learned from you."

Lucy narrowed her eyes at him; she knew fully well what kind of person Klaus was. He was a dick but he was her brother, so he got a pass. Marcel, as charming as he was at the beginning of the night, didn't. She was a hypocrite but she didn't care.

Marcel's words seemed to soften Klaus.

"And besides, anything that you could've gotten out of her, I can find out for you and I will," Marcel finished. "I promise."

Klaus glanced over Marcel's shoulders, where the nightwalkers were still hovering over Jane-Anne's body, and conceded. "Well, whatever it was, doesn't matter anymore, does it?"

Lucy glared at him. "Nik!"

This was not just about him. Part of the reason she even went to New Orleans with him was to see if the witches here had any knowledge to spare for finding Stefan.

Marcel raised an eyebrow at her. "What's wrong, little sister?"

Okay, she got that they were pretty much family but she didn't like the fact that he called her little sister. Kol and Klaus could say that but not Marcel.

"Don't mind her. She's a little grumpy because something happened to her fiancé," Klaus told Marcel, patting Lucy's back. "She wanted to talk to a witch about what she could do to find them."

"Well," Marcel smiled charmingly. "I can help with that, too. Sound good?"

Lucy faked a smile and nodded; it was better than nothing.

"Good," Marcel chuckled, satisfied. "Then let's eat because all that spilled blood makes me hungry."

Marcel clapped Klaus on the chest and then walked on, probably assuming that they were going to follow him. Lucy went to, because she figured Klaus would, but he stopped her. She gave him a curious look but he had already moved on, stopping the vampire with the cap from following his boss.

"Hey, Thierry, isn't it?" he asked politely; Thierry nodded. "Any more Deveraux witches where she came from?"

Lucy waited in the kitchen of Rousseau's, the bar that the Deveraux sisters owned and worked that. Sophie Deveraux, Jane-Anne's sister, was crying as she chopped carrots, assumingly making the gumbo that was advertised at the front of the bar. Klaus stood next to her, but he was letting her take the lead on this, as he was rather abrasive and the girl just lost her sister.

She didn't think that Sophie was going to notice them any time soon. She cleared her throat, "Hello."

Sophie gasped as she whirled around, bracing herself against the counter she was working at. She quickly studied the both of them, wet eyes rapidly flitting back and forth. "You're Klaus and Luciana."

Lucy had to figure out how all these people knew who she was.

"Yeah," she nodded with a smile, hoping that she wouldn't intimidate her. "I go by Lucy, though."

Sophie nodded, probably wondering why the reincarnation—and vampire-witch hybrid—was telling her to call her by a more casual name.

"You look upset," Klaus commented blankly; Lucy gave him an annoyed look. "I assume this is because of what we just witnessed with your sister on the corner of Royal and St. Anne."

"Did you enjoy the show?"

"No, we didn't," Lucy said before Klaus could put his foot in his mouth. "We're sorry for your loss but we need to know what your sister wanted with Klaus."

Sophie opened her mouth but paused, spotting something over Lucy's shoulders. "I see you brought friends."

Lucy gave her a confused look and both she and Klaus turned around to see two of Marcel's men at the bar.

"They're not with us," Klaus said, now fully annoyed with Marcel.

"They're with Marcel. That's all that matters," Sophie said firmly. "I know you built this town but this is his town now. He killed my sister because she broke the rules. So, I talk to you in front of them and I'm next."

Sophie turned back to her cooking station and started chopping vegetables again. Lucy and Klaus took that as a dismissal—though Klaus would say that he was bored with the conversation—and went out to the bar area.

He stormed right up to Marcel's vampires and firmly clasped them on the shoulders, squeezing until their bones cracked. "Are you two gentlemen following us?"

"Marcel said we're your guides."

"Oh, he did, did he?" Klaus scoffed. "Well, then, let me be exceedingly clear about something. If either of you follow us again, you'll do so without the benefit of a spine."

"Sorry for the wait," the pretty blonde bartender walked up to the four of them. "If you're here for the gumbo, I'm about to break your heart. We just ran out."

Klaus dug a hundred-dollar-bill out of his pocket and placed it on the bar. "Your oldest scotch for my two friends here, love," when she smiled and turned to pour the drinks, Klaus added to the vampires, "Marcel wants to know what we're up to, he can ask us himself."

Halfway to the Mikaelson compound—sorry, Marcel's place—Lucy got a message from Elijah telling her to meet him outside of Lafayette Cemetery. Assuming that it was important—why else would Elijah be in New Orleans—Lucy ditched Klaus, making excuses to go back to the hotel. She had to get directions in order to get to the cemetery but they were pretty straight forward.

Elijah and Sophie were waiting for her outside of the gates.

"Elijah," Lucy greeted her oldest brother with a smile, wrapping him up into a hug. "I'm glad you're here."

Elijah kissed her on the head. "It's good to see you, too, Luciana," he pulled away from her so he could study her. "How is everything going with Stefan?"

"Not good," Lucy shook her head as she wrinkled her nose. "I was supposed to try to find someone to help but this whole thing with Klaus seems bigger than expected."

"I'll put feelers out for him," Elijah offered. "I know some people."

Lucy smiled at him gratefully. "Thank you," she turned to Sophie. "So, what are we doing here?"

Sophie gestured to the entrance gate. "Follow me."

She opened the gate and stepped right in; when Lucy and Elijah followed her, they were knocked back, just like a seal on a house would if they were uninvited.

"This is sacred ground, which means vampires have to be invited in," Sophie said matter-of-factly. "But since I'm desperate, come in."

Lucy and Elijah shared a look before both of them entered the cemetery with no restrictions.

"We can talk freely here," Sophie told them as she started walking.

"Then I suggest you start talking," Elijah said threateningly; Sophie stopped and turned to face him. "What did your sister want with Niklaus?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Sophie asked. "We have a vampire problem and we need help. Marcel has an army backing him. The witches have been trying to fight back. We haven't had much luck, until my sister Jane-Anne met a girl with a werewolf sister, both of them passing through the Quarter from a small town in Virginia. She had a special connection to your brother."

Okay, obviously Sophie was talking about Mystic Falls but there weren't any female werewolves there. Klaus killed Jules in the sacrifice and that bitch Hayley—and her sister, who Klaus had rescued from Katherine's vampires at the same time as Hayley; shit, was she human?—but they had left after he had given them some needed information.

"What kind of connection?" Lucy asked, a bit naively. Elijah patted her on the back, like she was some adorable but helpless puppy.

"Apparently, they spent some time together," Sophie elaborated. "One thing led to another and now this girl—she's pregnant and the father of the child she's carrying is your brother, Klaus."

Lucy blinked at her in shock while Elijah immediately went into denial. "That's impossible."

"Nothing is impossible, especially not when it comes to your brother," Sophie challenged him. "Thank about it, they call him the hybrid, right?"

Sophie turned around for a second and called loudly, "Bring her out!"

It took a second before a group of witches slipped out of the farthest crypt in the aisle they were standing in. They pulled out two girls and Lucy recognized one of them immediately.

"What the hell is she doing here?" she hissed as she glared at Hayley, the girl that had given Katherine information about the cure that led to Jeremy being killed. She could feel the veins under her eyes rippling and she had to clench her fists in order to keep her magic from lashing out.

Still, the lights around the cemetery flickered on and off as the wind picked up only slightly.

"She's not the one I'm talking about," Sophie told her while she took a step away from her.

"I don't care, I'm gonna rip her throat out!" Lucy started to lunge toward the bitchy werewolf but Elijah grabbed her arm closest to him, keeping her away from both of the girls.

In Lucy's defense, she wasn't going to touch the other one—who she assumed was Hayley's sister.

"Luciana," Elijah's voice was stern and while it displeased her that she couldn't enact her revenge on Hayley, she listened to Elijah and stepped down. She wasn't going to disrespect him and go after the werewolf, even though she very much deserved it.

"Which one's the pregnant one?" she asked Sophie, trying to keep the aggression out of her tone.

"That one," Sophie pointed to the sister. She looked a little like Hayley, maybe a year younger, with light brown hair and brown eyes. She had a kind face and already Lucy liked her better than her sister.

The girl's eyes flickered between Lucy, Elijah, and Hayley. "Who are you guys?"

Elijah gave Sophie a significant look. "Give us a moment, please."

The witches put the pregnant girl back in the crypt and because Lucy couldn't be trusted to stay calm around Hayley, it was Elijah who was going to talk to her in another crypt while Lucy spoke with the other sister.

There was an awkward moment of silence between the two girls before Lucy spoke up. "What's your name?"

"Emma," the girl replied kindly. "And you're Lucy, right? Klaus' youngest sister."

"That would be me," Lucy confirmed as she sat down on the bench next to Emma. "I'm sorry about the way I reacted out there. I'm newly turned and your sister…honestly, I'm not a fan."

Emma nodded understandably. "I know what happened and if someone had done that to me, Hayley would have reacted the same way."

"Wow," Lucy chuckled lightly, a bit surprised. "You're really being understanding about this."

Emma shrugged with a light grin. "I've always been the more emotionally stable one."

"But your werewolf gene?"

"I haven't triggered the curse yet."

"Oh," Lucy nodded, wondering how she stayed so calm. Even before Tyler triggered his curse, he was volatile at best. "So, how long have they been holding you here?"

"A day or so," Emma answered. "They lured me and Hayley out to the bayou and grabbed us. Then they did some tests on me—like, magical tests. "

"Magical tests," Lucy hummed. "to see if you were pregnant?"

"Yeah, and honestly, I don't know how this whole thing could have happened," Emma bit her lip nervously. "Klaus is a vampire; they're not supposed to have children!"

"Well, he's not all vampire," Lucy told her. "He has some werewolf in his too."

"How?"

"Long story short, our mother had an affair with a man in our village and he was a werewolf. It wasn't until—" Lucy paused, remembering how Klaus had discovered her werewolf heritage; he had drunk her dry and killed her. "until he made his first kill that he—or anyone—knew."

"That sounds horrible."

"Yeah, it was," not that she was there for that part. She was dead and waiting on the Other Side as she waited to be reincarnated. She didn't think Emma knew about her story, though, and she didn't want to explain it to her at the moment.

"So," she spoke after a few seconds. "how are you feeling about all of this?"

Emma looked down at her stomach, no bump to be seen, and placed her hand over it. "I'm scared," she admitted, looking at Lucy again. "I mean, Klaus seemed so nice but after Hayley told me the truth about him…I just, I don't know. I just want the baby to be safe."

Lucy frowned sympathetically and grabbed Emma's hand in support. "Even if Klaus doesn't believe this, please know that Elijah and I will do whatever it takes to keep this baby safe."

"I'm glad you feel that way," Sophie stated as she entered the crypt, followed by Elijah and Hayley. "because we need your help."

"Okay, what does this baby have to do with Marcel?" Lucy let go of Emma's hand and stood up, crossing her arms over her chest.

"We want to run Marcel and his vampires out of town. Klaus is the key. Everything Marcel knows about being a vampire, he learned from Klaus," Sophie explained. "Marcel trusts him, looks up to him, and he won't see the betrayal coming."

"Yes, well, as I'm sure you're aware, our brother Niklaus doesn't like to be told what to do," Elijah commented.

"That's why I brought you two here," Sophie stated matter-of-factly. "Marcel drove the werewolves out of town decades ago. Do you really think he's going to welcome a hybrid baby to the neighborhood? Convince Klaus to help us and no one has to know about the newest member of the Original family."

Elijah narrowed his eyes at her. "That sounds remarkably like blackmail."

"Like I said," Sophie held her head up high. "I'm desperate."

"Well, then, I have my work cut out for me, don't I?" Elijah collected himself and looked pointedly at Lucy. "Stay and watch them."

Lucy nodded solemnly and silently hoped that Elijah would be able to convince Klaus that this is the right thing to do.

Not even an hour later, Elijah and Klaus arrived at the cemetery. As soon as they entered the crypt, Lucy moved from her place next to the bench where Emma and Hayley were sitting, and went to stand by her siblings. She gave Klaus a closed-mouth smile, hoping that he would listen to the situation without freaking out.

Klaus looked around the crypt, passing over most of Sophie's witch friends and both Emma and Hayley before acknowledging Sophie. "Sophie Deveraux," he lifted his chin intimidatingly. "What is this?"

Elijah nodded at Sophie. "He's all yours. Proceed."

Sophie addressed Klaus. "You know you're famous in this town? Witches tell bedtime stories about the powerful vampire Klaus," Klaus acted like he was surprised with her words, raising his eyebrows. "We know Marcel was nothing but an orphaned street rat until you made him what he is. And now he's out of control. He does what he wants. He kills who he wants. I'm gonna stop him and you're gonna help me."

Klaus broke out into a disbelieving grin, chuckling light as he turned toward Elijah. "This is why you brought me here?"

"Nik," Lucy gave him a pleading look. "hear her out."

"I don't need to hear her out," Klaus said stubbornly before turning back to Sophie. "I assure you, love, there is not a thing on this earth that will matter enough for me to waste even thirty more seconds of my time. Elijah," he looked back at his older brother. "What madness is this?"

Elijah didn't get to answer. Emma stood up from the bench, a hand over her stomach and called, "Klaus," he turned toward her, a bewildered look on his face. "you need to listen to them."

Klaus started at her for a second and then laughed sarcastically. "You're all out of your minds if you think some liquor-fueled one-night stand—" he pointed to Emma. "no offense, sweetheart—means a thing to me."

"_Niklaus_," Lucy hissed warningly, earning herself an incredulous look.

"Marcel may be able to keep us from practicing real magic in this town but as keepers of the balance, we still know when nature has cooked up something new," Sophie declared. "For example, I have a special gift of sensing when a girl is pregnant."

Klaus stiffened drastically and whispered, "What?"

"I know, it's impossible," Emma said calmly.

Her voice caught Klaus' attention; he turned to face her. "What are you saying?"

"Nik," Lucy stepped forward and grabbed his wrist, trying to give him some support. "Emma's pregnant with your baby."

"No," Klaus immediately shook his head, ripping his arm from her grasp. "It's impossible. Vampires cannot procreate."

"But werewolves can," Sophie spoke up adamantly. "Magic made you a vampire but you were born a werewolf. You're the Original hybrid, the first of your kind, and this pregnancy is one of nature's loopholes."

Klaus whipped around and pointed at Emma furiously. "You've been with someone else!" he growled while Elijah and Lucy grabbed him, holding him back. "Admit it!"

Emma flinched away from him, a hurt look on her face, while Hayley stood up for her younger sister. "Hey, she spent a couple of days held captive in a fucking alligator bayou because they think she's carrying some magical miracle baby. Don't you think she would've fessed up if it wasn't yours?"

"My sister gave her life to perform the spell she needed to confirm this pregnancy," Sophie spoke loudly. "Because of Jane-Anne's sacrifice, the lives or this girl and her baby are now controlled by us. If you don't help us take down Marcel, so help me, Emma won't live long enough to see her first maternity dress."

Shocked, Lucy whipped around to glower at Sophie. "I'm sorry, who do you think you are?" she stormed toward her and when the other witches went to go after her, she held out a hand in their direction. "Keep walking and you die."

She didn't look back to see if the witches listened to her; she just kept on glaring at Sophie. "I don't understand how you think you have any right to this baby of their mother," she laughed lightly and looked back at Elijah and Klaus, both of whom nodded at her in support. "I mean, you're talking to two Originals here, one of which is a hybrid, and me. And my magic stronger than all of yours."

Sophie's lips trembled but she wasn't the one to reply to Lucy.

"You do anything to us or Sophie and the girl and her baby will have the same thing down to them," an older black woman, who Lucy had learned was called Agnes, snapped back. "They're linked."

Lucy just shook her head and grabbed Sophie's shoulder. Her palm glowed a brilliant red while Sophie cried out in pain, causing all of the witches to startle. Once Lucy felt all of the link flee from Sophie's body, she pulled away. "Well, that's taken care of," she turned to her brothers, Emma, and—reluctantly—Hayley. "Should we go now, or…?"

"Wait," Sophie's voice shook. "Marcel and his vampires are out of control. Something had to be done."

"And you think threatening an unborn baby, a member of the most powerful family in the supernatural world, was a good idea?" Lucy scoffed. "Probably not the best plan."

"Let's just finish this now," Klaus spoke up, taking his place next to Lucy. He had calmed down considerably while Lucy was talking and was able to listen to the baby's heartbeat. "We'll be leaving with the girls. If anyone of you move an inch to stop us, you'll all die."

The witches all stiffened in response but Elijah, ever the peace maker, stepped in and added, "Let's be peaceful about this," his voice was soothing. "We can make a deal to which we'll take Marcel down. We all can win here."

Klaus looked at him incredulously. "Elijah?"

"We'll take the deal," Sophie said quickly. "You take down Marcel and we won't bother you again."

Lucy looked to Klaus expectantly and noticed the thoughtful look on his face. She smiled slightly, knowing that he was going to take the deal. All day he had been looking at Marcel with a kind of anger, simmering under the relief that he was alive. While he was running from Mikael, thinking that Marcel had died, Marcel was actually in New Orleans, taking over what he had built with the rest of his family. Lucy could see where the anger had come from; the least Marcel could have done was let Klaus know that he was alive and well.

"Fine," he said finally. "I'll take Marcel down. New Orleans is my city."

Lucy wandered out to the front deck of the plantation where Klaus, Elijah, Emma, and Hayley would be living, where she knew Klaus would be. He was sitting in one of the rocking chairs, staring at the horizon, where the sun was rising in beautiful pinks, blues, and yellows. He seemed peaceful and it made Lucy's heart warm. Klaus deserved happiness and he had been robbed of it for centuries.

Maybe this baby would give him that. The newest Mikaelson member would be someone to be happy about, someone to love, someone to give him hope.

She sat down in the rocking chair next to him but didn't say a word, just basking in the comfort of his presence.

Klaus and Elijah would be leaving Mystic Falls in order to live in New Orleans, no doubt that Kol and Rebekah would join them soon. Lucy wanted to be here as well, she really did, but she couldn't. She couldn't leave Joel or Caroline or Jeremy. She couldn't leave Jeremy when he was adjusting to being alive again and going back to school. She couldn't leave Mystic Falls when she knew that Stefan was out there somewhere, waiting for her to find him.

It was a bittersweet ending to the Original family's time in Mystic Falls. No longer would they be pursued by Elena or Damon for some kind of revenge. They'd be in the Big Easy, living as a family and bringing a new life into their family. And Lucy wished she could be there but it wasn't like she wasn't going to visit. They would probably be sick of how much she visited; that baby was going to be spoiled rotten by their Aunt Lucy.

Still, she felt lost. She couldn't explain how much her original family meant to her but it was something deep, in the very essence of her. She loved them so much and to know that Rebekah wouldn't be close enough for a random sleepover or that Klaus wouldn't be a minute away, ready to comfort her or paint with her, caused her heart to ache. They'd have forever, though. Maybe after she finished college, she could move down here.

"I can hear you thinking," Klaus spoke up, turning away from the sun to look at her. "and yes, I'll miss you too."

"That's good to know," Lucy gave him a watery smile.

Klaus smiled back at her, shaking his head fondly. "So, what do you think? Me as a father?"

"I'll think you'll be good at it," Lucy answered honestly; he gave her a shocked look. "You will. You're a great big brother, Nik. Surely that will follow you into fatherhood."

"I don't know."

"I'm pretty sure impending fatherhood is supposed to make you nervous," she laughed lightly. "This baby is a blessing, Nik. I wish I could be in your shoes."

Klaus gave her a sad smile and took her hand, squeezing it once in support before letting go. "I wish you could be too."

"At least I'll have a niece or nephew to spoil."

Klaus groaned teasingly. "Great, I'm not so sure about it now."

Lucy chuckled and then sighed sadly. "I'm really going to miss you, Nik."

Nik smiled at her but became serious. "You're going to be fine, Luciana. You're going to find Stefan and you're going to get married, and you'll go to school, and you'll live your life," he took her hand again. "We'll be by your side the whole time, just like family is supposed to."

His little but oh-so heartfelt speech made tears come to her eyes. "Always and forever?"

"Always and forever."


	79. More Letters to Stefan

**[Between 4x23 + 5x01]**

_**June 30, 2011**_

_Stefan, _

_Something's up. I've gone over that phone call over and over again the past two weeks and I know that something's up. I've been upset that you told me that you wanted to go off on a couple of errands for Lexi and that you needed some space but…Stefan, I know you would never want to do that. I mean, you just proposed. We were supposed to start a new life together and you wouldn't want to defer from that for a couple of months. _

_So, I've concluded that something's happened to you. If you get this letter and you call me back, then I'll know that I'm being dramatic. But until then, I have reason to be worried. Now, I'm not trying to be that clingy girlfriend and stuff because I'm not that person, you know I'm not that person. It's kinda hard to believe that, though, when I have Joel telling me that Damon thinks I'm overreacting. I'm not, though, okay? I'm not. _

_I've been having dreams about you, Stefan. They're not the fun and sexy kind of dreams. I have dreams of you suffering and calling out my name. Sometimes I have dreams of us at our spot, only a few hundred feet away from Steven's Quarry where we confessed our feelings for each other. It's crazy, right? I mean, I'm not Bonnie and I don't have the premonition thing like regular witches have. I think that my worry for you is just translating over to my dreams but they seem so real sometimes. What if they aren't dreams and I'm having real That's-So-Raven visions about you? What am I supposed to do, babe?_

_I wish you were here. I miss you so damn much. _

_I love you. _

_Sincerely yours, _

_Lucy_

_**July 7, 2011**_

_Stefan, _

_I tried to send that letter to you with that spell that I used last year but it didn't work. Instead of bursting into flames, it just sat there, unharmed and unmoved. I gotta say, Broody, that worries me. I should be able to send you letters. So, I tried a location spell; I got blood from Damon—and got a lecture in the process ("Leave him alone, Twitch. He just wants some time before he has to be married to you for the rest of eternity.") and I may have given him an aneurysm but that's hearsay—and did the spell and there was nothing. I couldn't find you. _

_I'm really worried, Stefan. I don't think you're dead because I feel like I would know, you know? But I'm really worried about you. I think someone took you; I don't know if Silas made some buddies before Bonnie sucked the life out of him and wanted to get revenge or that some witches are using you for their hoodoo experiments. But I'll find out, Stefan. I will find you, even if it takes the rest of my life. _

_We didn't have much time to talk before you left to dump Silas in the quarry but there was a reason I helped Bonnie lower the veil to the Other Side. See, I wanted to have my brothers back. And I know what you're thinking but I was careful. I brought Kol back to life with instructions to stay away from our siblings—even though I totally think he could take them since he was very clearly caught off guard last time—and he's living his best life right now. _

_Jeremy's alive too but he's having a hard time adjusting. He's quiet and spends a lot of time by himself and he seems angry some of the time. I try to talk to him and I get through that thick shell of his sometimes but I think it's just hard for him, especially since Bonnie is traveling with her mom this summer. He has to go back to school in the fall and I think it's a bad idea, as does he. Unfortunately, we're the youngest siblings and we have no say. It's very, very annoying. _

_This must be all unimportant nonsense to you but since I know these letters aren't getting to you, it's kind of like a place where I can share what I'm feeling. Just like we could share with each other. _

_I miss you, Broody. I miss waking up by your side and grinning because your hair is all over the place after a night of sleep. I miss the twinkle in your green eyes and your dimpled smile when you find something exciting. Honest to God, truth, I watched Battlestar Galactica because you told me it was just so great. I have to disagree with you, babe, I think Star Trek and Star Wars are far better but you like it and I wanted to feel close to you…_

_I know you're most likely having a hard time right now, but I'm trying to find you. Hold onto that. Hold onto the fact that I love you so, so much. Hold onto me. _

_I love you. _

_Sincerely yours, _

_Lucy_

_**July 17, 2011**_

_Broody, _

_You'll never guess what happened within the past ten days. I'm going to be an aunt! Yes, you heard me right. And no, Jeremy did not get anyone pregnant. It turns out that Nik's werewolf side is able to procreate. Isn't that weird? It is, but I'm grateful anyway. _

_Remember Tyler's friend—was she really his friend, though; I mean, she betrayed him and sent those hybrids to their deaths—Hayley? Well, she has a sister and she and Nik had sex and now she's pregnant. Emma is great and very much more tolerable than her sister and it might be the romantic in me, but I think she and Nik look great together. _

_There was this whole mess down in New Orleans that we had to deal with that had to do with Emma and the baby but it's all cleared up now. Nik and Elijah are moving down to New Orleans and I suspect that Rebekah will to once she and Matt are done with their summer vacation in Europe. I think Kol will go, too. I'm gonna miss them a lot but I'll visit whenever I can. I'm gonna spoil the newest Mikaelson, for sure. _

_Right now, Caroline and I are on our way to New York to talk to a witch that Kol knows. Caroline is driving as I write, so don't worry. I know that you always worry when I drive but I'm honestly not that bad. I think it's just your old man anxiety. _

_Anyway, about the witch. Connie is old and powerful and she apparently adores Kol like a grandmother would. They met each other in the early 1900s in New Orleans—go figure—and unlike the other witches who were born there, she can do magic anywhere. Long story short, Kol thinks that she'll be able to help find you. I hope she can. I'm putting all of my hope into the fact that she can help. I don't know what else I can do. _

_If Connie can't help, it doesn't matter. I'll keep looking and I won't rest until your home safe and sound. I promise that I'm gonna do all that I can. _

_I love you so much, Stefan. Just hold on for me. _

_Sincerely yours, _

_Goofy_

_August 1, 2011_

_Stefan, _

_Connie couldn't help. She told me that a witch, too powerful for her—or me, or both of us—to overpower, was hiding you. We couldn't get a location on the witch and we couldn't get a name. We couldn't get anything. _

_I don't know what to do, Stefan. I really don't. My hope is waning but I can't let it. Because if I let hope go, what kind of person am I to tell you to keep hope? And I want you to because I'm not letting this go. I'm not letting you go. _

_Joel's good at computers, as you well know, so I'm going to ask him to get into any traffic patterns or databases or whatever the government uses to track people. It's very illegal but I don't care. Maybe he'll be able to find something that magic can't. _

_I love you, babe. _

_Sincerely yours, _

_Lucy_

_**August 8, 2011**_

_Stefan, _

_I gave up my spot at Duke. I don't want to go without you and since that witch is still hiding you, well…it looks like I'm not going to Duke. I don't mind, though. Once I find you, we have time to go to Duke. We have time to go anywhere we want to go. _

_In the meantime, I'm going to Whitmore. It was my second choice, after all, and Caroline will be there. Joel and Jeremy have been great and I talk with my Original siblings daily, but it's really her getting me through this summer. Tyler's helping some wolf pack in Tennessee, so she's without him, too. Yeah, we've been eating a lot of cake…mostly coconut or pineapple upside down cake. _

_So, I'm rooming with Caroline…and Elena and some random girl since Bonnie's deferring for a semester. It's a suite, with me and Caroline in one room and Elena and the random girl in the other and some living space in the middle. It's actually pretty nice. I toured the place with Caroline, Elena, and Liz—yes, there was some very awkward tension between me and Elena but we got through it—and already Caroline's cooking up a way to coordinate our rooms. _

_I've had a lot of dreams about you lately, Broody. I don't know what to make of them. It's more of the same thing that I mentioned in a previous letter. The bad dreams are bad but the good dreams, where you and I are sitting in our spot? I cherish those. They make me feel like you're actually here, laying in bed with me. And then I wake up and you're gone and I want to cry for the whole day. _

_I just want to let you know that I'm still looking and I'll never stop. I know you're alive. I don't know how I know but I just do. As long as you're alive, I'll be searching for you. I'm gonna bring you home. I hope that gives you some comfort in whatever hell you're experiencing. _

_Stefan, I love you and I miss you so much._

_Sincerely yours, _

_Lucy_


	80. The Roommate

**[5x01; I Know What You Did Last Summer]**

_Lucilla had risen late that day. The sun was not yet up but the sky was light enough to know that it would be coming any moment. She rushed to get dressed for the day, making sure that her veil and headpiece were tight in place as to not show off her hair and the bottom of her face, and ran out of the service headquarters. She passed Amara on the way, where she was dusting the stone walls—she was sure there was a smirk hidden under that veil; she and Amara were friends but Amara always felt the need to one up her—and entered the living area of the family in which they served. _

_The household of Atlas of Bennett were one of the head households that made up the village that they lived in. There was Atlas, the patriarch, his wife, his two sons, and his daughter, Qetsiyah. Qetsiyah was who Lucilla served; she helped her clean herself, laid out her clothes, and got her dressed for the day and did the opposite when she went to bed, while tending to the house in between. Amara, however, was Qetsiyah's companion, stuck to her side all day. _

_Lucilla wasn't surprised to see that Qetsiyah was already awake and waiting for her. _

"_Did you sleep restlessly?" Qetsiyah asked her as she got out of bed, a half-smile on her face. She and Lucilla were wait most considered friends but it was not to be known outside of the four walls that made up her room. "I could have sworn you went to bed early last night."_

"_I did, Miss," Lucilla answered with a lie, glad that the veil hid her blushing cheeks, while pulling one of Qetsiyah's dresses from the burrow. It was a beautiful yellow silk, one of which the family's seamstress spent a very long time on. She laid it on a chair and turned to Qetsiyah. "Do you wish to bathe today, Miss?"_

"_Not today," Qetsiyah replied. "Tonight, maybe."_

"_Yes, Miss."_

_Lucilla helped Qetsiyah get into her undergarments, dress, and jewelry, making sure every piece was set perfectly. Afterward, she brushed her long and beautiful black hair and secured a headpiece that matched the dress to it. Next came the beauty creams and balms; Qetsiyah was very beautiful so she did not require much, just some pigment on her lips. _

_Once Qetsiyah was all set, Lucilla escorted her to the dining quarters, where her family was waiting. _

_Atlas, her owner, scowled at her once Qetsiyah was settled in her seat. "You're late," he snapped. "What a wretched, nasty, and hideous abomination you are."_

_Lucilla was used to the insults. She simply bowed her head and did not speak. She wasn't allowed to speak to Atlas or his sons. His wife and Qetsiyah were the only people in the house, other than the servants, she was allowed to speak to. _

_With a wave of Atlas' hand, she was dismissed. She scurried out of the house and to the family's garden. It was a sort of safe haven for her; she tended to the plants, harvesting any herbs, fruits, or vegetables that the garden had produced and made sure that any extra that they would use for their own meals, was ready to sell at the village square. In her free time, she drew pictures in the soil, admiring them until she had to rake them away. _

_Today, she was working on a drawing of the chickens, living in the coop only a few feet away. They were making cheerful noises that made her smile, she was inspired to commemorate them. _

"_That is a beautiful picture, my love."_

_Lucilla stiffened as strong hands carefully set themselves on her waist, a smile blooming on her lips. "Silas."_

"_Who else would dare touch you like this, my sweet Lucilla?"_

_Lucilla giggled sweetly when she was turned by Silas, her stomach flipping as he quickly dived to place a chaste kiss on her forehead. She placed a soft palm on his cheek, feeling his stubble start to grow in, and sighed happily. _

Lucy rolled over with a frustrated huff. She was sick of the dreams, the memories of her first life, that haunted her each night. They started up not long after Stefan had gone missing and each time she had them, her stomach became nauseous and her mood was ruined the entire morning.

Her life as Luciana was not actually her first life as she and everyone else had thought. No, her first life happened over a thousand years before she was Luciana Mikaelson. In her first life, she was Lucilla, servant of the Bennett house and bastard child of the village prostitute and high warlock. She was called an abomination because she was not born with magic like the others; she was a siphoner like all her other lives, one of the first of her kind.

And she was Silas' lover—well, one of his lovers. She betrayed Qetsiyah, her friend, and had an affair with her fiancé and she had loved him. In her memories she felt so much love and passion and she couldn't stand it, especially when it was all for Silas. Silas, who she had yet to see the face of, because apparently, her mind loved playing tricks on her. Honestly, it didn't matter much that she hadn't yet seen Silas' true form; she was more disgusted about the fact that Lucilla was the kind of person to sleep with a man who was to be married.

Yeah, she fell for Stefan when he was with Elena but she didn't do anything physical about it. If confessing her feelings counted as emotional, sure, she was a bitch but she never expected Stefan to have feelings for her, too. Not that she was upset about it, but…

She was going to pull herself into a panic attack if she kept thinking so much. She couldn't handle that today, not when there was so much to do. She was moving her school things out of her apartment and into her shared dorm room with Caroline and Elena, which was the biggest thing, but not what she was most concerned about. It was Jeremy who was her first concern; the poor kid would be on his own with Joel and Damon and he would be going back to high school. She didn't envy her baby brother, that was for sure.

Reaching for her phone, Lucy sent Caroline a good morning text and then got out of bed to get ready for the day. By the time she had gotten dressed, the rest of her stuff packed, and had her breakfast of B+ blood, Joel and Jeremy had already let themselves into the apartment and made themselves comfortable on her couch.

"All right," Joel sighed from his spot on the couch, staring at Jeremy expectantly. "Give me the cover story."

Lucy rolled her eyes at her older brother and picked up the last green apple she had in her fruit bowl, tossing it to Jeremy so he could eat it. She stood across from them, her arms folded on her chest as she listened to Jeremy grumble the story that Joel, Elena, and Damon had come up with when it came to explaining Jeremy's miraculous rise from the dead.

"There were issues at home," Jeremy rolled the apple in his hands, glancing away from its pale green flesh to look at her, as if she was his audience. "Ever since I lost my parents and my aunt, I've been acting out. Drugs, drinking…I was looking for attention, so I lit my house on fire and faked my own death."

Lucy winced and turned to Joel, narrowing her eyes at him. "Does he really have to say that?" she complained; Jeremy gave her a small but grateful smile. "Come on, the kids are gonna eat him alive."

"Shut up, Lou," Joel gave her a sour look before looking at Jeremy. "Really stress the drug thing and you should say that the fire was an accident. There's crazy and then there's Elena…Plus, if the insurance finds out it was on purpose, we lose all that money, so…"

Lucy threw him a scolding look. "Joel!"

"Sorry," Joel didn't look apologetic at all.

"I could just not go back," Jeremy suggested hopefully. "I mean, my school already had a memorial for me."

"I could homeschool him," Lucy agreed with him. "I'll stay home and everything."

"You're both going to school," Joel rolled his eyes, having heard both of their arguments many different times. "You are gonna suck it up," he pointed at Jeremy and then at Lucy. "and you are gonna have a normal college experience."

"I don't even want to go to Whitmore," Lucy huffed, sharing an annoyed look with Jeremy. "I only registered because I was sad and drunk and Care gave me her puppy-dog eyes."

"Well, no matter how cute Caroline's puppy eyes are, you still signed up for classes," Joel sighed and stood up. "Which means you're going. You need to be a responsible adult and take that interdisciplinary class so you can finally figure out what you want to do with your life—" Lucy rolled her eyes. "—you're gonna go to frat parties and socials, and you're gonna gain the freshman fifteen from cheap beer and cheese fries."

Lucy frowned and walked over to the couch, collapsing next to Jeremy, who laid his head on hers. "I can't gain weight and I don't like beer."

"Tough," Joel put his hands on his hips. "I can't believe you two are making me be the responsible one."

"You're the oldest," Jeremy pointed out.

"Yeah, well," Joel looked very disturbed by that, even though he'd had close to twenty-four years to realize it. "Shut up."

Lucy laughed at the look on his face but trailed off as she heard very perky footsteps approach her apartment. "Caroline's here!" she exclaimed, jumping off the couch. Just as she put a fake smile on her face, the door burst open. "It's moving day!"

Caroline jumped in excitement. "We're college students!"

"You dreamt about Silas again?"

"I had a _memory_ about Silas again," Lucy corrected Caroline with a sigh, looking around at all the Whitmore students filing through the campus to move into their dorms. "There's a difference, okay?"

"Okay," Caroline nodded and gave her a worried look. "And how do you feel about that?"

"I feel like I want the memories to stop," she answered. "I don't want to be having memories of me being a homewrecker and having feelings for Silas when the man _I love_ is somewhere out there being tortured, or worse."

"I'm sorry, Luce," Caroline frowned. "Well, did you try sending Stefan another letter?"

"No, because I know it won't work," Lucy made sure to tighten her hold on the box in her hands. "What did you put in here, an anvil?"

Caroline laughed and got the hint that she wanted to change the subject. "No, those are small appliances. The panini press is in there."

Lucy sighed in relief; they had picked out that panini press together and it was one of the things that she was most excited about when it came to college. "Thank God you remembered that."

"How could I forget it?" Caroline stopped walking and nodded ahead of them. "Look, there's Elena."

Lucy stopped, too, and watched as her sister approached them, a tentative smile on her face. She nor Caroline had a lot of contact with the doppelganger over the summer and the only reason they did talk on the phone or text each other in a group message was so they could coordinate their dorm suite. It sounded horrible, but it was kind of nice not having to worry about Elena and Damon all the time, especially when she was busy worrying about Stefan and everything happening down in New Orleans.

That being said, to say that she was looking forward to sharing a suite with Elena would be a lie. The only reason she was doing any of this—Whitmore, sharing a room with Elena, and getting out of the depressive cave she made her apartment into—was because of Caroline. She loved the blonde too much and of course, Caroline was a little too worried about her. She was such a mother hen sometimes.

"Hey, guys," Elena greeted them; Damon had dropped her off earlier since Joel and Jeremy had gone over to Lucy's apartment.

"Hi," Lucy nodded at her with a small smile, like a polite stranger would when walking past them on the street.

That's pretty much what they were now. Strangers who were half-sisters.

"Hi," Caroline chirped, unable to help the excitement that came over her. "We're in college, guys. We actually made it. We're here."

A little more than an hour later, both Lucy and Caroline had checked in with their dorm and resident advisor, moved all their big stuff—aka, the top of the line fridge that Elijah had gifted them; he said it was a smart investment, go figure—into their room, and were starting to get unpacked.

The four-person room that Lucy, Caroline, Elena were sharing with some random girl was technically a suite, but less than that, really. Sure, it consisted of three rooms, but it was weirdly configured. In the big room were two extra-long twin beds, a living area with a provided couch and armchair—Caroline had taken one look at them and almost screamed—a storage area for their kitchen appliances and food, four dressers, two desks, and a huge fireplace that was actually pretty nice. Just off the big room were two more rooms, the bathroom, and the smaller bedroom that had no door and only stored two more twin beds and desks. It was not the most ideal living situation but they were going to make the best of it and it wasn't like it was an ugly room. Fortunately for Lucy and Caroline, Elena allowed them to use the bigger room and she would share with the random roommate.

Currently, the three of them, plus Liz, were unpacking. Lucy, Caroline, and Elena were in the big room, setting up the built-in shelves around the fireplace, while Liz made sure that the bathroom was decorated just the way that Caroline and Lucy—but mostly Caroline—wanted it.

Elena opened the box that Lucy had been carrying and twirled around, holding the panini press. "You guys brought a panini press?"

"Mmhm," Lucy hummed and took it from her, carefully placing it on the shelf next to the coffee maker. "Small appliances by the fridge."

"Okay," Liz sighed as she exited the bathroom, which was actually pretty nice. "The bathroom shelves are color coordinated. Give me a goodbye hug before I change my mind and drag you home with me."

Caroline grinned as she turned away from her suitcase, placing the jeans that she was folding down on her bed, and turned to her mother to pull her into a hug. Lucy smiled at them and looked away before she got too melancholy about none of her parents being alive to see her off to college.

"You can call as much as you want, you know?" Liz was starting to get choked up.

"Mom, I'll be fine," Caroline assured her. "We'll all be fine."

"I'll keep an eye out for her," Lucy added, leaving her place by the shelves as Liz let go of Elena and pulled her into a hug. She was more than likely next in line for a hug and she wasn't missing out on a special squeeze hug from Liz Forbes.

Liz laughed and let go of Elena in order to hug her. "That's what I'm worried about," she squeezed Lucy tightly and Lucy made sure to hug her just as hard. She loved Liz Forbes, almost as much as her daughter. "This is where your mom fell in love with history," she pulled away with a smile. "You'll find something for you, too, Lucy."

"Thanks, Liz," Lucy gave her an appreciative smile.

Liz smiled back at her before heading back to Caroline for another hug.

"Okay, you have to go," Caroline said, getting a little choked up herself. "Before I change my mind and make you stay."

"I'm going, I'm going," Liz hurried off to the door, sniffling. "I love you. Bye, girls."

Caroline waved and once all three of them heard Liz start to make her way back down the hall, she turned to face Lucy and Elena with a huge smile.

"So, roomies," Elena grinned. "I think we should drink to something."

"I couldn't agree more," Caroline made her way to her bed and opened one of her suitcases; it was full of blood bags. She threw one to Elena and one to Lucy. "Here ya go."

Lucy caught it easy and smiled, holding her blood bag up to make a toast. "To finally getting moved in and to getting drunk at frat parties."

"To us, and college, and being functional vampires," Elena added.

"To the next chapter of our lives," Caroline finished.

Caroline and Elena giggled and knocked their blood bags together but Lucy was too caught up in what Caroline had said. When she graduated high school, she was ready to move on from the Mystic Falls chapter of her life; she was going to go to Duke, marry Stefan, have loads of married sex on an island somewhere, and be happy. Now, she was at Whitmore without Stefan at her side, her Original siblings a couple of states away, with Caroline being one of the only things holding her together. She didn't want this new chapter. She wanted to go back to the old one; that hour after graduation where Stefan had proposed to her, Alaric and Lexi were alive, everyone was happy.

A knock at the door startled her out of the negative thoughts swirling around in her mind. She, Elena, and Caroline hurriedly threw their blood bags back into Caroline's suitcase, and turned toward the door with innocent expressions just in time for the door to open.

A cute Asian girl with black-framed glasses and pigtails in her hair walked into the room. She had a couple of boxes in her arms and seemed nice enough, especially when she called out enthusiastically, "Hey!"

Because Caroline was not at all happy with having a fourth roommate who wasn't Bonnie and she didn't know how Elena felt about another roommate, Lucy decided that she would have to be the nice one.

"You must be Megan," she said, hurrying over to the girl and relieving her of one of the boxes she carried. "Nice to meet you. I'm Lucy."

"Hi, Lucy," Megan beamed at her. "Thanks for the help. And you guys must be Caroline and Elena, right?" she pointed to the others, mixing up their names.

"I'm Elena, that's Caroline," Elena pointed at herself and the blonde next to her. "So, you're our fourth roommate, huh?"

"Yep," Megan nodded and turned back to Lucy, pointing to the smaller room. "Is my bed in there?

Lucy nodded. "You'll be sharing with Elena," she led Megan into the room. "Don't worry, she's a good roommate. I would know, I lived with her most of my life."

"Really?" Megan asked, setting down her box; Lucy set the other one next to it. "You guys are sisters?"

"Half-sisters," Lucy answered. "So, where are you from?"

"Grove Hill. What about you?"

"All three of us are from Mystic Falls," Lucy paused when she felt her phone vibrate from the back pocket of her shorts. "Ah, hold on."

She pulled her phone out and blinked at the screen, not shocked to find that Katherine had texted her yet again.

_**Kit**__: I need your help. Again._

_**Lucia**__: I told you to go to my apartment_

_**Kit**__: I lost the key_

_**Lucia**__: Are you kidding me?_

_Kit: No and I don't know how to pick a lock, so…_

Lucy sighed in aggravation. Ever since Elena force-fed Katherine the cure, her oldest doppelganger sister was pretty much helpless. It was yet another thing Lucy had to deal with that summer.

_**Lucia**__: You're gonna have to go to the Boarding House. I'm at Whitmore now. Damon's probably there_

_**Kit**__: Got it, thanks xx_

_**Lucia**__: Welcome xo_

"Are you okay?" Megan noticed the frustrated look on her face.

"Family drama," Lucy sighed, pocketing her phone. "I have a big one."

She excused herself into the bathroom so she could call Joel and tell him what was going on with Katherine. He couldn't do much, as he had taken a full time job at the Mystic Falls police station as the resident computer nerd—and whatever else he explained that he did while she wasn't listening—but he would most likely be able to get in contact with Damon before Katherine could get to the Boarding House. By the time she ended the call with a very frustrated Joel, Elena and Caroline had caught Megan up on all the non-supernatural dramatics that went on in their lives—from Grayson and Miranda Gilbert dying all the way to Lucy's recent engagement, Elena and Damon's official relationship status, and Stefan's disappearance.

"So," Megan said as the four of them left their dorm in order to attend the majors fair out on the lawn just outside their building. "your current boyfriend, Damien—"

"Damon," Elena corrected her.

"—is your ex's brother, Steven, who Lucy is now engaged to—"

"It's Stefan, actually," Lucy said absentmindedly; she had been trying not to listen to the conversation that was still going on, but of course, the mention of Stefan made her turn her ears in.

"Right," Megan nodded. "but three months ago, he left without saying goodbye?"

"He didn't leave—"

"He went on a trip with his best friend," Caroline spoke up before Lucy got a little too heated about Stefan's disappearance—that they were both sure was _actually_ a kidnapping.

"Okay," Megan perked up when Caroline spoke to her; Caroline had been giving her a hot-and-cold vibe and Lucy was sure that Megan just wanted the blonde to like her. "So, do you have a boyfriend, Caroline?"

"I do. His name's Tyler," Caroline confirmed. "He had to miss move-in day, but he'll be here for the first day of classes."

"Assuming he registers," Elena said pessimistically. "and picks a dorm, and buys books."

Caroline gave her a hard look. "Speaking of minding one's own business," she walked ahead of them and then abruptly turned, causing them to stop. Addressing Megan, she added, "let's talk roommate ground rules. Privacy is very important to me."

Megan nodded eagerly. "Same here."

"I have low blood-sugar," Caroline crossed her arms over her chest. "My diet's finicky, so keep your paws off my stuff."

"We'll split up the shelves," Megan was being very understanding about Caroline's rude behavior, which was more than Lucy would be able to say if she was the one meeting her for the first time.

"And if I suddenly get up to leave or disappear for a while, don't follow me or look for me."

"Okay, sounds good," Megan said reasonably.

"I only have two rules but they're pretty important," Lucy started off with a smile. "Don't touch the paintings when wet and if there's coconut cake in the fridge, no touch-y."

Megan laughed. "I think I can handle that."

"Great," Elena nodded with a smile. "So, we agree on everything."

"Excuse me, ladies," a tall, dark, and handsome guy, who had to be only a couple years older than them, walked up to them with a flyer in his hands. "Party at Whitmore house tonight."

The guy was super cute and became even more handsome when he smiled brightly at Caroline. She didn't take the flyer he was holding out to her, so Lucy took it from him with a smile. "We'll be there," she assured him. "Thanks."

The guy nodded. "I hope you guys come."

As the guy walked away and Caroline gave Lucy an unhappy look, Elena grinned happily. "I love college."

Lucy was sitting on her bed near the bathroom, painting her toenails a nice lilac color, when Caroline huffed loudly. She looked over to the built-ins just in time to see Caroline frown at the juicer that Megan had brought with her and walk over to the dresser that they assigned to her.

"Did you notice how Megan's juicer takes up all the small appliance space?" she said prissily, pulling open one of the drawers to dig around. "She has an entire drawer dedicated to organic linen."

Elena raised an eyebrow at her. "What happened to privacy?"

"Maybe if she didn't take such long showers, I wouldn't have time to go through all her stuff," Caroline shoved the drawer back in place and turned to face the Gilbert sisters. "How are you guys okay with a fourth roommate?"

"We've had a month to get used to it, Care," Lucy finished up her left foot and screwed the brush back into the bottle of polish.

"And we're trying to be functional," Elena added. "And being functional means we need friends."

"We also need personal space," Caroline retorted. "I mean, what if we suddenly get a craving and I want to eat her? What if Lucy has a nightmare and loses control of her magic," when Caroline pointed at her, Lucy put her hands in the air defensively; yeah, that happened sometimes. "What if our blood bags go bad because we can't store them in the fridge?"

"We can get another fridge?" Lucy suggested with a shrug. "I'm sure Elijah would think that it was sensible."

Caroline rolled her eyes at her best friend and opened the fridge, pulling out a bottle of water that Megan had put on her dedicated shelf. "And what the fuck is protein water?" both Lucy and Elena had no idea. "You know what? Maybe if I drink it all, she'll want to move out."

"Caroline, don't…" Elena protested as Caroline unscrewed the bottle and took a sip.

As soon as the water touched Caroline's tongue, her flesh started to sizzle and burn. Lucy jumped to her feet and ran over to Caroline as she began to cough and spit out the water, presumably because there was vervain in it.

"Oh, my God," she hissed, patting Caroline on the back and sharing a look with her sister. "Vervain."

The door to the bathroom opened and steam billowed out into the main room as Megan ran out in a towel. Luckily, Caroline had healed up before she saw her. "What's going on?" she asked worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine," Elena said hurriedly as Lucy helped Caroline to her feet.

"What happened?"

"Water just went down the wrong pipe," Caroline said shakily. "I'm okay, really. I shouldn't have touched your stuff, I'm really sorry."

"It's fine," Megan said kindly, taking the bottle that Caroline held out for her. "Just sounded like someone was dying out here," Lucy, Caroline, and Elena laughed fakely, waving her off. "Well, I'm glad you're okay."

"Thanks," Caroline smiled at her. As soon as Megan went back into the bathroom, she turned to Lucy and Elena and hissed, "She knows who we are. She drinks vervain water."

"That doesn't mean that she knows about us," Elena tried to calm her down.

"Seriously?" Caroline blinked at her, shocked. "We share a bathroom with this girl. What if she's a hunter and she stakes us when we're in the shower?"

"Or steals our daylight rings while we're asleep," Lucy added, now doubting Megan's niceness; what if it was all a lie in order to get them to trust her? "and then we burst into flames when the sun comes up."

"Don't you think that if she's a hunter, we'd be dead by now?" Elena countered.

Lucy shrugged. "Not necessarily. I mean, we could probably overpower her."

Caroline pointed at Lucy in agreement. "I think we should lock her up," she suggested. "You know, let the vervain get out of her system, and then we'll compel her to forget about us."

"Guys, I'm not kidnapping our roommate," Elena was the only level-headed one in the room, it seemed. "The best way to convince her that we're normal is to act normal. Do normal, human, freshman-y stuff."

"Like what?" Lucy put her hands on her hips. "That party at Whitmore house?"

Elena nodded. "Exactly. We're going to that party."

Two hours later, once the sun had set and Lucy, Caroline, Elena, and Megan were dressed in some party clothes, they headed off to the Whitmore house. The Whitmore house did not hold a fraternity and was actually the home to many of the faculty offices on campus, but for some reason, they were throwing a party that involved cheap alcohol, drunk college students, and beer pong.

It wasn't a fraternity party, but it was close enough. At least Lucy would be making Joel proud; she could be wallowing in her bed back at the dorm, worrying about Stefan, Jeremy—who had not answered any of her calls—and Katherine.

"Hey," the guy who gave them the party flyer came up to them as they joined the line that stretched through the whole front yard. "I remember you."

"Hey," Elena greeted him. "Flyer guy."

"Jesse, technically," he introduced himself. "but flyer guy works too."

"I'm Elena," Elena smiled and then pointed to Lucy and Caroline. "That's Lucy and Caroline."

Lucy waved at him while Caroline smiled tightly. "Hi."

Jesse nodded at them, his eyes lingering on Caroline. "Nice to meet you."

Caroline turned right back around and stepped forward as the line shortened. Lucy gave Jesse an apologetic smile and hurried to her best friend's side. "Care, why aren't you playing nice today?"

"What?" Caroline shrugged as Elena joined them. "I'm with Tyler."

"Are you?" Elena wondered; Lucy shook her head at her—Tyler being gone was as bad of a topic to Caroline as Stefan was to her. "Because he hasn't called."

Caroline looked at her incredulously. "From the mountains of Appalachia?"

"I'm just saying, I don't want you to get your hopes up thinking that he's coming when he hasn't really shown much interest."

"Okay!" Lucy exclaimed before an argument broke out. "Let's change the subject. We should try the cafeteria food tomorrow to see if it's any good. Sound like a plan?"

"I'm not touching that food, even if my life depends on it," Caroline rolled her eyes but Lucy could see that she was appreciative of the subject change. They were at the front of the line now, and when they tried to enter the house, they were unable to. "What the hell?"

Lucy frowned at the invisible barrier that kept them out without an invitation. "This has never happened to me."

"You're new," Elena patted her shoulder. "Someone must own the place. We have to be invited in."

"Hey!" Megan, who had gone ahead of them because she knew the people throwing the party, greeted them just inside of the doorway. "I was wondering if you guys were gonna make it."

"You guys going in, or…?" Jesse appeared behind them.

It made Lucy feel like a trapped animal.

"Um, I left my inhaler in the dorm!" she quickly announced, coming up with the worst lie ever. She wasn't even asthmatic when she was a human. "I, uh, I need to go get it. Will you—"

"Yeah, we should probably—" Caroline started as Elena nodded frantically and said, "We'll come with you. Safety in numbers and all that."

Lucy smiled at Megan and Jesse as they stepped away from the door. "We'll be right back."

"Okay," Megan didn't look like she suspected anything but she didn't look like she would drink vervain water, either. "Well, I'm gonna go hang."

"Have fun," Caroline said enthusiastically; when Megan disappeared back into the party, she hissed to Lucy and Elena, "Like I said, she knows."

They waited outside of the party for a half-hour, trying to spot anyone who looked like they owned the Whitmore house, but they eventually gave up. After the vervain incident, Elena had been the only one with the guts to get Megan's number, so she was the one to call her to tell her that they were going back to the dorm room.

"Hey, Megan, it's Elena," Elena left her a message since she wasn't picking up. "Just calling to let you know that we're staying in tonight. Call me when you get a chance, bye."

Caroline sighed as Elena put her phone in her bag. "Okay, it's settled. When she comes back to the dorm, we grab her."

"Or we could just say that Lucy had an asthma attack before we got back to the dorm," Elena suggested.

"Megan saw us stuck outside the door," Lucy bit her lip. "I'm, like, ninety-nine percent sure she knows about us."

"We might as well have flashed her our fangs," Caroline agreed with Lucy. "There's no way that out of the thousands of freshmen, we were randomly paired with someone who knows about vampires."

Lucy pointed at her and frowned, her paranoia feeding off Caroline's. "Maybe it wasn't random."

Elena sighed and picked up her phone when it rang. "Megan's calling," she answered the call. "Hey, Megan."

"_Elena, you have to help me!"_ Megan cried into the phone, terror filling her voice. "_He's chasing me!"_

Lucy stiffened and glanced at Caroline, seeing that she had stopped to stare at Elena in shock.

"Megan, who's chasing you?" Elena asked frantically. "Megan?"

"_Help me! Oh, my God!"_

"We can't come inside," Elena bit her lip and glanced at the house; Lucy followed her gaze and saw shadows in the upstairs area that were quick and rushed. "The line's too long. If you come out—" Megan shrieked. "Where are you?"

"_Elena, please help me!"_

Caroline grabbed the phone from Elena and spoke into it. "Megan, can you hear me? Get outside and we can help you!"

There was another scream and then a body fell out one of the upstairs windows and landed on the ground right in front of them. Lucy gasped loudly, covering her hand over her mouth, as she smelt fresh blood pouring out of Megan's dead body.

"Oh, my God," she inhaled deeply, trying to control herself, as Elena kneeled next to Megan's body and checked her pulse. "the blood."

"Shh," Caroline grabbed her hand and turned her away from the body. "Just relax. Just breathe through it, okay?"

Lucy inhaled and exhaled methodically, breathing in sync with Caroline as Elena called the police. She fought her blood lust with her best friend's help and by the time that the campus authorities had arrived at the house and were clearing the building, it was practically gone.

"What is happening?" Elena asked as they stood a few feet away from the body, waiting so that they could give their witness accounts. "Our roommate is dead, there's a vampire at the party…"

"We don't know what she knew or who she told," Caroline stated seriously. "We should get out of here."

"It'll look more suspicious if we leave right now," Lucy shook her head, causing Caroline to sigh.

"Shit," Elena hissed suddenly. "Guys, I left that message in her voicemail."

"Don't worry, I took her phone."

Lucy looked at her like she was crazy. "You did?"

"Shh!" Caroline nudged her as an older woman with a security badge hanging around her neck walked up to them.

"Hey, girls. I'm Diane Freeman, head of campus security," she greeted them kindly. "Are you okay?"

Lucy nodded silently, adopting a shaken look on her face, while Elena spoke for them, "I mean, I think so."

"I understand Megan was your roommate," Diane glanced at Megan's body, which had been covered with a white sheet. "I'm so sorry you had to find her like this."

"Do they know what happened?" Caroline asked.

"We found a note," Diane answered. "Apparently, she was struggling with severe depression."

Lucy shook her head, confused. "What do you mean you found a note?"

Diane frowned slightly. "Your roommate took her own life."

"You think this was a suicide?" Caroline asked incredulously.

Why was campus security investigating a murder-slash-suicide, anyway? Why weren't they being questioned by the county police. There was no reason that Diane should have anything to do with the crime, right?

Diane nodded, looking at Caroline with pity; apparently, she thought that the blonde was in denial. "We're convinced it was a suicide but we can't seem to find her cell phone. Have you seen it?"

All three of them shook their heads.

"Okay," Diane nodded. "If it turns up, let us know?"

"We will," Lucy assured her; when she was out of ear reach, she asked Elena and Caroline, "What is going on?"

The door to their dorm was open when they got back. They searched through everything that they owned and it was all there. Megan's stuff in her room was untouched, as was her dresser and things on the built-ins, but her desk was clearly rummaged through.

"Megan's tablet is gone," Lucy announced to Caroline and Elena as she walked back into the main room.

"Along with her so-called suicide note?" Elena asked; Lucy nodded. "Can I see the phone for a second?"

Caroline nodded and pulled Megan's phone out of her purse, handing it to Elena. "It just doesn't make any sense," she sighed as Elena looked through the phone. "First our random roommate knows about vampires, then she happens to be killed by a vampire, and know the school's covering it up? Seriously, who is this girl?"

Elena paused and looked up at Lucy and Caroline, horrified. "Whatever's going on, it's not just about our roommate," she reported, handing the phone to Lucy. "It's about us."

Elena meant her and Lucy. On Megan's phone was an old picture, probably taken three or four years ago; Megan was in the photo and so was Lucy and Elena's dad, Grayson.

"What the hell?" she breathed, turning the phone to show Caroline the picture. "That's Megan with our dad."

The room was silent after that, all three of them pretty much shocked with the turn of events. Elena excused herself and headed to bed, and Lucy and Caroline got ready to sleep soon after that.

After changing into her pajamas and snuggling under her covers, Lucy couldn't stop thinking. What was her dad doing with Megan? Why would Megan have a picture of her dad? How did they know each other? Why was Megan specifically picked to be the roommate of two Gilbert women? That all couldn't be coincidence. It couldn't, not when Megan drank vervain and presumably knew about vampires. What the hell was going on at Whitmore? What did they just step into?

"_Hey, Caroline_," she heard Tyler's voice come from Caroline's phone; it was a voicemail that Tyler had left her while they were dealing with Megan's death. "_Look, I put a lot of thought into this and decided to defer school for now. This werewolf pack I'm helping, they need me. I know it's lame to do this over the phone but I figure this way's harder for you to kill me. I'm really, really sorry, Care, but this is important."_

Lucy frowned as Caroline started to sob, her heart aching for her best friend. She had been so supportive for Lucy when Stefan disappeared and now she was going through the same thing.

She climbed out of her bed and walked the few feet to Caroline's, lifting the covers and slipping behind her. As she wrapped her arms around Caroline, becoming the big spoon, she whispered soothingly. "It's going to be okay, Care. I'm so sorry."

Caroline sniffed and dug her face into the pillow, grabbing onto Lucy's hands and squeezing them tightly. "I'm really glad that you're here, Lou."

Lucy placed a kiss on her head. "I'm really glad you're here, too."


	81. Silas

**[5x02; True Lies]**

**[Warning: There's some talk of very explicit things, so be cautious of that. There's also a little bit of non-con in there. It's not a lot, but I wanted to warn you in case it was triggering. Please read with discretion. Xx.]**

_Lucy snuggled her head into Stefan's chest, breathing in his beautiful and unique scent. Her lips quirked up into a smile as she lifted her hand and ran it over his t-shirt clad chest, giggling when he shivered against her. She was glad to see that dimpled smile, the one that she loved so much, on this face. It had been too long. _

"_Stop that," he took a hold of her hand, intertwining their fingers. "you're distracting me."_

"_Distracting you from what?" Lucy teased, shifting so that she was halfway on his chest. Her eyes scored the area around them; they were at Steven's Quarry, both of them laid out on a plaid blanket only a few feet away from the water. "From the chirping birds or the grass tickling your back?"_

"_From you," Stefan looked up at her, his gorgeous green eyes sparkling. _

"_I'm distracting you from me?" Lucy snickered. "Isn't that kind of meta, or something?"_

"_Shh…" he moved their hands to her mouth to stop her from talking. _

"_Stefan," she whined, pursing her lips until she felt them connect with his finger. "We could be doing anything right now and you want to be here?"_

"_Mmhm."_

"_Why? Why here, why this?"_

"_These are the good moments," Stefan answered softly, poking the dimple in her right cheek. "the simple ones, the ones that matter. These are the moments that keep me from falling apart."_

_Lucy smiled softly and leaned down, humming at the relief that came with kissing her fiancé. "This can't last forever," she said as she came up for air. "You're just distracting yourself."_

_Suddenly, she started coughing. Something was crawling its way back up her throat, choking her. Water started spewing for her mouth and the more she coughed, the more that came up. _

"_Stefan?" she managed to warble in between coughs. "What's happening? Stefan?"_

"Stefan!"

When Lucy opened her eyes, she wasn't at Steven's Quarry with Stefan, mysteriously choking on water. She was in her dorm room, the sun was shining through the windows, and Caroline and Elena were hovering over her bed, both of them wearing worried looks.

"No," she breathed, placing her hand over her face; she didn't care if she was choking, she just wanted to be by Stefan's side. "Oh, my God."

Caroline took her hand and threw it off of her face, frowning. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Lucy grumbled, sitting up and rolling off the bed on the other side from where Caroline and Elena stood. Apparently, dreams about Stefan made her more upset than her memories as Lucilla; good to know. "Just had a dream."

"About Stefan," Caroline observed, crossing her arms over her chest. "and it didn't sound like a sexy dream."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Elena asked worriedly.

Lucy appreciated the concern from her sister, but it was kind of stifling and too little, too late.

"I'm fine," she repeated herself as she went to her dresser and pulled out some clothes. "What time is it?"

"Ten-ish," Elena answered, causing Lucy to blink in shock. She usually didn't sleep that late. "I just got back. Megan's memorial outside is growing by the minute."

"Ugh," Caroline scoffed and turned away, going back to going through one of Megan's boxes that she had on her bed. "College kids are so dramatic. She was on campus for, like, one day. She couldn't have made that many friends."

"Caroline, she's dead," Elena said pointedly. "You can stop competing with her."

"Sorry, I'm in a mood."

Lucy frowned and threw her selected clothes on her bed. "Did you talk to Tyler?"

"He's deferring from enrolling and deferring from returning my phone calls," Caroline reported matter-of-factly. "So, I'm deferring from having sex with him ever again."

Elena laughed lightly and peeked into the box. "How's the snooping going? Any explanation as to why our vervain-laced vampire-slaughtered roommate had a picture of my dad on her phone?"

"No."

"Are you repacking her stuff?" Lucy wondered, heading around her bed to join them. "Shouldn't her parents do that?"

Caroline shrugged. "According to the RA, they asked us to do it."

Elena wrinkled her nose. "Oh," she remembered, picking up the folder she brought back with her and handing it to Caroline. "I went by the hospital and got Megan's death certificate. It says she died of suicide. No mention of the gaping vampire bites on her neck."

Lucy sighed, pressing her lips together. "So, whoever signed off on the cause of death was part of the cover-up, just like the Founders Council back home."

Caroline read the signature on the certificate. "Dr. Wesley Maxfield."

"Aka, our applied microbiology professor," Elena grinned proudly. "I switched our classes around so we can—"

"Applied what?" Caroline cut her off. "Elena, I'm supposed to be taking Intro to Communication. What happened to getting drunk and making bad decisions about boys? What happened to our fun freshman year at college? I'm supposed to be a drama major!"

"You're not going to be an anything major if we get exposed as vampires!" Elena pointed out.

"Well, applied microbiology sounds better than my interdisciplinary class," Lucy smiled. "What time is it?"

"Oh, uh, I couldn't get your class switched, Luce," Elena said apologetically. "Apparently that's a required course for undecided freshmen."

Lucy groaned loudly. "Yeah, this is definitely not gonna be a fun year."

"We're still gonna have our fun year," Elena disagreed, giving Lucy and Caroline pointed looks. "but we have to protect ourselves and figure out our majors."

"So, you guys are gonna pull a Damon Salvatore and infiltrate whatever secret society is going on here?" Lucy scoffed. "How come I have to go to class?"

"Because you didn't pick out a major," Elena told her before turning to Caroline. "Bust out those alleged acting skills, okay? We have a part to play."

Lucy pursed her lips and turned, grabbing her clothes from her bed and storming to the bathroom. She never got to have any fun…

"_How was your first big girl college class?"_

Lucy scoffed at Kol through the phone as she walked through campus after her interdisciplinary class. "The teacher was boring and I still have no idea what I wanna do."

"_It's been one class, Ana_," Kol chuckled. "_Have a little patience."_

"You're telling me to have patience?" Lucy asked incredulously. "Kol Mikaelson? What has the world come to?"

"_Shut up_," Kol groaned. "_You make me sound so responsible. I hate it."_

"Good, me too," she laughed. "Leave the scolding to Elijah."

"_I would, but Elijah is nowhere to be found,"_ Kol informed her. "_He's not at the plantation."_

The smile immediately left Lucy's face, all amusement gone. "Well, where is he?" she asked. "When I left, he was attached to Hayley's side and making promises to protect Emma."

"_Hayley and Emma say that he left when you did,"_ he reported. "_Which means one thing."_

"Yeah, Nik daggered him. Do you or Bekah have a lead?"

"_Nope. So, we figured you could use your nifty little talent…"_

"Yeah, I'll do a location spell when I get back to the dorm_,"_ Lucy confirmed. She pulled her phone away from her ear when it started beeping and say that it was a call from Damon. _"_Hey, I have to go. I'll call you back with that location."

"_Thanks, Ana. Be safe."_

"You too, bye," she hung up and answered Damon's call. "What's up?"

"_It's good to hear your voice, Twitch_," Damon's voice did not sound as cheery as his words indicated. "_How's college going?"_

"It's boring. Now, if that's all you wanted to talk—"

"_Wait, don't hang up,"_ Damon said hurriedly. "_Uh, I tried calling Elena, but she didn't answer."_

"I'm pretty sure she's in English class," Lucy checked the time on her phone and then pressed it back to her ear. "She'll be out soon, though."

"_Right, right…"_

Lucy pressed her lips together impatiently. "Is that all you wanted?"

"_Actually, no…"_ Damon hesitated. "_I have to tell you something, Lucy."_

"Hold on," she could hardly get the words out of her mouth, she was so shocked at what—or who—she was seeing. "I gotta go. Stefan's here."

"_What? No, Stefan's—"_

Lucy hung up and shoved the phone in her bag, her eyes still placed on her fiancé. He stood in front of her like no time had passed. His hair was a little longer but other than that, nothing about him had changed. He was there. Right in front of her. Smiling that little smile of his.

"Stefan," she breathed as she reached out to him, pressing her hand against his chest; he was real. "Oh, my God, I thought you were hurt. Oh, my God, you're here."

"I'm here," he confirmed with a nod. "I missed you."

"I missed you," her hand was still on his chest and her other hand had joined it, trailing absentmindedly up his collarbone and his neck until it wrapped around the back of his neck; he seemed to enjoy the attention, wrapping an arm around her waist. "I could have sworn you were in trouble."

"I'm fine."

"You turned off your phone. A-And I couldn't send you letters," she stammered, shaking her head. "You didn't call."

"I know," he tapped his fingers on the small of her back, smiling softly as tears started to wet her eyes. "I'm sorry. I just got back. I wanted to apologize in person."

Lucy shook her head; they had time for that. "You can apologize later. Right now, I want you to kiss me."

Stefan smiled and cupped her cheek, bending down to press his lips smash his lips against hers. Lucy sighed into the kiss, unable to care that they were in the middle of a college campus where people might have been watching them. She missed Stefan so, so much. Probably too much, to be considered healthy.

She pulled away from the kiss right away, staring up at him with narrowed eyes. Something wasn't right. When she kissed Stefan just then, it didn't feel like their usual kisses. Their usual kisses made shivers run down her spine and sparks ignite in her veins throughout her whole body. There were sparks now, yeah, but not as big, not as intense as with Stefan.

Stefan—no, he was not Stefan—sighed and brushed his thumbs over her cheeks; it felt familiar but again, not Stefan. "Lucilla, I could never fool you."

Lucy's eyes widened as she ripped herself away from him. "You're Silas. Oh, my God, I kissed you!"

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, it's not the first time," Silas shrugged casually. "We've done more than that, too."

"Oh, my God, shut _up_," she winced, her mind racing. "How are you—why are you—where's Stefan? God, how are you even—how are you even alive right now—Bonnie put you—where is Stefan?!"

"Stefan is in an undisclosed spot, where he's been since the night he was supposed to dump me in the quarry," Silas told her. "I guess you should have gone with your instincts about him. It's okay, though. Our bond is obviously stronger."

"Our _bond_?"

"You've been having memories, haven't you?"

Lucy scoffed and pushed him away from her, so shocked up until that point that she had forgotten that he was still touching her. "How are you even appearing as Stefan right now?" she looked around at the people hanging out, noticing nothing strange about the man Lucy was talking to. "How are you messing with all of our minds?"

"After a summer of consuming blood, I'm stronger than I've ever been," Silas grinned at her. "but I'm not appearing as anyone. This is my true self. Stefan Salvatore just happens to have my face. A shadow-self. I think you're familiar with those."

Lucy blinked at him in shock. "Stefan's a doppelganger?"

"Yeah."

"You're lying to me."

"I'm not."

Lucy shook her head; she could process the fact that Stefan was a doppelganger later. Right now, she needed to find him. "Silas, tell me where Stefan is, or I'll—"

"Or you'll what? Use your magic in front of everyone?" he looked around and then back down to her, giving her a mocking smile. "And if you do, what exact spell would you use? I don't have magic right now, but I'm strong, stronger than you, and I can't die."

Lucy faltered and took a step away from him; he didn't let her get very far, stepping right back up to her.

"So, Lucilla, what are you gonna do to me?" he smirked at her; she didn't answer. "I know, you can't do anything. I can hear you searching for some way to stop me but you can't. And I don't think you want to, either."

She gave him an indignant look but he ignored it and continued on, "Now, I know you can still siphon magic and since my mind control abilities are considered magic—" he rolled his eyes, annoyed. "—because, of course, it would be the only magic I could do—I can't have you do much."

"It won't work at all."

"Actually, it will," Silas disagreed. "because it works like compulsion, right? And you're not wearing vervain because it would hurt your precious little self. And it takes a little while for you to subconsciously siphon magic when you're not spooked—"

"How do you know that?"

"Because I know everything about you," Silas cupped her cheek again; she didn't dare move, her heart racing in her chest. "Because you're mine, Lucilla. Now, _you're going to kiss me_."

Lucy beamed at him and stood on her tiptoes, smashing their lips together in a searing kiss. She got as far as swiping his bottom lip with her tongue when Silas' mind control was fully siphoned. She pulled away with a gasp but Silas held her firm.

"_And you're not going to siphon my mind control away_," he told her, looking deep into her eyes. "Do you like that? It's a little trick I learned from my ex-fiance way back when. Gives me a little more time until I have to use my special tricks on you."

Lucy just smiled at him but inside, she was screaming at him.

"Now," Silas smiled and let go of her face in order to check his phone. "_do you know where Jeremy might go on Route 9?"_

"There's an old camp site around there," she answered him. "we used to go when we were kids."

Silas grinned and kissed the expectant smile on her face. "Good girl, Lucilla."

"You know, I ran into your sister before I found you," Silas said idly as he and Lucy walked through the woods just off of Route 9. "She seemed happy to see Stefan. She's kind of fickle, that one. That's what those Petrova doppelgangers do, though. They like the attention."

Lucy just stared at the hand he held, wishing that she could siphon away the mind control. It'd only been five minutes since he last told her not to, so she had about ten minutes to go before he'd have to do it again.

Silas clicked his tongue at her. "Honestly, Lu, I'm really trying to hold a conversation here," he sighed. "Come on, _talk to me_. _Tell me anything_."

"I don't know what to do with my life."

"Okay, we're starting with the heavy stuff," Silas nodded. "Let's see; I know from Stefan that you like history. From Caroline, I learned that you like planning events and that you have a real attention to detail and organization. From Damon I learned that you have a little controlling streak. That really surprised me, by the way. When we were together, you were sweet and submissive. You had none of the sass you have today."

"I was?"

"Mmhm," Silas hummed, glancing back at her. "It might have been the time, but honestly, I think it's because you craved control. You weren't in the best of positions back then. Atlas Bennett ran you wild, you poor thing, and when we were able to sneak away together, you didn't know what to do with yourself."

"You took advantage of me," Lucy was able to say, his control over her slipping just a little.

Silas laughed and stopped walking, turning to her. "I didn't take advantage of you, Lucilla. I loved you and I still do today," he cupped her face again. "_Tell me the truth_, though. You like when I take control of you don't you?"

"No, I don't," Lucy replied honestly, just like he asked her to.

"Well, not right now, obviously," Silas nodded his understanding as his hands left her head. His left hand trailed from her collarbone—he made sure to run his fingers over the ticklish spot at the bottom of her neck, making her shiver—and to the top of her V-neck while the other gripped her waist. "but when we're in a different setting. A little less trees, a little more comfort, a bed…"

Lucy shook her head, squirming as his right hand traveled from her waist to her ass, gripping it tightly. She would never admit anything of the sort to Silas. To Stefan, yes, but he already knew what they did in the bedroom.

"You do like it," Silas insisted knowingly. "I can read your mind. I've seen you with my shadow-self and I've had you the same way. You like when I take control of you, your body, your pleasure…"

"Silas, please stop," Lucy's voice trembled, her mind whirling. It was too much—this was all too much. She was torn in half, her mind in the middle of a war with Silas' mind control doing its work, her memories overwhelming her, and her love for Stefan fighting against both of them. "Please."

She didn't think he was going to stop but he surprised her. Silas' knowing, lustful grin slipped from his face, his features softening drastically. His hand left her ass and went back to her head, softly stroking some of the hairs that had fallen from her ponytail away from her face.

"It's all too much, isn't it?" he whispered and Lucy hated herself but she couldn't resist the way his words calmed her down. She softened to his touch, nuzzling into his hand. "I'm sorry she did this to you."

Lucy looked up at him, noticing the sadness and regret in his eyes. "Who did what?"

Silas smiled weakly. "Nothing," he assured her. _"Come on, we need to find those siblings of yours."_

She smiled up at him. "Okay."

Night had fallen and they were still searching the woods for Katherine and Jeremy for whatever reason. They were taking so much time because of the simple fact that Silas had the need to keep Lucy by his side. They had to stop every twenty minutes or so in order for him to do his thing and keep her under his thumb, controlling her mind.

Unable to stop herself, Lucy spoke to him of her worries about school, her family down in New Orleans, her relationship with Elena and Katherine, and her bond with Caroline. She also spoke about Stefan and that made him upset, but when she offered to stop talking, he shook her off and told her to go on. And so she told him their story; how Stefan was originally with Elena when she fell for him, how he exchanged his life in order to save Damon's life, how he shut off his humanity but she was the one to bring him back, how they celebrated his 163rd birthday, how they got together, how he proposed…how worried she'd been all summer…

Shockingly, Silas was a good listener. He made comments, some thoughtful, most of them snarky, but he was funny. Funny in the way that Stefan was with her, but less controlled and full of himself.

In return, Silas told her the things that she wouldn't know about him. He described in perfect detail, the suffering he went through for two thousand years on the island. He recalled the way he'd become hopeful when she was born—and apparently she'd had more than four lives, which shocked the hell of her—that she would find him, and then how distressed he felt when he felt her die again. He remembered his thirst so vividly that it made her throat dry, craving some blood of her own. He told her of the relief he felt when he saw her, and how guilty he felt killing her.

"Why did you kill me?" she asked, unable to help herself.

If Silas loved her so much, then how could he justify that?

"I didn't know you had vampire blood in you," he explained carefully as they treaded over a fallen tree. "I knew you were a siphoner, so I expected that you'd go to the Other Side."

"But why? You wanted to bring down the veil," Lucy reminded him. "Professor Shane said you wanted to be with your true love."

"And I did, I do," Silas nodded with a small smile. "My original plan was to kill you, destroy the Other Side, take the cure, then off myself. We'd be together but we wouldn't be under Qetsiyah's thumb. We'd be happy and we'd have peace."

"What's the plan now, then?"

"I can't tell you much," he admitted. "but just know that finding Katherine is the first step."

"And that's why we're walking in the woods."

Silas hummed in confirmation. "Shh," he said suddenly, both of them pausing in their tracks. "Someone's coming."

That someone was Matt. Lucy could recognize the scent of greasy fries, cherries, and spicy myrrh anywhere. The lantern he was carrying did illuminate his face, but even without it she could see his pretty blue eyes.

He hadn't spotted them yet, but when Silas stepped in front of him, he stopped in his tracks.

"_Not a word out of you,"_ Silas compelled him as Lucy's heart raced fearfully. "_You can't talk, you can't scream."_

Matt stared at him like he was crazy, his eyebrows furrowing. "Yeah, actually, I can," he said defiantly before raising his voice, "Jeremy, run!"

Lucy let out a sigh of relief, glad that her siblings could get a head start away from Silas. Unfortunately, Silas didn't like Matt's little act of defiance.

"Why can't I get inside your head?" he advanced on Matt, who watched him wearily, and grabbed his head, studying him; Matt dropped his lantern and his hatchet from whatever he was doing in his head. "Now I see why. Somebody's already in there."

"Silas…" Lucy said warningly, but Silas waved her off.

"Why are you watching me, Traveler?" he demanded angrily. "Odpovezete Mi!"

He easily snapped Matt's neck, his body dropping to the ground carelessly.

"Matt!" the shock of her friend's death brought Lucy out of Silas' mind control. She ran to Matt and knelt by his body, frantically searching for the Gilbert ring. She sighed in relief when she found it on his right ring finger. "Thank God."

"Why are relieved?" Silas raised his eyebrows at her. "You haven't even cried. You used to cry at everything."

"What?" she looked up at him where he was standing above her and Matt, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing," Silas crouched down next to her. "Unfortunately, I don't have time to do anything to you right now. I'm hoping your brother finds Matt, here, and then I can go hunting for a doppelganger. I'm sorry in advance."

"_What_?"

She didn't get her answer, her neck was snapped within the next second.

Her neck ached when she woke up.

Lucy sat up quickly when all of her senses came back to her at once, and looked around. She was in the bed of Matt's truck with Matt's body laying beside her, and Katherine and Jeremy were standing just outside of it. They looked at her when she moved so suddenly, both of them with relieved expressions on their faces.

"Good, you're okay," Jeremy gave her a hand to help her off the truck; she took it and easily jumped to the ground. "Now we just have to wait for Matt."

"Where's Silas?" It was the first thing to come to mind, so it was the first thing she asked.

"I killed him," Katherine waved at her proudly. "Well, temporarily killed him. I used a shotgun and everything."

"Really?" Lucy quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Yep," Katherine confirmed with a nod. "So, what were you doing with Silas?"

"He was using his mind control on me. He wanted to have a little talk," she wasn't going to tell her, nor Jeremy about what they talked about. She wouldn't tell anyone but Stefan—and maybe Caroline. "he wants to find you, though."

"Yeah, we've been running all day now," Jeremy sighed. "He's got all of Mystic Falls looking out for an Elena lookalike."

"He's stronger now," Lucy nodded. "So, you skipped school?"

"Actually, he was expelled," Katherine spilled the beans, causing Jeremy to wince.

"You were?" Lucy looked at him, surprised. She laughed a little. "Does that mean you can be homeschooled now?"

"Unfortunately, Joel has plans to compel the principal," Jeremy grinned back at her.

Suddenly, Matt gasped loudly as he came back to life, earning all of their attention. He looked around in confusion and got his bearings before sitting up.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," Katherine greeted him.

Matt rubbed his neck, causing Lucy to wince; if her neck still hurt even after healing, his pain had to be awful. "What the fuck happened?"

"Yeah, Silas killed you and Lucy, tried to kill me, then…"

"I shot him," Katherine smirked grimly. "So, we're even. No more whining," she grabbed his arm and Lucy moved, helping her get him off of the truck bed. "Let's go. Silas won't be done for long."

"Hey," Jeremy spoke up and all eyes went to him; he was staring back into the woods, a sad look on his face. "I left the hatchet. I'll be right back."

"Hurry up," Lucy nodded at him. "It's a school night, young man."

Jeremy shook his head with a grin and took off back into the woods. She was quiet as she, Katherine, and Matt got into the truck, thinking about all that happened since that afternoon. She was with Silas and he scared her, and he comforted her, and he listened to her, and he was good with her. And despite the way he frightened her, she really did believe that he loved her.

And it was fucking scary because deep down, there was a part of her that cared for him, too. It was just like with all of the people she came across from her past lives; she recalled her memories and her feelings and thoughts came with. It made her feel so guilty because Stefan was wherever he was, suffering because of Silas, and she was here, thinking about them _both_.

She was a horrible, _horrible_ person.

"I'll be back soon," Lucy assured Caroline as she walked up the steps to her apartment in Mystic Falls. "I don't know when, but I'll be back. I promise."

"_I know,"_ Caroline replied with a sigh. "_It's gonna be okay, Luce."_

"I don't know if it is, Care," Lucy didn't believe that, not with everything going on. "I'm scared."

She was scared about so many things that she felt sick.

"_You're gonna find him. If anyone's going to, it's gonna be you,"_ Caroline said firmly. "_I love you_."

"I love you, too," Lucy wished that she was with Caroline at that moment, but unfortunately, she was an hour and a half away. "Bye."

"_Bye_."

When Lucy finally got to the third floor, Damon was waiting for her at her door. "Hey."

"Hi," she smiled weakly. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to apologize," he said sincerely. "You were right about Stefan and I should have listened to you. Honestly, I was so happy about me and Elena that I didn't want anything fucking it up. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry about it all."

Lucy knew that he was being truthful and it was nice that he took the time to sincerely apologize. It wasn't like Damon, sure, but it was still nice.

"And I brought you this," he pulled something out of his jacket pocket and handed it to her; it was Stefan's daylight ring. "I snagged it from Silas yesterday."

Lucy smiled sadly, rubbing her thumb against the shiny metal band. "Thanks, Damon."

"We're gonna find him," he assured her. "I won't stop until we do."

"Me either."

"Good," he nodded at her and smiled weakly. "I'm gonna go. I'll call you if I hear anything from Liz."

"Thanks."

When Damon left, she entered her apartment and locked the door right behind her. A simple lock probably wouldn't stop Silas from getting to her if he wanted to, but she was hoping that he'd be a little preoccupied coming back to life.

Once she set her keys and phone on the kitchen island, she went straight to her wall of bookshelves. She pulled out a map of Mystic Falls, hoping that Stefan was in proximity, and that whoever was keeping his location blocked was ready to step out of the way. She was too angry, too sad, too guilty to be stopped this time. She would use all of her magic if she had to.

She was going to find Stefan. 


	82. Qetsiyah

**[5x03; Original Sin]**

_It was early in the morning. The crickets still chirped now and then, there were no cars on the highway, the lamp posts still signed on either side of the pavement, and the sun would raise any moment now. His throat burned from thirst and misuse and the man he helped himself to only an hour or so before hadn't helped him combat his bloodlust at all. _

_Slowly, Stefan kept walking down the middle of Route 29. There was nothing on his mind but blood and he needed it—it needed it so badly. Up ahead, he could see a light, shorter than the ones on the side of the highway, and soon, in the darkness, he saw the outline of a building. _

_It was a one-story building and plain, with a big sign proclaiming itself as a bar. There were no cars in the parking lot in front, but he could see one in the back. It was probably the bar tender, cleaning up after a long night shift. That meant blood. He needed blood. _

_His feet sped up, even if his mind told him to stop and run away, to not harm the innocent bartender. The poor person was probably exhausted and ready to get home and go to sleep, and instead, he was coming for them and with his track record, drinking them dry._

_He didn't want that. Stefan could control himself. _

_As soon as he stepped into the bar, the delicious scent of blood overwhelmed him. His control was already slipping; that didn't last very long. He stumbled over to the bar and saw the bartender; she had her back turned to him and was wiping down her workstation. _

"_Hey, man," she turned and greeted him cautiously. "Last call was four hours ago. If you want some coffee, I could put some on."_

_In a blur, Stefan was on her, sinking his fangs deep into her neck. The blood that flowed into his mouth and onto his tongue felt like bliss. He took one, two, three pulls of the thick, crimson liquid and pushed her away from him. _

"_Run!" he urged her. "Run!"_

_The woman took off running and exited the bar, Stefan following not long after her. The sun had risen while he was inside, and as soon he stepped off the awning-covered porch, his skin started to blister and smoke from its rays. _

_He dropped to his knees, waiting for death to come for him. _

Lucy gasped as whatever dream or vision she was swept up into ended and she came back to herself. She frantically looked around the room and sighed in relief when she realized that no one had entered her apartment while she was so vulnerable.

The vision she had felt so real, so real that she was sure it was real. The bar that Stefan had entered was real, just off of Route 29 just outside of Grove Hill, and this was the real Stefan—not Silas acting as him. She knew it in the way he carried himself, the way that he warned off the bartender, and the way that he let himself burn in the sun in order not to hurt her.

All that she had seen had really happened, probably at the same time as she saw it.

Lucy glanced at her bookshelf, giving it a onceover in order to find the book of Virginia county maps of Alaric's that she had kept. Once she found the book, she went through and found the map of Grove Hill, tearing it out and setting it down where she had been previously doing a location spell on Stefan.

She took Stefan's daylight ring and placed it in the middle of the map. Praying that this spell would actually work, she closed her eyes and began the spell. For two whole minutes, she sat there, images of Grove Hill sifting through her mind. Then, her mind centered on a cabin; when she opened her eyes, Stefan's daylight ring had moved over to a section of woods on the map.

That was where Stefan was located, a cabin in the woods.

She didn't stop to think about how she had suddenly been able to locate Stefan using magic, even though her previous attempts all summer had been unsuccessful. She pocketed Stefan's daylight ring, grabbed her phone and keys, and left her apartment. She was going to find him.

Stefan shifted restlessly on whatever he was laying on. He clenched his eyes shut tightly as he felt beads of sweat dribble down the back of his neck. He also had the distinct feeling that someone was watching him, his fight-or-flight response kicking in.

He opened his eyes and scrambled into a seated position on the cot he was perched on. A woman sat on a stool only a foot away from him; he eyed her warily, his mouth watering from the delicious beat of her heart.

"I don't want to hurt you, so get away from me before I rip your throat out," he warned her.

"Hello to you, too," the woman said flatly as she held out a blood bag. "I brought dinner."

Stefan ripped the bag out of her hand and quickly tore off the cap. He groaned as the blood touched his tongue and swallowed it quickly. The blood hardly quenched his thirst but the need he had to suck it down was tremendous.

"A vampire doppelganger who's burdened by a conscience," the woman commented as he squeezed the blood bag like a juice box, sucking it all down. "Now I've seen everything."

That caught Stefan's attention. He gasped for breath as he finished the bag and brought it away from his mouth. "You saved me from burning to death outside that bar this morning, didn't you?"

"And I pulled you from the quarry before that," the woman added. "That is, I figured out where you were and told the former owner of this cabin to pull your lock box from the water. You thanked him by biting off his head."

He could feel guilty about that later. "How do you know I'm a doppelganger?"

"Because I've seen your face before on someone who wasn't you."

Stefan raised an eyebrow at her, his mind racing. He was Silas' doppelganger, so did that mean she knew Silas? "Who are you?"

She didn't answer his question and instead asked one of her own. "How much do you know about Silas?"

"I know that he's a bloodthirsty immortal who's killed more people than I can count," Stefan answered, his temper flaring at just the mention of Silas' name. "and that was before he stole my identity, locked me up in a safe, and dropped me in the bottom of a quarry."

The woman didn't look sympathetic. "You made it through."

"Barely," he retorted. "I came very close to flipping off my humanity switch, but I didn't because I knew if I ever got out, I wanted to be myself when I killed him."

"Strong words."

"He's a monster," Stefan threw the empty blood bag on the floor and stood. "I'm going after him."

He stopped halfway to the door of the cabin, his eyes landing on the one person he had been aching to see all summer. Lucy was laying, unconscious, on the floor next to the large table near the kitchen. She looked the same, with her hair a little bit shorter and lighter than it had been. His heart raced as he sped over to her, kneeling down to brush some hair out of her face.

"What did you do to her?" he demanded, looking over to the woman.

"She came to get you too early," the woman sighed and stood from her chair, glaring down at Lucy. "so I snapped her neck."

Stefan gritted his teeth together angrily. "I'm taking her and leaving."

"Except you'll burn to death in the sun without your daylight ring," the woman shot back, causing Stefan to slump in realization. "Silas wasn't always a monster. He used to be a simple man in love with a simple girl, his soul mate. She was his one true love," she scoffed and nodded down at Lucy with narrowed eyes. "You know how that goes. They thought their love would last forever."

"How do you know all of this?" Stefan asked begrudgingly.

"Because I was there in his arms."

"You're telling me that you were Silas' one true love?" was this one of the women that Silas gave immortality to?

The woman nodded. "I would have done anything for him."

"So you're immortal," Stefan got to his feet and stood protectively in front of Lucy; the woman shook her head in disagreement. "Okay, then how are you here right now?"

"Love bends the rules of possible," she told him. "Silas and I were the two most powerful members of a gifted people called Travelers," he lifted his chin, recognizing the name; Lucy had told him that she was a Traveler when she was Lucia. "When we were engaged to be married, we decided to reach even further. We wanted to find a way for our love to last forever."

"Yeah, look, I know the story," Stefan said impatiently. "Everything was great for Silas until some witch named Qetsiyah or whatever came by and screwed him over, right?"

"Wrong," the woman said firmly. "You don't know the story. Silas convinced Qetsiyah that he loved her so she would make the immortality spell, but when she found out that he was just using her, she dumped him in a tomb with a cure, hoping he would take it and die because she had created a supernatural limbo to trap his soul."

"Like any other sane, rational, well-adjusted woman would do."

"Which catches us up to today," the woman went on. "Now Silas wants to destroy that supernatural limbo. Once the Other Side is gone, he can take the cure, become mortal, and die, and finally pass on and find peace."

Good riddance. "Look, if you really are Silas' one true love and you're not dead, then why don't you just do us all a favor and run off into the sunset together."

"Silas was my true love. I never said I was his," the woman slowly walked by the fireplace, dragging a hand along the stone, which lit up in blue flame. "I'm Qetsiyah. That sane, rational, well-adjusted woman you seem to know so much about."

Stefan stared at the fire worriedly and took a small step back, careful not to hit Lucy. If this woman was really Qetsiyah, he was so screwed. This was the witch who created immortality and the Other Side—she was more powerful than any other witch he had met in his life, including Bonnie and Lucy.

"Clearly you've heard the man's version of the story," Qetsiyah continued. "the one where I'm a back-stabbing lunatic who ruined everything for Silas. A raging bitch witch whose obsession with vengeance created a whole new dimension of suffering in the afterlife."

Stefan stiffened as she slowly walked toward him. "What are you doing here?" he asked. "I thought you were dead and on the Other Side."

"I was for two thousand years," Qetsiyah confirmed. "but I came back for you."

Okay, well, Stefan had no idea what to say in response to that. He really needed to get himself and Lucy out of that cabin before Qetsiyah did something horrible.

"Do you have, uh, a cell phone?" he changed the subject. "I have to make a phone call."

"There's no cell reception out here," Qetsiyah answered swiftly, moving away from him to grab a bowl of herbs that she must have collected before he woke up. "and remember, I made it safe for you here, but I wouldn't go outside if I were you."

Stefan went to reply, his temper flaring, but a quiet gasp behind him cut him off. He swiftly turned around and kneeled down next to Lucy as her eyes fluttered open.

"Stefan?" she breathed, reaching up to cup his cheek.

"It's me," Stefan assured her, kissing her palm. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you," Lucy threw herself into his arms, wrapping her own around his neck. "Oh, my God, are you okay? I love you so much. I've tried finding you all summer, I tried so hard Stefan, but I couldn't find you. I'm so sorry I couldn't find you."

"It's not your fault, Luce," Stefan said truthfully, pressed kisses to her hair, forehead, cheeks, and lips.

"What happened to you?"

"He was thrown into a safe and left in the quarry," Qetsiyah spoke up, making Lucy stiffen in his arms.

Stefan helped her up, swearing that he smelt her blood coming from somewhere, and watched as Lucy's eyes widened almost comically.

"Qetsiyah?"

How did Lucy know the ancient witch?"

"Lucilla," Qetsiyah glared back at her.

"Uh, how do you two know each other?" Stefan pointed between them. Neither of them answered him; Qetsiyah was glaring at Lucy and Lucy was still staring at Qetsiyah in shock. Stefan decided to move on, knowing he'd get an explanation from Lucy later. "No offense, Qetsiyah, but I'm having a bit of a hard time believing what you were saying."

"_Qetsiyah_," she sighed, her eyes flickering over to him. "Sounds so…ancient time-y, don't you think? How about Tessa? It's a little different but not so different you wouldn't find it on one of those souvenir keychains."

"So, that's why you rejoined the land of the living," Stefan raised his eyebrows. "souvenir keychains?"

"I'm here because Lucilla and the Bennett witch lowered the veil," _Tessa_ told him. "I saw an opportunity and I thought, 'Why not?'. My hunters had failed in their task to kill Silas. I figured it was time to handle things in person."

"Well, two thousand years is a hell of a long time to hold a grudge."

Lucy softly squeezed Stefan's hand, grimacing. "Stefan, don't."

She didn't want him to bring up the situation from two thousand years ago, not because she didn't want to him, but because Qetsiyah was an extremely powerful witch. Not only did she know that she wouldn't beat her, but she also couldn't feel her magic. The symbol carved at the back of her neck wasn't healing—so she was pretty sure Qetsiyah did some magic on it—and she assumed it was an anti-siphoning symbol at that.

Tessa smirked at Stefan. "You have clearly never been left at the altar," she sent another glare to Lucy. "Like a lovesick idiot, I created an entire garden for out wedding, and I made a spell that would keep us alive forever; an immortality spell so we would never have to part. Silas and I were going to drink the immortality elixir as part of our wedding ceremony, but then everything around me started to die; my wedding flower, the garden trellis, our harvest. Then I realized why."

"Silas had already used the immortality spell," she continued. "He was already drinking the elixir somewhere else. He took what he wanted, and then the bastard abandoned me. So, call me a woman scorned or a vindictive bitch or whatever label suits your story, but I thought I was his one true love and he ripped my heart out."

Stefan frowned empathetically. "I'm sorry."

"I deserved a chance to look him in the eye and make him understand how much he hurt me," Tessa's voice started to wobble, but both Lucy and Stefan understood that it was because she was still so angry. "So, I found him in the wilderness with the woman he gave my immortality to. She was one of my handmaidens, Amara."

"Amara drank the elixir?" Lucy didn't know that. Honestly, she assumed that it was her who drank it because Silas had told her that she was his one true love.

"I see that you're confused, Lucilla," Tessa adopted a haughty look on your face. "Why don't you clue Stefan in on why?"

Lucy pursed her lips together, and turned to Stefan to look him in the eyes. "This is going to sound bad and you're probably going to think horribly of me, but I have to tell you," she inhaled deeply at the serious look on his face. "I lived back then, with Qetsiyah and Silas. I haven't had many memories of my life then, but I betrayed Qetsiyah and had an affair with Silas."

Stefan furrowed his eyebrows and Lucy could see the hurt in his eyes. He had to know that she wasn't in love with Silas, though. The only person she loved, or had loved in this lifetime, was Stefan. It would always be Stefan.

Qetsiyah scoffed. "And you're wasn't the only one," she told Lucy. "Silas and Amara had sleeping together for months before our wedding, even before you two were together. I hadn't known this at the time, but Amara had blackmailed Silas into giving her the immortality elixir."

"Blackmailed him, how?" Stefan cleared his throat, letting go of Lucy's hand. She frowned sadly, cursing Silas, Qetsiyah, and even her previous self for potentially making Stefan doubt her. She wasn't the kind of person like Lucilla was. Even if their personalities were the same, there were still circumstances that manipulated their actions. Two thousand years ago, she was a woman, a servant, and a siphon, which meant that she had virtually no power over herself of her actions. And from what she learned from Silas, it sounded like he manipulated her into loving him, even if he claimed her to be his true love.

"She threatened to kill Lucilla," Tessa said simply. Lucy mentally cursed Amara; she thought that she was her friend back then. "But, Silas had a plan of his own. He used Amara to make sure the immortality elixir worked and then intended to make a cure and shove it down her throat," she laughed once. "I got to her first."

"She was the one whom the Petrova doppelgangers came from," Qetsiyah explained as a side thought. "When Silas and Amara drank the immortality elixir, they violated the natural law that all living things must die. So, nature found a balance by creating mortal shadow selves. Stefan, you Elena, and Katherine were all caused by the ripple effect from Silas and Amara's affair."

Qetsiyah paused in the middle of her story in order to pick up a cast-iron skillet and others supplies. She brought them over to the fireplace and set the skillet on the grate above the fire, before dropping the herbs she had collected and a metal ring into it.

Stefan stared at it suspiciously. "You want to tell me what the hell you've been doing this whole time?"

"Silas stole your daylight ring, you're going to need a new one," Qetsiyah said simply. "When this is ready, I need your help to take down Silas once and for all."

Lucy dug her hand into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out Stefan's daylight ring. "Well, Damon stole this off of Silas and gave it to me, so I guess he does have his daylight ring," she quickly passed the ring to Stefan, who hastily slipped it on. "We're gonna go now. Nice to see you, Qetsiyah."

Stefan took Lucy's hand and together, they rushed toward the door. Unfortunately, when Stefan tried the doorknob, the door wouldn't budge. They both turned to Qetsiyah with accusing eyes.

"You caught me," she said, as if she wasn't bothered by their want to escape. "I can't let you leave. I wasn't kidding when I said I needed your help to take down Silas, Stefan."

"So, what's your plan, then, huh?" Stefan stiffened and took a tiny step in front of Lucy, not letting go of her hand. "Take the cure and shove it down Silas' throat, kill him?"

Lucy went to interject in order to tell him that Katherine had been forcefully given the cure by Elena, but Tessa was too quick.

"You're skipping ahead," she scolded him. "We don't stand a chance against Silas with his mental powers."

"But you took him down before," Lucy reminded her.

"A long time ago," Tessa disputed. "That was before he could compel masses. And two thousand years of consuming dribbles of blood from thousand of people, it's allowed him to hone his skills. It prepared him to escape from the tomb I put him in."

"Is that where Amara is right now, locked away in a tomb?" Stefan raised an eyebrow.

"No, Stefan, Amara is not locked in a tomb," Qetsiyah laughed bitterly. "I created two cures and shoved one of them down her throat. I immediately killed her after. I then offered Silas the other cure to take back what he had done so we could live a long human life together."

"Surprisingly, Silas didn't seem upset about Amara's fate," she pursed her lips and glared over that Lucy. "That was when I found out about Lucilla and I was shocked. She was my servant and my friend. The only point to her I could give was that she did not know anything about the immortality elixir and she was by my side at the wedding ceremony, not knowing about Silas and Amara's sin."

"And then you killed me."

Qetsiyah shook her head, a dark look in her eyes. "No, you're going too fast. Silas refused to take the cure, so I created the Other Side as a supernatural barrier between Silas and the peaceful afterlife he craved. Then I dropped him in that tomb with the cure, thinking eventually he would take it and kill himself, just so he could realize that he was caught with me for all eternity."

"What was the point of the Other Side, if I went there anyway?" Lucy asked, just a little confused. "I was supernatural being, too."

"But you wouldn't stay for long," Tessa informed her darkly. "What I did to you was crueler than Amara's fate. I made you into a reincarnation, doomed to come back to life every time one of Silas' and Amara's doppelgangers were born. As the cherry on top, I shifted the universe so that the doppelgangers would always find each other and fall in love, making you watch as the man you loved was with another. It was only after your death in your second life did the Original Witch spell you to be born as the Petrova doppelganger's sister."

"And then you killed her," Stefan finished, clearing his throat.

Qetsiyah shrugged, her glower shifting to a kind look when she turned to Stefan. "I wanted revenge, on both her and Silas."

Stefan narrowed his eyes at her. "How's that working out for you?"

"Well, you two were a surprising anomaly," Tessa admitted. "And Silas has been a little stubborn."

Lucy clenched her jaw, her mind racing. Surprisingly, it wasn't the reason for her reincarnations for her worried thoughts. It was more of the fact that she was the reason that Stefan, Katherine, and Elena were all drawn together because of her. She was supposed to watch Elena and Stefan love each other for their whole lives, they were meant for each other.

Admittedly, she was insecure when it came to Stefan and Elena, though it was no fault of Stefan's. It was her sister that she was paranoid about. It was no secret that Elena still had feelings for Stefan. In fact, the only reason she was probably so in love with Damon at the moment was because Stefan was stuck in Steven's Quarry the whole summer—out of sight, out of mind. And Lucy hated it; she hated that Elena had feelings for her fiancé, she hated that they were in love in the first place, she hated that Elena was leading Damon on, she hated that her first self was such a homewrecker that it led to all of this mess. Most of all, though, she hated that she couldn't bask and relax in her relationship with Stefan, always worried that Elena—or Katherine—would be there to whisk him away from her.

She knew that Stefan wasn't an object and that honestly wasn't what she was trying to compare him to. She just couldn't come to terms for her feelings in any other way. Lucy loved Stefan so much and she knew Stefan loved her just as much and she wanted to protect themselves from any harm, physically and emotionally.

She was brought out of her thoughts when she was forcefully flung the length of the cabin. She fell onto a small cot and was unable to move.

"You won't be able to siphon away the spell, as I'm sure you already know," Qetsiyah told her. When Stefan inched toward her, thinking about ways to stop Qetsiyah's spell on Lucy, she held out her other hand to him. "Don't think about it."

"Listen, we're all on the same side," Stefan lowered his voice in order to negotiate his and Lucy's freedom from the crazy witch. "We want Silas gone as much as you do."

"Have you not been listening to me?" Tessa raised her voice, her eyes wide. "I have trust issues. I'm controlling and paranoid and a little crazy. And that's working out just fine."

It was then that Qetsiyah casted the pain-inflicting spell on Stefan. His eyes rolled back into his head as he gasped lightly, buckling to his knees. With how weak he was from the spell, Qetsiyah was able to get him into a chair and settled him in the middle of the room without him fighting back.

"What are you going to do to him?" Lucy asked Qetsiyah fearfully, her worried eyes boring into Stefan.

"I'm not going to kill him, if that's what you're asking," Qetsiyah walked back over to the table, where the herbs she had previously used sat with other bundles of greenery. "I'm simply going to use him to stop Silas from using his mental powers."

"And it won't hurt Stefan?"

Qetsiyah shrugged and started piling the greenery around Stefan in a large circle. "Not much."

Lucy gritted her teeth and fought against the spell keeping her seated, hissing when it wouldn't budge. "Let him go!"

She had to get Stefan out of there. She couldn't move at all, not even her fingers or her hands, or else she would take the pliers keeping her wound from healing and throw them right into Qetsiyah's eyes.

"Lucy stop," Stefan sounded exhausted. "Don't hurt yourself."

"I would listen to your fiancée," Qetsiyah warned her as she finished up the circle of greenery. "I'm very tempted to just end the spell and kill you. It's not anything you wouldn't deserve."

"Lucy…"

Lucy glanced over at her fiancée at his low pleading voice. "All right, I'll stop. Just…be careful. He's innocent in all of this."

"I'll try my best," Tessa spoke sarcastically before heading out of the cabin in order to grab the final touch to the spell.

Within seconds of her leaving, the door opened once again. However, it wasn't Tessa, it was Damon. His eyes darted around the room, pausing only to take in Lucy and Stefan.

"Stefan," he whispered as he crept into the room. "You couldn't call a brother?"

Stefan huffed out a weak laugh. "Nice to see you, too, Damon."

Damon eyed Lucy. "Twitch, you were supposed to find him, not get kidnapped," he scolded her; Lucy rolled her eyes in response. "Why aren't you moving? What the fuck is going on here?"

"Well, Silas' ex-girlfriend decided to come back from the Other Side," Stefan explained as Damon kneeled in front of him and started to try to pry off the thorn-y vines keeping Stefan's arms to the chair. "Lucy can't move because she put a spell on her and can't siphon it off."

"Silas' ex-girlfriend?" Damon raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Qetsi-whatever?"

"It's Qetsiyah," Tessa had entered the cabin again, a flower in her hands as she glared at Damon. "Do you see why I want to change it?" she asked Stefan and she walked further into the living space and told Damon, "You won't be able to break those vines. The spell won't release him until I get what I want."

She crossed the room to the fireplace and threw the flower into the skillet. She waited only seconds before grabbing a bowl and pouring the contents of the skillet into it.

"Well, I guess the rumors are true. You _are_ a ray of sunshine," Damon stood to his full height. "Question—why is my brother wearing your compost pile?"

"I'm going to link Stefan to Silas," Tessa explained, turning away from the fireplace while still holding onto the bowl. "Casting a spell on his doppelganger will neutralize Silas' mental powers. Once he's weakened, I will force him to take the cure."

"That's a great idea; force the cure down his throat," Damon mumbled sarcastically. "Not! The cure's gone, done, it's ingested."

"Katherine, you mean," Tessa stated knowingly. "I'm aware of your condition. She was supposed to be with you."

Stefan lifted his head weakly, his eyebrows furrowed. "Wait, Katherine took the cure?"

"We all have a lot to catch up on, Stefan," Damon told him before addressing Tessa again. "Wait a minute. What do you mean Katherine was supposed to be with me? Did you plant those dreams?"

"What dream?" Lucy spoke up, puzzled. "I had a dream of Stefan this morning and then I was able to find his location. Did Katherine have one too?"

"And Elena," Damon confirmed for her, his eyes still on Tessa. "What is it, some kind of, like witch-y party trick?"

Qetsiyah gave him a flat look. "So, where is she?"

Damon paused awkwardly. "We…ran into a little snag."

Qetsiyah huffed in annoyance. She set the bowl down on the table and waved her hand over the contents. "Then I'll get started without her."

Qetsiyah started chanting; Lucy and Stefan immediately looked at Damon to get them out of there.

Damon got the hint. "Okay, well, thanks for the hospitality, but we should really get going if we want to beat traffic."

"Yep, yep," Stefan agreed hastily. "he's right."

Tessa's eyes flew open to glare at Damon and Stefan. "You probably don't want to get on my bad side."

Damon's face hardened and he took slow, deliberate steps toward her. "You realize you're not the only one with a bad side, right?"

Tessa gave him an appraising look. "Aren't you brave?" she commented dryly. "Without Silas' mental powers, he is an immortal nobody. We can defeat him. Isn't that what you want?"

"Just do it, all right?" Stefan rasped, all eyes darting to him. "Just get it over with."

Tessa dipped her hands into the elixir she had made for the spell and stepped into the circle in order to make contact with Stefan. Lucy watched worriedly—with Damon hovering by her side—as she put her index and middle fingers on both hands against his temples. The elixir sizzled against his skin.

She started chanting and immediately, Stefan started grunting in pain. The more she chanted, the more pain Stefan was receiving. Tears started brewing in Lucy's eyes as he tried to fight off the spell, his instincts for protecting himself overcoming his earlier agreement or sitting for the spell. Lucy's tears fell down her cheeks as he started screaming.

The greenery around Tessa and Stefan came alive with fire as Tessa's chanting got louder and louder, and Stefan's screams with it.

"What are you doing to him?" Lucy shouted over them.

"Frying Silas' brain," Tessa answered just as loud. "No one said it would be pretty."

When blood started pouring down from Stefan's eyes, Tessa let go of him. The circle of fire died down, Stefan fell unconscious, and Lucy felt the spell holding her down disappear. She didn't waste time to get to Stefan, using her vampire speed to kneel down in front of him.

"All right, we're done here," she heard Damon say from behind her.

"You're right," Qetsiyah smirked at him. "We're done, it worked."

Lucy shook her head at the ancient witch and grabbed Stefan's face, wiping the blood away. She hesitantly shook him, trying to get him to wake up. "Stefan? Come on, Stefan, wake up."

Damon walked up next to her, rousing his shoulder. When Stefan still wouldn't wake up, he angrily turned to Tessa. "Whatever you did to him, undo it."

"Relax, both of you," Tessa crossed her arms over her chest. "I just burned through his conscious mind. He'll wake up eventually."

"Wow, that's so relieving to hear," Lucy commented sarcastically, sending Qetsiyah a hard look. She reached for the vines wrapped around Stefan's wrists and started to undo him.

"Are you sure you want to take him home?" Qetsiyah asked Damon. "You and Elena were doing so well without her feelings for Stefan getting in the way."

Damon whipped around to face her, sending her daggers with his eyes. "Spying on us from the Other Side?"

"Don't flatter yourself. It was like watching a soap opera except boring and with no volume control," Tessa scoffed. "You know, there was only one thing that made waiting for Silas to take the cure bearable."

"Oh yeah? What was that?"

"Century after century, I watched versions of Stefan and Elena find each other like magnets," Tessa smirked at Damon and Lucy, who had started to untie the vines around Stefan's ankles. "I made it that way so Lucilla would suffer. They'd fall in love, live happily ever after…" at the surprised look on Damon's face, she added, "You didn't think your brother was Silas' first shadow?"

Damon narrowed his eyes and looked back at Stefan and Lucy. Lucy gave him an apologetic look, knowing that he was probably feeling the same way as she was feeling about the doppelganger destiny that Qetsiyah had created.

"I changed destiny in order to get the doppelgangers together forever," Tessa rubbed in their faces.

Damon saw Lucy's look, his heart sinking. He turned to Tessa. "Look here, Miss Crazy, why don't we just dial down the destiny talk a notch, okay?"

"You don't want to hear it, but the universe is working against you and Lucilla," she scoffed knowingly.

"If you're trying to downplay your reputation as being a psychopath, you might not want to say you're the spokesperson for the universe."

Tessa smiled flatly. "You and I are the same, Damon. We're the obstacles standing between two fates. Silas had his true love, and it's because of Lucilla's sin two thousand years ago that Stefan and Elena will have true love with each other. You and I are merely the conflict that makes it interesting."

Lucy pressed her lips together angrily and kept her mouth shut as she finished with untying Stefan. While Tessa and Damon were distracted with each other, she reached around her neck and tried to keep her expression neutral as she took out the pliers that was keeping her from healing. Once they were gone, the anti-siphon symbol that Qetsiyah carved into her skin had healed and her magic rushed through her body once again.

"So what are you suggesting?" Damon sneered at Qetsiyah. "Stefan and Lucy leave the country while Elena and I live happily ever after?"

"Or I could keep him safe," Qetsiyah suggested, sending a haughty look over to Lucy, who glared back at her. "I want to keep him safe. Now that he's linked to Silas, Silas can't mess with our heads, and as long as Stefan's in the way, you will never be with Elena."

"Enough, Qetsiyah," Lucy sighed, tired of listening to the crazy witch's voice. "Stefan's not staying with you and he and Elena are not getting back together."

She was confident in Stefan's love for her—Elena, not so much.

"Exactly," Damon nodded, agreeing with her. "Oh, and you can just go back to Hell."

He went to make a move against her, but Qetsiyah was ready. She held up both her hands, each of them toward Lucy and Damon. A large burst of energy left her palms, knocking them across the cabin.

She left while they were discombobulated. While Lucy was trying to blink away the blurriness in her eyes, Elena rushed into the cabin.

"Stefan!" she called, coming to a stop in front of him. She got down onto her knees and took Stefan's face in her hands while Lucy watched incredulously. "Stefan, hey. Stefan, can you hear me? Stefan, wake up!"

Lucy looked over at Damon, only to see that he was already looking at her, silently asking if she saw the display Elena was putting on. They both had grim expressions on their faces.

Maybe Qetsiyah wasn't wrong about him and Elena. And that meant trouble for Stefan and Lucy.

Stefan was still unconscious hours later. Lucy didn't leave his side the whole time, sitting by stomach on the couch where he rested. Elena and Damon were somewhere, fighting about their relationship—and for some reason, they were yelling out declarations of their love of one another in angry voices—but Lucy couldn't focus on them.

She focused on Stefan. She studied his face, now clean from his blood, over and over. The sharp slope of his nose which led to its tiny tip, the way his long eyelashes rested at the top of his cheeks, the way his mouth made a slight bow-shape, the areas where his dimples would appear when he smiled happily.

She loved him so much.

But how was she supposed to tell him about her life as Lucilla and her affair with Silas? He was already upset with her about it, that much she knew. She didn't blame him whatsoever. Silas had trapped him in a safe and pushed him of into the quarry, where he must have starved and drowned over and over again. She couldn't imagine going through that and making it out alive—Stefan had very much earned the right to hate Silas with every part of his being. The fact that Silas and Lucy had an affair and she was his true love two thousand years ago probably didn't make things better.

All Lucy knew was that she couldn't let anyone destroy her relationship with Stefan. Those slight feelings she felt with Silas were the remnants of Lucilla within her. But Lucilla wasn't Lucy; Lucy didn't _want_ to be Lucilla. And usually it wouldn't matter because ultimately, she was Lucilla and she would normally retain her feelings for the people she had in her first life, just like it happened with her Original siblings and Katherine. Something was different about her and Silas, though. She wasn't experiencing romantic feelings for Silas like she obviously had back then; in fact, all she was feeling toward him was a little bit of lust—but, come on, he had the exact same face and voice of Stefan, which confused her badly—and a small bit of fondness that felt more like the friendly feelings she felt for Matt or Tyler. That was it.

But that was enough to make Stefan hate her. Well, not hate her, but he was more than likely going to be angry and her and the circumstances. Lucy could take it, though. If that was the price she had to pay for her actions as Lucilla, she'd take it. As long as she didn't lose Stefan.

The fluttering of Stefan's eyelashes caught her attention.

"Stefan?" she whispered as he opened his eyes. "Are you all right, babe?"

Stefan grunted softly as he shifted, confused. "Who are you? Where am I?"

Lucy's heart sunk; it looked like Qetsiyah's spell had side effects. "You're safe," she pulled herself together in order to make him comfortable, smiling at him gently. "I'm Lucy."

"Lucy?"

"Mmhm," her stomach flipped nauseously. "Hold on one second, okay. _Damon_?"

Stefan continued to stare at her while she raised her voice only a little to call out some random guy's name. The girl who called herself Lucy was beautiful and she was kind to him, too. As he heard two sets of light footsteps coming toward them, he smiled slightly. There was a nice, comforting vibe coming from her that made his heartbeat pick up.

A man and woman walked into what seemed to be the living room of wherever he was. They were unrecognizable to them, just like the Lucy girl was.

"Welcome back, brother," the man smiled at him.

"Stefan," the girl grinned at him as she spoke breathlessly; she was attractive, too. Something about her pulled him in just like it did with Lucy. "we missed you."

They were both looking at him expectantly but he didn't know what to say. "Uh, I'm sorry," he apologized. "I have no idea who you people are."

The man and woman's faces fell but he remained relaxed as Lucy put a comfortingly hand over his. "It's okay, Stefan," she assured him before looking back at the other two. "We have a problem."


	83. Memorial

**[5x04; For Whom the Bell Tolls]**

"_You left Stefan with Damon and Elena?"_ Caroline screeched from the speaker of Lucy's phone. _"I thought you were smarter than that, Luce."_

"I didn't want to_,"_ Lucy sighed. "but they pretty much insisted and after my failure of trying to siphon the spell him—which did not go well, by the way—I was put on grimoire duty and trying to get a hold of Bonnie. And that is also not going well."

"_I'll try her, too_," Caroline volunteered. _"Have Damon or Elena given you any updates?"_

"I've received one update so far," she reported to her best friend. "and it said 'so far, so good.' And that was Damon who sent it, so that means…"

"_It means that they probably devoured a troop of Girl Scouts while Elena gave them a disapproving glare_," Caroline finished her sentence; Lucy scoffed lightly in agreement. "_Well, is Joel with them?"_

"He's working until one, but then he's gonna join them at the Grill. I might join him."

"_Okay_," Caroline hummed. "_Well, I did a little research for you and Stefan. Did you know it's not uncommon for patients with retrograde amnesia or other traumatic brain injuries to turn volatile?"_

Lucy smiled, impressed. "No, I didn't. Wow, Care, it sounds like you did more than a little research."

"_I may have studied up on my chem, biochem, applied microbio, molecular bio, and Grey's Anatomy—the real one and the television show."_

"You are the best person that has ever lived, Caroline Elizabeth," Lucy's heart melted; she loved her best friend so damn much. "I'm sure Stefan will really appreciate that you did that all for him.

"_Well, you two are my best friends. And you're also my favorite couple in the whole wide world,"_ Caroline giggled. "_But I'm also trying to impress Dr. Maxfield_."

"That's your applied microbio professor, right?"

"_Mmhm. I figured if I could get closer to him and into his biology class, maybe I could figure out why he covered up our roommate's murder by vampire,"_ Caroline whispered into the phone; Lucy realized that it was because she was walking through one of the school buildings because she could hear voices that weren't Caroline's. "_and it's also possible that I have a study buddy."_

"Oh, really?"

Caroline didn't answer her right away, but she heard her greet Dr. Maxfield and ask Jesse—yes, frat-party Jesse—if he was ready to study. Lucy gasped like it was the most scandalous thing she had ever heard. It wasn't by far—especially by Caroline.

"You're studying with Jesse?" Lucy fought back the squeal she was tempted to make. "Hot and funny frat-party Jesse? Jesse, who so happens to be Dr. Maxfield's teaching assistant and also the guy who makes come-hither eyes at you every time you happen to run into each other?"

Caroline giggled. _"I'm dragging him to our hometown graveyard bell-ringing ceremony."_

"Ew," Lucy frowned; she had never liked that certain Mystic Falls annual event. "What a mood killer."

"_Get your head out of the gutter. It's a study date,_" the blonde scolded her. "_And while I'm there, I might as well ring a bell for Tyler and me, considering our relationship is on its death bed."_

"Care…"

"_Don't give me your sympathetic voice because if I think about it too much, I'll start crying,"_ Caroline warned her before she perked up again. "_Will I see you there? You could bring Stefan. I mean, it is ironically called Remembrance Day."_

"I don't know, I might," Lucy hesitated. "Right now it depends on how he's doing with everything that Elena and Damon are telling him. 163 years of memories are a lot to handle."

"_I know_," Caroline sighed. "_All right, well, I'll talk to you later_."

"Okay," Lucy smirked mischievously. "Use protection."

"_I hate you, Lucy Eleanora!"_

"Love you too, Care. Bye."

Lucy sighed as she shoved her phone in the back pocket of her jeans. She walked back over to her bed and plopped down amongst her three grimoires, trying to find anything that may help Stefan get his memories back. She also had to keep trying to get a hold of Bonnie, which was proving to be more difficult than she previously though.

She opened her Mikaelson grimoire and started reading; she had a lot of work to do.

The bell that was temporarily situated at the door of the bar Damon and Elena brought him to was rung once again. A man called out a toast to his uncle and then everyone drank. Stefan had no idea why these people were drinking, but it wasn't bad. It certainly gave him an opportunity to get drunk and forget about the fact that he had no memories.

Everything that Damon—who was apparently his older brother—and Elena—who was Lucy's older half-sister—were telling him jogged nothing upstairs. His own damn journals, which he had read thoroughly, gave him nothing but dramatically written phrases about his so-called ripper binges and his feelings.

Right now, he knew a couple of things for sure. One: the girl he woke up to was Lucy and she was a witch-vampire hybrid who was also somehow a reincarnation. Another was that he was a vampire _and_ a doppelganger of some ancient immortal named Silas. And third, he was thirsty.

Stefan sank back the shot that Damon had placed in front of him. "Wow," he inhaled deeply once he swallowed down the liquor. "Is this town always so upbeat about dead people?"

"No," Elena assured him before taking her own shot.

"It's a morbid town tradition," Damon explained. "See, if you go back to the 1820s, that was when everyone was so paranoid about the Cholera thing that they would occasionally bury a body a wee bit before its time."

Stefan furrowed his eyebrows. "So, we have a holiday dedicated to burying people alive?"

"Well, they were so paranoid that they would actually request to be buried with a string attached to a bell above ground. Then the whole family would hang around the grave for twenty-four hours in hopes of hearing the bell and that their loved one would come back."

"But now, it's a great excuse to get drunk," Elena finished.

A waitress walked up to their table, then, setting down new shots for each of them. Stefan didn't pay much attention to the alcohol, though. His eyes were on the artery in the waitress' neck where he could hear the rush of blood and the wet thumping of her heart. His mouth filled with saliva even though he felt thirstier than before.

Suddenly the waitress walked away before Stefan could even attempt to pounce on her and drink his fill of her blood. When Damon snapped his fingers in front of his face, he looked at him with wide eyes.

"What the fuck was that?"

"That, my brother, was you jonesing for something a little stronger than a blood bag," Damon answered him while Elena gave him a worried look.

"So, what's the problem?" Stefan understood that in his previous years—years he didn't even remember—that he had a problem with blood. But he was a new man now, apparently. He was sure he could handle a little blood. "You two spent the whole night trying to convince me I was a vampire. I'm convinced. Let me act like one."

"Well, unfortunately, Stefan, there are two types of vampires in the world, okay? There are those that can handle moderation," Damon gestured toward himself and Elena before pointing at him. "and then there's you."

"Well, I'm no shrink," Stefan paused for a moment, asking, "Right?"

Elena nodded. "Right."

Stefan continued, looking back at Damon. "But maybe killing our father and turning into a vampire and all the trauma associated with that, is what made me become a vampire who feeds on people and then rips their heads off. But, now that I don't have all those memories and all that guilt, maybe the ripper thing won't be such a problem."

Damon cocked his head thoughtfully, then shook his head. "Let's not try it out, okay?"

The bell rang again, so Stefan, Damon, and Elena clinked their new shots together and threw them down. Just as Stefan put his shot glass back on the table, he noticed that Lucy and a tall guy with brown hair walking over to them.

"Are you drinking because you remember two centuries worth of memories or because you don't?" she asked Stefan as they came to a stop by the table.

Stefan felt a smile break out on his face. "Lucy, you're here."

"I am," Lucy grinned back at him. "Stefan, this is my older brother, Joel."

"Hi," Stefan nodded at Joel before looking back at Lucy. "How many siblings do you have?"

"I have ten siblings, four of which are dead," Lucy told him, leaving out that Kol was actually alive; she hadn't told anyone but Caroline that she brought him back to life and it was going to stay that way—after she told Stefan when he had his memories back. "and I have a niece on the way."

"Wow," Stefan gaped at her. "It must have been chaotic in your house when you were growing up."

"Eh," she shrugged. She wasn't going to explain how she had so many siblings, it would probably confuse him. Maybe later, if the amnesia lasted that long.

As Lucy and Joel sat down with them at their table, Stefan excused himself to the bathroom. Once he was out of hearing range, Elena and Damon turned to Lucy expectantly.

"So?" Damon prompted.

"I wasn't able to find anything in my grimoires, not even Esther's," Lucy told them with a sigh, frustrated with her lack of progress. "I think that something might be in the Bennett grimoire, though, since Qetsiyah was a Bennett herself."

Elena leaned forward, bracing her elbows against the table. "Did you get a hold of Bonnie, then?"

"I tried. I called her ten times, texted her twenty, and emailed her twelve. Caroline even was trying," Lucy informed them all. "She hasn't gotten back to neither of us."

"All right," Damon accepted that pretty well. "Until she gets back to any of us, I saw we just let Stefan be Stefan. Fun, carefree, drunk Stefan without a hundred years of vampire guilt on his shoulders."

"That guilt came from a blood addiction that might still be hard-wired in his brain," Lucy said pointedly. "And all those memories he lost, that's what made him our Stefan."

Damon rolled his eyes at her. "I know you're taking a psychology class, but you're not an expert of nature verses nurture."

"Damon, leave her alone," Joel spoke up in defense of Lucy, who looked like she wanted to curse Damon's ass all the way back home. He glanced toward the bathroom and added, "Uh, should Stefan be back by now?"

Lucy frowned and looked around the Grill. Stefan wasn't anywhere that she could see, and he usually didn't take long in the bathroom when he actually had to go. "I'll go look for him."

"Me too," Damon agreed, standing up with her. "I'll take the bathrooms, you take the kitchen."

Lucy nodded and they went separate ways. While Lucy was making her way through the heavy crowd celebrating Remembrance Day, she picked up Stefan's voice with her enhanced hearing.

"_Don't scream, don't move_," he compelled someone; Lucy picked up her pace, fighting through the customers now. "_I don't want to hurt you. You seem really nice. It's not like I want to rip your head off but I keep being told that if I have one taste, I won't be able to stop. And although the thought of killing you scares the fuck out of me, this feeling of hunger that I have inside of me is just so much more powerful."_

Once Lucy was clear of the people surrounding her—and after making sure that no one was in the kitchen—she used her vampire speed to get to Stefan. His vampire features were out on display when she entered the room, and she immediately lunged toward him, knocking him away from the girl he was about to kill. Stefan gasped heavily as he fought his blood lust, but he let her push him further away from the waitress.

"You're okay," she breathed in reassurance. "It's okay."

After Damon took care of the waitress, compelling her to forget the whole thing with Stefan, the five of them left the Grill and made their way to the cemetery in order to relax and give remembrance to the dead Salvatores, hoping that something would jog Stefan's memory.

Lucy walked close by him as they walked through the people huddling around their loved ones' graves. It was just in case Stefan had another urge for human blood from the source. If he told her to back off, she would, but she didn't want Stefan feeling guilty when he got his memories back if he actually attacked and killed a human.

"What kind of name is Honoria Fell?" Stefan asked loudly as they passed by an old headstone.

"Shh," Damon hissed at him to be quiet. "You're kind of the one that killed her."

Stefan raised his eyebrows. "Oh."

It wasn't the right time, but Lucy couldn't help but giggle. The way that Stefan pointed out the admittedly odd name and then become so nonchalant about the fact he killed the woman was kind of funny. Even if he wasn't _her_ Stefan without his memories, seeing him without two centuries of guilt made him seem lighter.

They entered the Salvatore tomb. While Lucy lit the candles with her magic, Damon stated, "Hindsight being 20/20, there was way too much temptation at the bar. So if the ripper gene is biological, then we need to minimize human contact until we get your brain all witch-y-wooed back to normal. So, here it is."

Stefan's eyes darted around the tomb. "So, this is the family crypt, huh?" Damon hummed in confirmation. "Anybody here I didn't kill?"

"Well, we've covered our father, who art in Hell," Damon rang the bell he snagged when they got to the cemetery. "Uncle Zach, my bad," again, the bell rang. "On the bright side, our mother died of consumption."

"Oh, good," Stefan mumbled in surprise as Damon rang the bell once more.

Damon pulled his phone out of his jeans as it vibrated. "Ooh," he read the message he received. "Joel, Jeremy needs to talk to us."

"Okay," Joel nodded.

At that moment, Lucy's own phone dinged with a new message. It was from Matt.

_**Matty**__: Can you come over? I need to talk to you about something serious_

_**Luce**__: Of course. I'm on my way_

"We've got to go see a man about a witch," Damon informed Stefan. "Party on without us. Brother, for you," he set the bottle of bourbon down on one of the benches before handing the bell to Elena. "And this is for you."

"I have to go, too," Lucy told Stefan apologetically; Stefan frowned. "I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?"

He nodded.

Lucy smiled at him and then started to leave the crypt. On the way out, Elena gave her a pointed look; Lucy nodded back, knowing that Elena would distract him from his bloodlust.

Matt let her into the Lockwood mansion as soon as she stepped onto the porch. "Thank God you're here," he sighed in relief as he led her through the foyer and into the office right off of it. "I'm freaking out. I tried emailing Bonnie, and then I asked Jeremy to contact Bon for me, but neither of them got back to me."

"Yeah, Bonnie hasn't been answering me either," Lucy frowned and rubbed his back, trying to bring some sort of comfort. "Okay, tell me what's going on."

Matt wandered over to Mayor Lockwood's former desk and pulled a dagger wrapped in a cloth from one of the drawers.

"So, I woke up last night, covered in mud, with this," he showed her the knife.

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows. "That's weird."

"Yeah, I know," Matt agreed. "I have no idea where it came from. I blacked out and I'm pretty sure that it's not the first time."

The scenario sounded familiar. It sounded like Alaric. She stood up and took the knife from Matt, studying the carvings on the handle. "How many times have you died wearing Jeremy's ring?"

"I don't think it's the Gilbert ring that's messing with me, Luce," Matt shook his head frantically. "No, like, it's got to have something to do with why Silas couldn't mind-control me. He saw something or someone or whatever that Czech freak put in my head. But I think it's still there."

"Okay, first, you're going to have to calm down, Matty, okay?" she said soothingly as something caught her attention from the corner of her eye. It was a video camera. "Why do you have a camera out?"

"I set them up all over the house to help me figure out how I'm losing time," Matt explained. "Look, I think you and Bonnie are the only people who can help me and Bonnie's not answering…"

Lucy frowned at him, hating that he was going through whatever this whole thing was. "All right, sit down," she gestured to one of the couches. "I want to try to get inside your head."

Matt sat down on the couch and let Lucy press her fingers to his temples. She muttered a spell under her breath, one of the spells from the Mikaelson grimoire that allowed a witch to get inside a person's head. Matt's mind barrier was relatively easy to get through but it was after that when she was stopped abruptly. It was magic that was blocking her, but it didn't feel like the magic she had or even the magic that Bonnie possessed.

Matt hissed in pain as she tried to get through again.

"Sorry," Lucy apologized as she pulled her hands away from him. "I definitely think someone or something is hanging around in your head."

Matt popped back up onto his feet. "Okay, so what can we do? Like, how do we get it out of there?" he begged for an answer. "Luce, I haven't slept for days and I'm freaking out about this."

"I know," Lucy grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly. "but I'm gonna do some research, okay? I'll contact all of my sources—" which was Kol and maybe Silas, since Matt had mentioned the day he had tried to control his mind; yeah, she didn't have many sources "—and I'll try Google and anything that will make this better. I promise, Matt."

Matt nodded but the panic in his eyes broke her heart. She pulled him into a hug, silently vowing to help him however she could.

Elena called Lucy shortly after she left the Lockwood mansion. She told Lucy that Stefan had wandered away from her when she took a call from Damon and now she had no idea where he was. A little irritated with Elena's lack of ability to occupy Stefan for only an hour, Lucy told her sister that she would look for him.

Once she hung up, she thought about where Stefan would go. He only knew of three places in Mystic Falls thanks to his amnesia; the Salvatore Boarding House, the Grill, and the cemetery. Because he had a little argument with Elena, she doubted that he'd go back to the Boarding House. She didn't think he would go to the Grill, either, because he seemed genuinely apologetic about trying to eat the waitress. So, that left the cemetery.

When Lucy got to the cemetery, she found Stefan stealing a half-drunk bottle of alcohol from an unsuspecting group of people sharing a blanket by a headstone. She wandered up to him as he put the bottle to his lips and gulped the whiskey down.

"Hi, there," she spoke up. "Can I have some?"

Stefan pulled the bottle from his lips and handed it to her. "Here you go," she took a sip of the whiskey, wincing at the burn at the back of her throat. "You drink?"

"Mmhm," she hummed and handed the bottle back to him. "Why do you ask?"

"I don't know. You just don't seem like the kind of person to drink," Stefan shrugged. "Also, you don't seem to be a fan of whiskey."

"I'm not. I like the fruity stuff," she admitted with a laugh. "and I'm a bit of a lightweight. I've gotten better since I turned into a vampire."

"Really?"

"Yup," Lucy nodded. "So, not to bring up bad stuff, but what did you and Elena fight about?"

"We didn't fight, not really," Stefan took another gulp of the whiskey. "First, she took me back to where we first met, which was apparently next to the men's bathroom. She was trying to jog my memory but it didn't work. And then she took me to Wickery bridge, where she said that your parents died there and she also turned into vampire."

"Okay, that doesn't seem that bad."

"It wasn't," Stefan said truthfully, a grimace playing at his lips. "It's just, uh, I don't know how to explain it, but I didn't want to spend the rest of the night with her."

Lucy raised her eyebrows, holding back the grin that threatened to appear on her face. "Oh yeah? Who'd you want to spend it with?"

If Stefan could blush, he would have been. "You. You're, uh, you're the only one who hasn't told me about you."

"Well, what did you want to know?"

Lucy watched as Stefan's expression warped into a flirtatious face where he acted like he was serious. He leaned against one of the nearby trees and crossed his arms over his chest, pursing his lips. "What are we?"

Lucy laughed and raised her chin. "Ah, the what-are-we speech. Isn't this a little too soon?"

Stefan shrugged. "I don't think so. See, I know that you're important to me."

"Do you?"

"Mmhm," he hummed in response and Lucy felt her stomach clench. Whenever he got that smooth tone of voice, it always meant promising bedroom activities. "Wanna know how I know?"

"Yes."

"Your scent is all over my bedroom and my stuff, almost every single journal entry in the past two to three years has mentioned you," he listed, his green eyes searing into hers. "There's a picture on the side of my bed of us together, and in the top drawer of my dresser is the box that goes to that," he nodded at the engagement ring on her left hand.

Lucy raised her eyebrows; she knew that Stefan was smart, but he was way too observant. "Points for Stefan. You're good."

"Good enough to know that you were avoiding me all day."

Lucy closed her eyes and ducked her head. Maybe she was avoiding him; maybe she was being such a busy bee today because she didn't know how to act around Stefan. Even though she spent most of the day trying to get his memories back, she should have been by his side, trying to help him figure things out.

"I'm sorry. I just—I—"

"There you guys are!" Caroline's perky voice came from behind Stefan.

Lucy smiled at her in greeting, feeling guilty for the relief that came with her interruption, while Stefan turned. His eyes swept the length of Caroline's body as he took another drink.

"Caroline Forbes, our best friend."

Lucy's heart warming at his use of 'our.'

Caroline perked up in excitement, her blue eyes darting between Lucy and Stefan. "You recognize me?"

"Well, I've studied pictures," Stefan gulped down the rest of the whiskey. "You're much hotter in person."

Both Lucy and Caroline gaped at him before Lucy started giggling. That was—that was hilarious to her for two reasons. One, Caroline _was_ hot and it was great because Caroline thought that Stefan was hot, too. Two, it was funny because Stefan and Caroline had a brother-sister relationship and when Stefan got his memories back, he was going to be so horrified.

As an amused smile bloomed on Caroline's face, Stefan faltered. "Sorry, I'm—I'm a little drunk."

"Yeah, we can see that," Caroline laughed as she shared a look with a still giggling Lucy. "Are you okay?"

"Well, if by _okay_, you mean heavily spiraling into ripper oblivion, then yes, I'm dandy."

Caroline's eyes darted to Lucy questionably.

"We're working on it," Lucy muttered sheepishly, guiltily. Was he upset because of her? "It might help if his sober-sponsor helped."

Before Caroline responded, Jesse had walked over to him. "Keg-stand guy passed out," he told Caroline while nodding at Lucy in greeting. He held up two red solo cups full of beer. "so I stole these."

Caroline smiled softly, glanced back at Lucy and Stefan, before she asked him, "Hey, do you mind just giving us a couple of minutes?"

"Yeah, it's probably a good idea because I can sense from here that you have a paper cut on the palm of your left hand," Stefan spoke up, making Jesse glance at his left hand. "and I want to rip your entire arm off."

"Okay, woah, Stefan," Lucy wrapped her hands around his arm closest to her and made him take a couple steps away from Jesse, holding onto him firmly.

Caroline gave Stefan a stern look before turning back to Jesse. "_Go away, hide,"_ she compelled him. "_I'll find you_."

Jesse turned away without a word.

"Look, I know that you're hungry," Caroline walked over to Stefan, speaking softly. "but you don't do people, okay? It just—it doesn't end well."

"What about blood bags?" Stefan wondered. "Do you have any of those?"

"I have some in the car," Lucy offered. "You wanna come with me?"

Stefan nodded. "Sure."

Lucy should have kept her grip on him, but she hadn't thought about the fact that he would still try to go after Jesse. She was only steps away from him when she heard him use his vampire speed to run from her and pass Caroline.

"Damn it," she sighed, stomping toward Caroline in frustration. "How many places are there to hide in the cemetery?"

Caroline pressed her lips together. "A lot."

They looked at approximately ten different crypts in the span of nine minutes. It was only after the eleventh that they heard Stefan talking to Jesse. They sped to the Salvatore crypt, where they followed his voice to, but Stefan had already tore his fangs through Jesse's neck.

"Stefan, stop!" Lucy exclaimed while she held up one hand, using her magic to separate him from Jesse. She dropped her magic and walked over to him, holding him back from trying to attack Jesse again. "This isn't you. You might not remember, but I do, Broody. You are better than this. You are not this person."

There was a dazed look in Stefan's eyes. "I have to go."

Lucy glance back at Caroline where she was feeding Jesse some of her blood to heal him. "How about I take you somewhere?" she suggested to Stefan. "Do you trust me?"

Stefan nodded numbly, wiping off his bloody mouth with his wrist.

"Okay," she took his hand and squeezed it. "Just follow me, okay? It will only take a minute to get there."

She took Stefan to their place, a couple hundred feet away from Steven's Quarry.

"So, why are we at a random field?" Stefan asked as they sat near each other in the grass.

"This…is our place," Lucy told him with a fond smile, memories of them being there together flashing through her mind. "We hang out here all the time. When one of us are in a mood, or we want to be alone…We even finger painted here once."

"I've finger painted before?" Stefan asked her, surprised.

Lucy giggled. "I've convinced you to finger paint a few times," she said. "It's the only painting you're good at."

"Should I be offended?" he grinned at her, his beloved dimples popping out.

"Of course not," she assured him and brushed some hair that the wind had blown in her face. "I can paint enough for the both of us."

Stefan's smile faded slightly as he thought of their conversation; Lucy saw his change of expression. She could guess that he was thinking about how she had been avoiding him all day. She wasn't purposefully trying to do that, but she felt the need to explain herself anyway.

"I didn't mean to avoid you," she spoke before he could, beginning to ramble. "I've been looking at some grimoires, trying to find anything that would you your memories back and Matt needed my help but I—honestly, I thought you might have wanted to figure out who you were without my being around."

"Why wouldn't I want you to be around?" Stefan furrowed his brows. "We're engaged."

"Yeah, but our relationship isn't the only thing about you, Stefan," Lucy stated with a soft smile on her face. "You love cars, fixing them up, collecting them. You're an absolute sci-fi fanatic. You used to be a paramedic. You had a best friend named Lexi for over a century…" as she spoke, she could tell by Stefan's face that what she told him he didn't know much about. "you like cherry cheesecake and you once got drunk on the Statue of Liberty."

"And that stuff…that's all so important to who you are. You need to know who you are in order to know who we are," she finished.

Stefan didn't react at first, but the calmness that his body encompassed relaxed, made her think that he agreed with her. She watched hesitantly as Stefan shifted from where he was sitting; he gave her a small smile as he playfully flopped his head into her lap.

"So, who is Stefan Salvatore?" he asked while she ran her fingers through her hair.

"Do we have ten years?" Lucy asked jokingly, earning herself a grin from the boy in her lap. "All right, Stefan Salvatore is…"

Lucy told Stefan everything, everything that she knew about him.. Admittedly, it was a lot of information. From his favorite color and movie to the shampoo and bodywash he used. Some of the stuff was scandalous, which always got a shocked look out of Stefan—sometimes he would wink and she'd burst into giggles. He now knew exactly when they both started having feelings for each other, what he and Klaus had done the previous summer, how he was the glue to their group in Mystic Falls and how he was the most compassionate person she knew.

And all the while she talked and Stefan asked questions, Lucy felt like her heart would burst. She had missed him so much over the summer and she felt so guilty when she found out that he had been suffering by himself. She hated Silas for what he did to Stefan, she hated Qetsiyah for taking his memories, and she hated herself for not finding him sooner. She couldn't protect Stefan and that broke her heart—but, right now? He was in her arms and he was safe.

She would find a way to get Stefan's memories back. They would stop Silas. They would figure out what it was that Qetsiyah really wanted.

Everything would be fine.

There were many times in Lucy's life where she would wake up with red and puffy eyes from a night of crying. She'd always spend extra time in the bathroom that morning, ignoring Joel's objections so that no one would know that she had her heart broken and nothing could fix it.

When Lucy opened her eyes that morning, Caroline's face was the first thing she saw. Her best friend since kindergarten was still sleeping and she looked as perfect as ever, her night of crying unable to be seen. Lucy supposed that she looked like that too. She would have preferred red and puffy eyes.

Gently, as to not wake her up, Lucy kissed Caroline on the forehead before rolling out of bed. Her eyes caught sight of the cardigan in Caroline's hands and her shattered heart ached even more. It was Bonnie's cardigan, one that she had left at Lucy's apartment in the spring, and it still smelt like her.

Tears glossed over her eyes and she sped into the bathroom before they could fall. Slumping against the door, she fell to the floor and just let herself cry.

Bonnie was dead and she had been all summer. She had traded her life for Jeremy's and none of them had known. Of course, Lucy was devastated—she had been friends with Bonnie for most of her life, even if they had a few fights sometimes, and she loved her—but more than that, she felt so damn guilty.

It was Lucy who agreed to the plan to bring back Kol and Jeremy with Bonnie. She was okay, and so were her two brothers, but Bonnie wasn't. She had been dead. She was _dead_ and it was all her fault.

"It's my fault," Lucy's sobs were muffled against her arm but she didn't care.

How could she not have known that Bonnie was dead? She should have known. She should have known…

She took a few deep breaths to ease the aching in her chest, not wanting to be thrown into a panic attack. She couldn't lose control because this wasn't about her—it was about Bonnie and the people she loved. She had to be strong now, for Caroline and Matt. Just like they were strong for her when she was grieving.

"I'm sorry, Bonnie," she whispered. She hoped that Bonnie had found peace and she wasn't trapped on the Other Side, but if she was, she hoped her friend could hear her. "I'm so sorry."

Her limbs felt heavy as she stood from the bathroom floor. Looking into the mirror, her face was as beautifully put together as always—her vampirism was good for something, at least—but her skin was wet. She quickly dried it with a face towel and straightened out her clothing before leaving the room.

Caroline wasn't in her bed anymore; while Stefan had taken her spot, Caroline had wandered over to the kitchen. She and Joel were making breakfast, both of them somber, but comforting one another.

"_You don't have to go through this alone, Care_," she heard Joel to her best friend. "_I'm here for you."_

Lucy tuned away from their conversation before Caroline could respond, knowing that it was a private matter. She faced Stefan and forced a smile onto her face before she plopped down on the bed to sit next to him.

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

"Hmm, I'm feeling better," he told her. "I feel more under control."

"That's good," and Lucy was really happy for him, but she just couldn't put a smile on how she felt.

Even Stefan didn't have his memories, he still somehow could read her. Stefan, Lucy, Caroline, and Joel all heard about Bonnie's death from Jeremy at the same time, so he knew how destroyed his friends were. He was sure if he still had his memories, he'd be the same way.

"I'm sorry about Bonnie," he grabbed her hand, softly linking their fingers together. "I wish I could remember her."

"Bonnie was good," a wave of sadness crashed over her when she realized that the world would get to see any of Bonnie Bennett's goodness ever again. A sob tore its way out of her throat but she quickly slapped her hand over her mouth to suppress it. She was supposed to be strong. "I'm sorry, it's just…I miss her but I want to be strong for Care and Matt and I don't know what to do about all of this guilt inside me…I have—I have to—"

"Shh," Stefan pulled her into a tight hug. "You have me. Let me be here for you."

Lucy buried her head into his shoulder, her tears already soaking the fabric of his shirt, and clung to him tightly.

Hours later, dressed in black and lashes coated with waterproof mascara, Lucy and Caroline held each other's hands as they followed Damon and Elena through the woods. Matt stuck close to their sides and there was not a word between any of them as they traveled to the area where Jeremy and Joel had set up Bonnie's memorial.

Jeremy stood close to Joel, both of them dressed properly, as he set a framed photo of Bonnie on a large tree stump in front of him. They had all brought stuff with them that reminded them of Bonnie and they would place them together on the stump as a proper memorial for their friend.

Caroline and Lucy went up to the stump together, neither of them with dry eyes. Caroline set down one of her cheerleading pom-poms, a reference to when Bonnie was on the cheer squad with them and Lucy squeezed her hand as a sob broke through her lips. For Bonnie, Lucy had brought the Bennett grimoire. She whispered her goodbyes as she carefully set it with the photo and the pom-pom and then looked up at her brothers. Joel was giving her a wet-eyed look of sympathy but it was the look on Jeremy's face that made her want to cry.

Despite the fact that Jeremy was devastated like everyone else, he stood tall and calm. He was being so strong, not only for all of them, but for Bonnie, too. Lucy hadn't forgotten that her brother was a medium—Jeremy could see Bonnie where they couldn't. Jeremy had grown into such a good man and there were no words that could describe how proud of him she was.

Lucy and Caroline took their spots again and Matt went to the stump to honor Bonnie. He gently set down a whistle that he and Bonnie earned while being lifeguards over the summer before junior year. Lucy saw his shoulders shake as he began crying; when he came back to his spot next to her, she grabbed his hand. Matt squeezed it tightly, shuffling over to her and Caroline.

Elena was next, and what she had brought Bonnie was heartbreaking. Lucy wasn't there, but she had heard from Bonnie how she had shown Elena that she was a witch. She had broken one of Elena's pillows and made the feathers float around in the air. A heart-wrenching sob came from Elena as she practically ran from the stump into Damon's arms, crying into his chest.

Joel cleared his throat thickly and raised the bell in his hand, ringing it three times. "We ring this bell in honor of Bonnie, in remembrance for her," he placed the bell on the stump with the other items. "Jeremy?"

Lucy squeezed her friends' hands on either side as Jeremy took a deep breath.

"I'm not sure what to say," he admitted; he paused for a second and glanced to his left before smiling softly. "Bonnie says that she's not going anywhere, that she has been here all along, for all of you. Elena, Bonnie watched you have the summer of your life and she saw you happy. She knows you think that you can't have a normal life, that you have to be there for everyone one, but you don't. Everyone will find their way. So, you're gonna repack your things, you're gonna go back to college, and you're gonna live it up."

"Matt, Bonnie says that you didn't do anything wrong," Jeremy moved onto Matt, who squeezed Lucy's hand tightly. "You know she would have sent you three hundred emails back if she could have. She misses you."

"Lucy…" Jeremy turned to Lucy and she let out a shaky breath. "Bonnie wants you to know that none of this was your fault. She's just glad that she got to see you happy. She wants you to know that you're gonna be able to help Stefan and that everything will be okay."

As tears fell down Lucy's damp cheeks, Jeremy and Bonnie spoke to Caroline, "Caroline, Bonnie watched you decorate that dorm room like your life depended on it," everyone broke into giggles. "and I know that college isn't everything you expected and that you feel like something's missing, but…Tyler."

Everyone turned to see Tyler walking toward the memorial, a white rose cradled gently between his fingers. Lucy smiled at him and let go of Caroline's hand, leaning her head on Matt's shoulder as they watched Caroline and Tyler embrace. They hugged for a few seconds before they came back. Tyler placed the rose on the stump with Bonnie's other things.

Lucy loved Bonnie. They had some hiccups in their friendship and sometimes they didn't like one another, but that was the past. All of that animosity had been taken care of before Bonnie had even died, and Lucy was grateful. She missed Bonnie and she would miss her for the rest of her life.


End file.
